What is cual?

CUAL is a query language designed for use with the Integrated Authority File (Gemeinsame Normdatei, or GND). It allows users to search and retrieve data from the GND knowledge graph.

Key aspects of CUAL:

• Purpose: Primarily intended for information retrieval within the GND context. It facilitates searching and filtering based on various GND properties and relationships.
• Target Users: Commonly used by librarians, archivists, and researchers who need to access and manipulate data stored in the GND.
• Functionality: CUAL supports functions for precise searching based on various criteria. These include searching by name, subject, identifiers, and relationships between entities.
• Access: Although the query syntax is well-defined, the interface to execute CUAL queries may vary depending on the specific system or application providing access to the GND. Often, the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek provides the interface.
• Knowledge Graph: The efficacy of CUAL relies on the underlying structure and quality of the GND knowledge graph.
• Data Retrieval: CUAL retrieves data linked to integrated authority files.