Synonym ring
Encyclopedia
In metadata
a synonym ring or synset, is a group of data element
s that are considered semantically equivalent for the purposes of information retrieval. These data elements are frequently found in different metadata registries
. Although a group of terms can be considered equivalent, metadata registries store the synonyms at a central location called the preferred data element.
According to WordNet
, a synset or synonym set is defined as a set of one or more synonyms that are interchangeable in some context without changing the truth value of the proposition in which they are embedded.
foaf
:person
gjxdm
:Person
niem
:Person
sumo
:Human
cyc
:Person
umbel
:Person
Note that each data element has two components:
(OWL) using the
Metadata
The term metadata is an ambiguous term which is used for two fundamentally different concepts . Although the expression "data about data" is often used, it does not apply to both in the same way. Structural metadata, the design and specification of data structures, cannot be about data, because at...
a synonym ring or synset, is a group of data element
Data element
In metadata, the term data element is an atomic unit of data that has precise meaning or precise semantics. A data element has:# An identification such as a data element name# A clear data element definition# One or more representation terms...
s that are considered semantically equivalent for the purposes of information retrieval. These data elements are frequently found in different metadata registries
Metadata registry
A metadata registry is a central location in an organization where metadata definitions are stored and maintained in a controlled method.-Use of Metadata Registries:...
. Although a group of terms can be considered equivalent, metadata registries store the synonyms at a central location called the preferred data element.
According to WordNet
WordNet
WordNet is a lexical database for the English language. It groups English words into sets of synonyms called synsets, provides short, general definitions, and records the various semantic relations between these synonym sets...
, a synset or synonym set is defined as a set of one or more synonyms that are interchangeable in some context without changing the truth value of the proposition in which they are embedded.
Example
The following are considered semantically equivalent and form a synonym ring:foaf
FOAF (software)
FOAF is a machine-readable ontology describing persons, their activities and their relations to other people and objects. Anyone can use FOAF to describe him or herself...
:person
gjxdm
GJXDM
The Global Justice XML Data Model is a data reference model for the exchange of information within the justice and public safety communities...
:Person
niem
National Information Exchange Model
The National Information Exchange Model is an XML-based information exchange framework from the United States. NIEM represents a collaborative partnership of agencies and organizations across all levels of government and with private industry...
:Person
sumo
Suggested Upper Merged Ontology
The Suggested Upper Merged Ontology or SUMO is an upper ontology intended as a foundation ontology for a variety of computer information processing systems. It was originally developed by the Teknowledge Corporation and now is maintained by . It is one candidate for the "standard upper ontology"...
:Human
cyc
Cyc
Cyc is an artificial intelligence project that attempts to assemble a comprehensive ontology and knowledge base of everyday common sense knowledge, with the goal of enabling AI applications to perform human-like reasoning....
:Person
umbel
UMBEL
UMBEL, short for Upper Mapping and Binding Exchange Layer, is an extracted subset of OpenCyc, providing the Cyc data in an RDF ontology based on SKOS and OWL 2...
:Person
Note that each data element has two components:
- Namespace prefix which is a shorthand for the name of the metadata registry
- Data element name The name of the object in each of the distinct metadata registry
Expressing a synonym ring
A synonym ring can be expressed by a series of statements in the Web Ontology LanguageWeb Ontology Language
The Web Ontology Language is a family of knowledge representation languages for authoring ontologies.The languages are characterised by formal semantics and RDF/XML-based serializations for the Semantic Web...
(OWL) using the
classEquivalence or the propertyEquivalence or instance equivalence statement - the sameAs property.See also
- MetadataMetadataThe term metadata is an ambiguous term which is used for two fundamentally different concepts . Although the expression "data about data" is often used, it does not apply to both in the same way. Structural metadata, the design and specification of data structures, cannot be about data, because at...
- Vocabulary-based transformationVocabulary-based transformationIn metadata, a vocabulary-based transformation is a transformation aided by the use of a semantic equivalence statements within a controlled vocabulary.Many organizations today require communication between one or more computers...
- Data Reference ModelData Reference ModelThe Data Reference Model is one of the five reference models of the Federal Enterprise Architecture .- Overview :The DRM is a framework whose primary purpose is to enable information sharing and reuse across the United States federal government via the standard description and discovery of common...
- ANSI/NISO Z39.19-200x
- WordNetWordNetWordNet is a lexical database for the English language. It groups English words into sets of synonyms called synsets, provides short, general definitions, and records the various semantic relations between these synonym sets...