Semantic equivalence
Encyclopedia
In computer metadata
, semantic equivalence is a declaration that two data element
s from different vocabularies contain data that has similar meaning. There are three types of semantic equivalence statements:
PersonFamilyName
The name of a person shared with other members of their family.
and a second organization has a data dictionary with a data element with the following entry:
IndividualLastName
The name of an individual person shared with other members of their family.
these two data elements can be considered to have the same meaning and can be marked as semantically equivalent.
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...
, semantic equivalence is a declaration that two 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 from different vocabularies contain data that has similar meaning. There are three types of semantic equivalence statements:
- ClassClass (computer science)In object-oriented programming, a class is a construct that is used as a blueprint to create instances of itself – referred to as class instances, class objects, instance objects or simply objects. A class defines constituent members which enable these class instances to have state and behavior...
or conceptConceptThe word concept is used in ordinary language as well as in almost all academic disciplines. Particularly in philosophy, psychology and cognitive sciences the term is much used and much discussed. WordNet defines concept: "conception, construct ". However, the meaning of the term concept is much...
equivalence. A statement that two high level concepts have similar or equivalent meaning. - PropertyProperty (philosophy)In modern philosophy, logic, and mathematics a property is an attribute of an object; a red object is said to have the property of redness. The property may be considered a form of object in its own right, able to possess other properties. A property however differs from individual objects in that...
or attributeAttribute (computing)In computing, an attribute is a specification that defines a property of an object, element, or file. It may also refer to or set the specific value for a given instance of such....
equivalence. A statement that two properties, descriptors or attributes of a classes have similar meaning. - InstanceObject (computer science)In computer science, an object is any entity that can be manipulated by the commands of a programming language, such as a value, variable, function, or data structure...
equivalence. A statement that two instances of data are the same or refer to the same instance.
Example
Assume that there are two organizations, each having a separate data dictionary. The first organization has a data element entry:and a second organization has a data dictionary with a data element with the following entry:
these two data elements can be considered to have the same meaning and can be marked as semantically equivalent.
See also
- Logical equivalenceLogical equivalenceIn logic, statements p and q are logically equivalent if they have the same logical content.Syntactically, p and q are equivalent if each can be proved from the other...
- 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...
- Web Ontology LanguageWeb Ontology LanguageThe 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)