Definition of definitions/nl

File:DEFINITIES-TYPES-EN.png

Definitietypes, gebruikt in het USM-begrippenkader

Een definitie wordt gedefinieerd als een verwoording van de betekenis van een BEGRIP waarmee het BEGRIP kan worden onderscheiden van andere BEGRIPPEN. Een begrip is een woord of woordgroep die een concept benoemt: een idee of denkbeeld in je hoofd.

A USM definition follows one of these five formats:

• Type 1: Type (genus/differentia) - TERM is derivative of higher term, with distinguishing feature X (inheritance, generalization, supertype).
  • Examples: Blaze - A horse with a white forehead. Palomino - A horse with white dots.
  • Covered relations from NL-SBB: "has supertype of", "is specialization of", "is copy of", "is category of", "is part of".
• Type 2: Composition (totum/dividere) - TERM is a whole, specified by describing its parts (hierarchy, whole/part).
  • Examples: Organization. A bunch of people doing things with stuff. Train - A locomotive with wagons.
  • Covered relations from NL-SBB: "includes".
• Type 3: Component (pars) - TERM is a part of a larger whole, with a specific characteristic.
  • Example: Leaf - A part of a plant organism, extending from the stem and forming an essential part of the photosynthetic process.
  • Covered relations from NL-SBB: "has superordinate understanding", "is part of".
• Type 4: Relationship (associatio) - TERM is a relationship between two entities (an association).
  • Example: Marriage - A legal relationship between two people.
• Type 5: Feature (signum) - TERM is a characteristic of an entity (a property).
  • Examples: Correctness - The degree to which something correctly represents its true value. Availability - The degree to which something is present for its intended situation/purpose.

Note: For taxonomies, one prefers to use only Type 1 definitions. However, the top term in a taxonomy will be of a different type.

Standards that are adopted for specifying the USM definitions include:

• NL-SBB
• ISO 704