The ALD project consists of two parts: ALD-I and ALD-II. This first part of the atlas (ALD-I) comprises predominantly phonetically relevant data on dialects supplemented by 217 measuring points and 884 atlas maps; furthermore, elementary problems of nominal morphology (in particular for nouns and adjectives) are also included. Other chapters which will deal with morphology, syntax and above all the dictionary are planned after publication of ALD-I and will be part of the ALD-II project.

The ”Phonetische Normalbücher” promoted in the Swiss dialect dictionaries DRG, GPSR and VSI at the beginning of the work and in particular the ”Tableaux phonétiques des patois suisses romands” (TPPSR) established within the scope of the GPSR generally served as the methodical example for compilation of the ALD-I.

The main goal of the ALD-I is to provide those readers interested in phonetic problems with well-founded and modern working material (electronic data processing) which is easy to use.

The area of examination of the ALD-I comprises about 20 000 km_ and was taken from the map of the upper part of Italy and the south-east of Switzerland to form a realistic compromise between scientific, economic and practical considerations. The resulting relatively dense network of data collected - the average distance between the measuring points is less than 10 km - covers several dialectic extended areas: from Upper and Lower Engadine (including the Münstertal), eastern Lombardy, the entire Trentino region, the entire Dolomite Ladinia, central and northern parts of Venetia and western Friuli.