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FOLKER
What FOLKER is
FOLKER is a transcription editor developed for transcription and annotation in the FOLK research and teaching corpus, particularly work involving spoken German. It supports conversation analytical transcription following cGAT conventions, including minimal or basic transcripts. Built on EXMARaLDA, FOLKER interoperates with that system and has been distributed as one of its components since April 2017. It is free to download for Linux, macOS, and Windows. The EXMARaLDA download page offers a Windows installer with a choice of tools, Mac disk images for Apple Silicon and Intel, and Linux packages, including a Debian package and a Java-integrated tarball. The official releases page lists version 1.3.3 among releases dated December 29, 2025. For related transcript tasks, OrthoNormal supports orthographic normalization, lemmatization, and part-of-speech tagging. Documentation includes a quick-start guide, video tutorial, user manual, and developer documentation for the data model and schema. The FOLKER page recommends consulting the manual and contacting EXMARaLDA support if questions remain. The IDS offers FOLKER workshops at irregular intervals.
Who it suits
FOLKER suits researchers and teachers working with spoken German transcripts, especially in the FOLK corpus. It is available for users on Linux, macOS, or Windows.
What it does well
- Free download for Linux, macOS, and Windows.
- Supports cGAT minimal or basic transcripts.
- Interoperates with EXMARaLDA.
- Documentation includes a manual and video tutorial.
What to know first
- Intel Macs will not be supported in future releases.
- Workshops take place at irregular intervals.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| FOLKER | FOLKER is available as a download within the EXMARaLDA tools | Free |
As agd.ids-mannheim.de lists them, read 4 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the EXMARaLDA download page.
- Choose the package for Linux, macOS, or Windows.
- For Windows, use the installer to choose which tools to install.
- For macOS, choose the disk image for Apple Silicon or Intel.
- Consult the quick-start guide or video tutorial to begin.
Verdict
FOLKER is a free transcription editor centered on research and teaching corpus work. Its cGAT support and EXMARaLDA interoperability are relevant to users handling spoken German transcripts.
Questions
Is FOLKER free?
Yes. FOLKER is available as a free download within the EXMARaLDA tools.
Which platforms does it support?
FOLKER is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. The Mac download page offers Apple Silicon and Intel disk images and says Intel Macs will not be supported in future releases.
What transcription conventions does FOLKER support?
It supports conversation analytical transcription following cGAT conventions, including minimal or basic transcripts.
Does FOLKER work with EXMARaLDA?
Yes. FOLKER is based on and interoperable with EXMARaLDA, and has been distributed as one of its components since April 2017.
Who makes FOLKER?
The Leibniz Institute for the German Language (IDS) in Mannheim is identified as the responsible institution for the site.
What documentation and support are available?
The FOLKER page links a quick-start guide, video tutorial, user manual, and developer documentation. It advises consulting the manual and contacting EXMARaLDA support; the IDS offers workshops at irregular intervals.
Facts from FOLKER's own pages
- Current listed version
- The official releases page lists FOLKER version 1.3.3 among releases dated December 29, 2025. · exmaralda.org, 4 Oct 2026
- Distribution
- FOLKER has been distributed as a component of EXMARaLDA since April 2017. · agd.ids-mannheim.de, 4 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- The FOLKER page links a quick-start guide, a video tutorial, a user manual, and developer documentation for the data model and schema. · agd.ids-mannheim.de, 4 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · agd.ids-mannheim.de, 23 Sept 2026
- Intended users
- The maker describes FOLKER as a tool developed for research and teaching corpus work involving spoken German. · agd.ids-mannheim.de, 4 Oct 2026
- Interoperability
- FOLKER is based on and interoperable with the EXMARaLDA system. · agd.ids-mannheim.de, 4 Oct 2026
- Linux download
- The EXMARaLDA download page lists Linux packages, including a Debian package and a Java-integrated tarball. · exmaralda.org, 4 Oct 2026
- Mac download
- The official download page provides FOLKER disk images for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, and states that Intel Macs will not be supported in future releases. · exmaralda.org, 4 Oct 2026
- Maker
- The linked imprint identifies the Leibniz Institute for the German Language (IDS) in Mannheim as the responsible institution for the site. · agd.ids-mannheim.de, 4 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- FOLKER is a transcription editor developed for transcription and annotation in the FOLK research and teaching corpus. · agd.ids-mannheim.de, 4 Oct 2026
- Related tool
- OrthoNormal supports orthographic normalization, lemmatization, and part-of-speech tagging of transcripts. · agd.ids-mannheim.de, 4 Oct 2026
- Support
- The FOLKER page advises users to consult the manual and contact EXMARaLDA support if their questions remain unanswered. · agd.ids-mannheim.de, 4 Oct 2026
- Training
- The IDS says it offers FOLKER workshops at irregular intervals and invites interested people to email [email protected]. · agd.ids-mannheim.de, 4 Oct 2026
- Transcription
- FOLKER supports conversation analytical transcription following cGAT conventions as a minimal or basic transcript. · agd.ids-mannheim.de, 4 Oct 2026
- Windows download
- The official EXMARaLDA download page provides a Windows installer and lets users choose which tools to install. · exmaralda.org, 4 Oct 2026
Where FOLKER stands on Freedom251
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