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Chapter 6. Multidimensionality

  • Lynne Bowker
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Theoretical Perspectives on Terminology
This chapter is in the book Theoretical Perspectives on Terminology

Abstract

Multidimensionality is a phenomenon of conceptual classification that arises when concepts are classified in more than one way within a concept system according to different characteristics. Because multidimensionality can be complex and cause information overload, early terminologists focused on the most common dimension. In the 1990s, knowledge-based approaches emerged, partly inspired by cognitive science models. Technological advances offered the possibility of managing multiple inheritance and generating graphical representations, making it easier to work with multidimensionality. Corpus-based techniques that used lexical knowledge patterns to uncover conceptual relations soon followed. Terminologists have thus incorporated multidimensionality into successive terminological knowledge bases, offering richer representations of multiple dimensions and a more holistic understanding of concepts. These resources also explore ways of addressing information overload.

Abstract

Multidimensionality is a phenomenon of conceptual classification that arises when concepts are classified in more than one way within a concept system according to different characteristics. Because multidimensionality can be complex and cause information overload, early terminologists focused on the most common dimension. In the 1990s, knowledge-based approaches emerged, partly inspired by cognitive science models. Technological advances offered the possibility of managing multiple inheritance and generating graphical representations, making it easier to work with multidimensionality. Corpus-based techniques that used lexical knowledge patterns to uncover conceptual relations soon followed. Terminologists have thus incorporated multidimensionality into successive terminological knowledge bases, offering richer representations of multiple dimensions and a more holistic understanding of concepts. These resources also explore ways of addressing information overload.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Theoretical perspectives on Terminology 1
  4. Part 1. General Theory of Terminology (and beyond)
  5. Chapter 1. The reception of Wüster’s General Theory of Terminology 15
  6. Chapter 2. General principles of Wüster’s General Theory of Terminology 37
  7. Part 2. Knowledge-based Terminology
  8. Chapter 3. Conceptual relations 63
  9. Chapter 4. Terminology and standards 87
  10. Chapter 5. Concept management for Terminology 111
  11. Chapter 6. Multidimensionality 127
  12. Chapter 7. Terminology and ontologies 149
  13. Part 3. Socioterminology and Cultural Terminology
  14. Chapter 8. Founding principles of Socioterminology 177
  15. Chapter 9. Cultural Terminology 197
  16. Part 4. Textual Terminology, Terminology and Lexical Semantics
  17. Chapter 10. Textual Terminology 219
  18. Chapter 11. Terminology and Lexical Semantics 237
  19. Part 5. Corpus-based Terminology
  20. Chapter 12. Text genres and Terminology 263
  21. Chapter 13. Knowledge patterns in corpora 291
  22. Chapter 14. Terminology and distributional analysis of corpora 311
  23. Part 6. Terminology and Cognitive Linguistics
  24. Chapter 15. Units of understanding in Sociocognitive Terminology studies 331
  25. Chapter 16. Frame-based Terminology 353
  26. Chapter 17. Conceptual metaphors 377
  27. Part 7. Variation and equivalence
  28. Chapter 18. Causes of terminological variation 399
  29. Chapter 19. Diachronic variation 421
  30. Chapter 20. Cognitive approaches to the study of term variation 435
  31. Chapter 21. Terminological growth 457
  32. Chapter 22. Terminology and equivalence 477
  33. References 503
  34. Standards and resources cited in chapters 575
  35. Biographical notes 583
  36. Index 591
https://doi.org/10.1075/tlrp.23.06bow

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Theoretical perspectives on Terminology 1
  4. Part 1. General Theory of Terminology (and beyond)
  5. Chapter 1. The reception of Wüster’s General Theory of Terminology 15
  6. Chapter 2. General principles of Wüster’s General Theory of Terminology 37
  7. Part 2. Knowledge-based Terminology
  8. Chapter 3. Conceptual relations 63
  9. Chapter 4. Terminology and standards 87
  10. Chapter 5. Concept management for Terminology 111
  11. Chapter 6. Multidimensionality 127
  12. Chapter 7. Terminology and ontologies 149
  13. Part 3. Socioterminology and Cultural Terminology
  14. Chapter 8. Founding principles of Socioterminology 177
  15. Chapter 9. Cultural Terminology 197
  16. Part 4. Textual Terminology, Terminology and Lexical Semantics
  17. Chapter 10. Textual Terminology 219
  18. Chapter 11. Terminology and Lexical Semantics 237
  19. Part 5. Corpus-based Terminology
  20. Chapter 12. Text genres and Terminology 263
  21. Chapter 13. Knowledge patterns in corpora 291
  22. Chapter 14. Terminology and distributional analysis of corpora 311
  23. Part 6. Terminology and Cognitive Linguistics
  24. Chapter 15. Units of understanding in Sociocognitive Terminology studies 331
  25. Chapter 16. Frame-based Terminology 353
  26. Chapter 17. Conceptual metaphors 377
  27. Part 7. Variation and equivalence
  28. Chapter 18. Causes of terminological variation 399
  29. Chapter 19. Diachronic variation 421
  30. Chapter 20. Cognitive approaches to the study of term variation 435
  31. Chapter 21. Terminological growth 457
  32. Chapter 22. Terminology and equivalence 477
  33. References 503
  34. Standards and resources cited in chapters 575
  35. Biographical notes 583
  36. Index 591
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