At VerbaAlpina, a multi-word expression is understood as a specific sequence of single words (tokens) which denote one specific or multiple differing concepts. In Val Gardena, for example (AIS 1192_1, 312), ALMHÜTTE is called casa da fuoco (ʧˌaz dɑ fˈuɑk), literally meaning 'fire house'. In other dialects (like Engadine and Ticino), this composition describes the concept KITCHEN.

This leads to a multi-layered classification of conceptsvwhich, from an informational perspective, could be difficult to display in the relational data model. Apart from the meaning of the multi-word expression as a whole, the individual words bear their own meanings and could shed some light on the motivation behind the composition of the multi-word expression. To take these special features into account, the VerbaAlpina database uses so-called token groups. A record consisting of multiple single words is broken down into its individual parts which are then stored in the table 'tokens'. Each of these tokens refers to one and the same entry in the table 'token groups' and additionally saves their respective position within the token group (1st , 2nd etc. position) so that the multi-word expression can be reconstructed from the individual tokens. Thus, the mulit-word expression does not need to be saved explicitly. The only data filed in the table 'token group' is additional information (apart from the token group's ID) that is not available in the singe tokens' entries, like, e.g., the token group's gender.

The assignment of concepts takes place on the level of tokens as well as token groups. Hence, there are three entries for the example above in the table 'tokens' with different concepts assigned to them:



The assignment of concepts to the individual parts is accomplished using dictionaries. For each respective sub concept, the most common entry from the dictionary will be adopted. Since the sub concept were not queried, it is possible that some of them do not reflect reality.
Additionally, there is a new entry in the table 'token groups' with its own concept assignment:



In the cartographic display on VerbaAlpina's interface, tokens and token groups are treated equally. This means that searching for the concept ALPINE HUT will deliver token groups as well as tokens connected to the concept. Single words that are only recorded as a part of a multi-word expression will be labelled accordingly.