TMF - Terminological Markup Framework

1. TMF - Terminological Markup Framework Laurent Romary Laboratoire LORIA (CNRS, INRIA, Universités de Nancy) ISO meeting London, 14 August 2000

2. Background • Current work with n382 (MSC), n385 (Geneter) • Defining interoperability conditions • Two options • Direct mappings between both • Defining a general framework for terminological representation which may encompass both formats • Second option adopted here • In continuity with the work conducted on the meta-model (n380)

3. Proposal • Defining one single standard for the representation of terminological data • Taking into account the work achieved within n380, n382 and n385 • Identifying shared components • Finding consensus on pending issues • Guiding the evolution of ISO 12620 towards a more formal representation

4. Definitions • TMF: Terminological Mark-up Framework • Definition of underlying structures and mechanisms needed for the computer representation of terminological data • Independence with regards any specific format • TML: Terminological Mark-up Language • One specific representation format generated within TMF • E.g.: Geneter and MSC are two possible TMLs

5. Principles • Abstract structure • cf. meta-model: extension of the notion of core structure (e.g. ‘language section’) • Shared and optional (?) components • Data constraint specifications • Mainly based upon a formalised version of 12620 • Additional constraints (“free” in n385) • Vocabularies (e.g. ‘ldl’ vs. ‘langSet’) • Styles (as defined in n382)

6. External resources • Resources closely related to terminological description • Described as a TMF component • e.g.: domain hierarchy • Resources external to “core” terminological description • External module made available to any specific TML • e.g.: bibliographical record, formatting instructions

7. Technological background • Data model • UML specification • XML schema specification • Abstract structure defined as generalelement types • One TML: element types derived from abstract structure and combined with data constraints • Data constraint specification • RDF definitions of data categories • May comprise vocabularies at this stage

8. Technical background (cont.) • Making full use of the XML background • xml:lang • Character encoding decl. • namespaces • Modularity (external resources, cf. namespaces) • XML schemas • More flexible and powerful than classical DTDs • Data typing, Element abstraction, Coherent XML syntax • XML links

9. XML links • Transparency as to the actual location of a resource (internal vs. external) • Maybe useful to identify ontologies • External links between concepts entry i entry i entry j entry j

10. Relation with current work items • MSC and Geneter may appear as normative or informative appendices • Resp. blind-TMF and open-TMF • Does not change current activities within national, international or industrial projects • Both formats are part of the framework

11. Relation with interoperability work • Interoperability achieved through the abstract model defined by the framework • Kind-of “langage pivot” • Necessity to include, in a coherent way, specificities of both formats  strong involvement of current editors of n382 and n385 (point for discussion: optional components, since implies possible incompatibility)