This document describes how to get started with the linguistic annotation tool ELAN. You should
have at least one audio and/or video file that you want to annotate.
Requirements:
• Java 1.5 or higher (included in the standalone versions for Windows and Linux)
• Mac OS 10.4 or higher with the proper Java version
• Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista or 7 (32 & 64 bit)
• At least 256 Mb RAM, 512Mb or more preferred
• 1.5 Ghz or faster processor (CPU)
1. Create a new transcription document
• In the ELAN main menu choose “File -> New”.
• In the dialog browse to the media file(s) you want to annotate. Click the “>>” button to add the
file(s) to the new document. ELAN can visualize 1 audio file and up to 4 video files. (fig. 1)
• Click “OK”. The ELAN window will be initialized with the chosen media file(s).
2. Create a new linguistic type
• Choose “Type -> Add New Linguistic Type…”. In the dialog enter a name for the new type, e.g.
“Default”. Accept all other default settings and click the “Add” button (fig. 2). Close the dialog.
3. Create a new tier
• Choose “Tier -> Add New Tier…”. In the dialog enter a name for the new tier (e.g. “text, ortho”)
and optionally a participant’s name. Accept the default settings and click “Add” (fig. 3).
Close the dialog.
4. Make the new tier active
• In the lower left side in the ELAN window the tier label has appeared. Double click it to make it
active. The label will now be colored red, the tier is the active tier (fig. 4).
5. Create annotations
• Use the media player control buttons to start and stop the media player. Roughly identify the
segment for your first annotation.
• Create a selection in the timeline viewer (the lower part of the window) by clicking and dragging
with the mouse (fig. 4).
• Click the “play selection” button to verify your selection. Fine-tune the selection by shift-clicking
in the timeline viewer or by ticking the “selection mode” box and using the media control buttons
to modify the selection boundaries (fig. 6).
• Create the annotation by hitting alt+N on the keyboard or by right-clicking on the junction of the
selection and the active tier and choosing “New Annotation Here” from the popup menu.
• Enter text in the edit box that appears. Confirm by hitting Ctrl+Enter (Command+Enter on Mac).
• Activate the annotation by clicking on it in the timeline viewer (fig. 5). The beginning and end
time of the annotation can be modified by changing the selection (see above) and pressing
“Ctrl+Enter” or by right clicking the active annotation and choosing “Modify Annotation Time”. The
annotation value can be edited by double clicking the annotation.
• Create additional annotations in the same way.
• Add more linguistic types and tiers, taking into account the relationships you need between the
tiers within your transcription document.
Multimedia annotation with ELAN
Han Sloetjes, MPI for Psycholinguistics, May 2012
