Documentary languages and knowledge organization systems in the context of the semantic web

Marilda Lopes Ginez De Lara

doi:10.1590/s0103-37862013000200005

Marilda Lopes Ginez De Lara

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s0103-37862013000200005

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to discuss the need for formal documentary languages as a condition for it to function in the Semantic Web. Based on a bibliographic review, Linked Open Data is presented as an initial condition for the operationalization of the Semantic Web, similar to the movement of Linked Open Vocabularies that aimed to promote interoperability among vocabularies. We highlight the Simple Knowledge Organization System format by analyzing its main characteristics and presenting the new standard ISO 25964-1/2:2011/2012 -Thesauri and interoperability with other vocabularies, that revises previous recommendations, adding requirements for the interoperability and mapping of vocabularies. We discuss conceptual problems in the formalization of vocabularies and the need to invest critically in its operationalization, suggesting alternatives to harness the mapping of vocabularies.

Highlights

Knowledge Organization Systems, a term adopted by the International Society of Knowledge Organization (ISKO), consist of several tools that deal with the‘content’
Based on a bibliographic review, the aim of this article was to discuss the initiatives and critically examine their implementation taking into consideration the assumptions that underlie the Knowledge Organization Systems and open possibilities for its reuse within the Semantic Web
The new Knowledge Organization Systems (KOS) ecosystem allows for vocabulary to be put ‘on the’ Web for people to read, but ‘into’ the Semantic Web, allowing machines to use [the vocabularies] directly (Méndez; Greenberg, 2012)

Summary

Introduction

Knowledge Organization Systems, a term adopted by the International Society of Knowledge Organization (ISKO), consist of several tools that deal with the‘content’. The functions of the Semantic Web require specific formalization in to make them identifiable and interoperable. Initiatives related to the implementation of this formalization include open data, Linked Open Data. (LOD), the movement of the Linked Open Vocabularies (LOV), the proposal of the Simple Knowledge Organization Systems (SKOS) format and the recent documentary standard of the International Standard Organization (ISO) 25964-1/2:2011/2012, Thesauri and interoperability with other vocabularies. Based on a bibliographic review, the aim of this article was to discuss the initiatives and critically examine their implementation taking into consideration the assumptions that underlie the Knowledge Organization Systems and open possibilities for its reuse within the Semantic Web. as the Data Hub, which are made available with specifications for reuse. The new KOS ecosystem allows for vocabulary to be put ‘on the’ Web for people to read, but ‘into’ the Semantic Web, allowing machines to use [the vocabularies] directly (Méndez; Greenberg, 2012)

Knowledge Organization Systems and Simple

Open Vocabularies that seek to promote the publication