The role of context in specialized knowledge modelling Pilar León Araúz, Arianne Reimerink, Alejandro G. Aragón University of Granada (Spain)
EcoLexicon Terminological Knowledge Base on environment 3,115 concepts and 11,783 terms in English, Spanish, German, Modern Greek and Russian 6,291 conceptual propositions Multimodal interface
EcoLexicon Interface
Information overload
Conceptual contextualization Versatile concepts Multidimensionality Multiple inheritance or incompatibility of facets? e.g. dimensions of salinity or location: fresh water/brakish water surface water/groundwater e.g. dimension of function: precipitable water/drinking water/navigable water Role-based and domain-based constraints
Conceptual contextualization A given concept produces many different situated conceptualizations, each tailored to different instances in different settings (Barsalou, 2005) Conceptual dimensions become more or less salient depending on the activation of specific contexts WATER causes EROSION, only relevant when WATER is an AGENT. WATER part_of CONCRETE, not relevant if users only want to know how WATER naturally interacts with landscape
Role-based constraints Role-free network of WATERAgent-based network of WATER
Domain-based constraints Contextual domains: HYDROLOGY, GEOLOGY, METEOROLOGY, BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, ENGINEERING - CONSTRUCTION, WATER TREATMENT, COASTAL PROCESSES, NAVIGATION Context domain membership reconceptualises versatile concepts restricting their relational behaviour Constraints are applied to each conceptual proposition (e.g. WATER part_of CONCRETE )
WATER in the ENGINEERING- CONSTRUCTION domain
WATER in the GEOLOGY domain
Comparing domain-based networks Different number of conceptual propositions: relevance of WATER Different type of conceptual relations WATER in GEOLOGY: type_of, causes WATER in ENGINEERING/CONSTRUCTION: affected_by, made_of Linked to different concept types: natural vs. artificial entities or processes Fuzzy category boundaries: overlapping
Intersection of role- and domain- based constraints WATER as an AGENT in HYDROLOGYWATER as a PATIENT in HYDROLOGY
Intersection of role- and domain- based constraints WATER as an AGENT and a PATIENT in HYDROLOGY
Terminological contextualization Multidisciplinarity and lack of univocity Domain-based constraints eg. MUD: mud and sludge (only in WATER TREATMENT) eg. EROSION: beach erosion (only in COASTAL PROCESSES) Usage-based constraints eg. Groyne/groin eg. Thermal low pressure system/heat low
Intersection of domain- and usage- based constraints
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