GarryJolleyRogers - Wed Nov 25 2009 - Version 1.8
Parent topic: ClosedTopicSchemaDiscussionSDD09

LanguageSpecificClassNames

Implicitly we assume that class names are scientific names that work for all languages. That is not necessarily true (diseases, non-biological objects, etc.). We may have to add audience specific versions (which could also be common/vernacular names).

Adding a representation layer is not so much a problem, as that is seems undesirable to have
en: Rheum rhaponticum L. (Rhubarb)
de: Rheum rhaponticum L. (Rhabarber)
It would be nicer to separate the language independent scientific from the language dependent name.

However, if SDD is used for non-biological purposes, there may or may not be a scientific, language independent name. Also, the assumption in biology that scientific = language independent may not be correct. In medicine you may want to define both the medical term and a common name for a disease, but the precise term may either be latin or may be a language-specific term.

How should Entities/Classes/Class look like?

-- Gregor Hagedorn - 21 Apr 2004

The proposal for SDD 0.91 makes this a Label with a collection of language-specific (not audience-) Representations. This significantly complicates the ProxyBaseType, but I received no better suggestions...

-- Gregor Hagedorn - 26 May 2004