A minimal ontology of information objects and communication theory, plugin to DnS. OWL engineering by Aldo Gangemi.
A part of a word as it can be realized by writing. A spoken information realization can be 'about' a grapheme (as in reading), but it does not 'realize' it. BTW, since spoken realizations are a 'primary' code of communication, the difference between direct and indirect spoken realizations (reading) is often ontologically understated. A grapheme is not necessarily able to express a meaning (description), although it can in principle (e.g. 'a' in English).
A linguistic object consisting of a string (independently of its physical realization). Its topological unity can change according to its physical realization: as a written realization, its boundaries are blank spaces, as a spoken realization, sometimes is silence, sometimes not, and higher order features intervene. Grammatical entities such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. are roles defined by a grammar, and words (or larger linguistic objects) can play those roles in a given language. E.g., the word 'share' can play both 'verb' and 'noun' roles in contemporary English, while the word 'come' can only play the 'verb' role in English, and the 'adverb' or 'conjunction' roles in Italian (but if we consider a word as only realized by phonemes, i.e. if we consider the oral realizations of 'come', there is no common word in the two languages).
Any physical entity that realizes an information object.
A complex linguistic object, expressed according to a language and still independent from a particular physical realization.
A semiotic role is a non-agentive role defined by the interpretation function.It should be specialized within a communication setting by a role that is played by some entity in a communication situation. Semiotic roles are used to fill the universe of the so-called 'interpretation function'.Two of them are specialized by two communication roles (message and context).
Any situation that satisfies Jakobson's communication theory.
The context role in Jakobson's theory of communication.
Jakobson defined six functions of communication that are compatible with Shannon's theory of information. They are the 'message', here covered by 'Message-Role', the context, covered here by 'C-Context', the code, covered by 'Code', plus 'Channel', 'Encoder', and 'Decoder', which are introduced below. Message-Role, C-Context, and Code can also be viewed as playing a semiotic role (Expression, S-Context, Semiotic-Code). For a communication theory in general, we also need other components that are not specified in Jakobson's theory', e.g. 'turn-taking', governing the sequence of a communication process, 'communication parameters', governing the values that participants and events of a communication should have in order for the communication to be successful (i.e. for the communication method to be satisfied), 'conversational maxims' (superordered theories) that provide guidelines for communication to be successful, etc.
A specialization of the interpreter role, played by the agents trying to conceive the description expressed by some information object created by agents playing the encoder role.
S-context (semiotic context) is played by descriptions and is a semiotic role. It is used to fill the second domain of the so-called 'interpretation function'.It may be equivalent to the 'c-context' communication role, but since communication theory and semiotic theories are different, it is more correct to say that c-context (communication context) specializes s-context.
Interpretation functions are descriptions that can include roles either for semiotics or for formal semantics.Here we only characterize a basic, simple theory of semiotic interpretation. Three semiotic roles are defined: s-context (semiotic context), expression, and meaning.It has complex dependencies to mental objects, social objects, as well as references to entities as such, but we currently prefer to put it here as a placeholder (a forthcoming ontology of mind should give some more detail on those issues). See semiotic roles for further comments.
Meaning is a semiotic role played by descriptions whatsoever. It is used to fill the range of the so-called 'interpretation function'.It is not equivalent to any communication function.
Expression is a semiotic role played by information objects. It is used to fill the first domain of the so-called 'interpretation function'. It can be considered equivalent to the 'message' communication role, but since communication theory and semiotic theories are different, it is more correct to say that a message role specializes an expression role.
A specialization of the interpreter role, played by creators of information objects expressing some description.
A generalization of the encoder and decoder roles in Jakobson's theory of communication, which should be played by an agent.
The message role in Jakobson's theory of communication, played by information objects. It specializes the expression role from semiotic interpretation theory.
The channel role in Jakobson's theory of communication.
The code role in Jakobson's theory of communication, which should be played by an information-encoding-system.
An information object ordered by (encoded according to) a language.
An information realization based on conventional sounds. It is a primary code of communication (primary means that it is an original bodily expression, specially if firstly learnt).
The class of situations that satisfy the semiotic interpretation function (given an expression and a context, a meaning is provided).
A set of rules for the generation of a (closed or open set of) information objects.
A domain of knowledge, typically expressed by one term, related to other subjects in a partial order hierarchy and with some topological properties; e.g. biology, sport, politics.
A part of a word as it can be realized by voicing. A written information realization can be 'about' a phoneme (as in the case of transcription systems), but it does not 'realize' it. A phoneme is not necessarily able to express a meaning (description), although it can in principle (e.g. 'a' in English).
An information object ordered by a visual code.
A code that orders the generation of information objects according to formally defined vocabulary, axioms, rules, etc.
An information realization based on conventional symbols. It is a secondary code of communication (secondary means that it is about an original bodily expression, i.e. a primary code). Therefore, we are not considering here early forms of iconic expression, which could be considered primary.
A part of a word that can express a meaning.
An information object ordered by a shematic iconic code
An information encoding system that provides roles and operations to create valid information objects (e.g. grammars, templates, codes).
An information realization based on conventional body movements. It is a primary code of communication (primary means that it is an original bodily expression, specially if firstly learnt).
The roles employed to characterize communication. E.g. the roles from Jakobson's theory of communication.
An information encoding system that provides rules for (ev. ordered) lists of information objects, e.g terminologies, subjects, knowledge domains.
A description expressed by a text, and ordered by additional semiotic codes (narratological structures).
A combinatorial code intended to ordering of information objects involved in the semiotic 'interpretation function'.
Being about an antity with the main purpose of conventionally naming that entity. Typically, proper nouns identify entities.
This relation supports the representation of conceptual regions by information objects. It is defined as a composed relation: an information object is expressed according to an information encoding description that maps a quality space. In other words, this means that a representation of conceptual regions within quality spaces requires an explicit conceptualization of the dimensions operating in the quality space. In still other words, a quality space can be mapped to a theory, which can be reified as a special kind of 'information encoding description'.
The relation between an entity (playing the role of example, sample, prototype, master, etc.), and another that has all the properties of the first (or a given set of them), except space-time.
Referring to something is assumed here under a 'negotiated reference' approach, i.e. agents refer to entities by conceiving a description appropriate to context.
The proper part relation between subjects.