i get to build a controlled vocabulary about fashion design. it’s very exciting. no, really. it is.
snow day was good but monday was stupid again.
(song: “outro (with bees),” neko case. sorry for using the same song twice. it is just the right song to use right now.)
What’s a controlled vocabulary mean in this context?
-= Chris
you have more than one meaning of controlled vocabulary?
it probably means the same as you think it means, chris, tho’ i don’t know if the other half of the info science profession uses it … what does it mean to you?
When I hear the words “controlled vocabular” I think of appropriate diction for a given situation, e.g. don’t say “Holy shit that’s a funny hat!” when talking to the Pope. I’m not sure what it means to build a controlled vocabulary for a specific topic like fashion design or knitting. Choosing specific words related to the subject and then creating a list of these words, perhaps?
-= Chris
Darn. I was hoping you would have some very similar definition used in computery stuff.
It’s a thesaurus, but not like Roget’s – it’s like a subject heading list. It *is* a subject heading list, actually.
So this one, since it’s about fashion design, will say, like:
Costume Design: Use Fashion Design.
(some other words in between, since it’s alphabetical)
Fashion Design: Use for Costume Design.
It’s like the Library of Congress subject heading list, which says things like:
Automobiles: Use for
Cars
Trucks
Vans
Cars: Use Automobiles
Trucks: Use Automobiles
Vans: Use Automobiles
So when you want a book about cars and you type “cars” in your catalog, it knows these rules so it takes you instead to results about automobiles.
It’s a controlled vocabulary of terms that can be used for metadata. Catalogers or whoever else is assigning metadata can’t use any words that aren’t on the approved list.
Does that make sense?
I like that it’s about fashion design.
Do you have to learn about couture sewing techniques? Please put couture in your vocabulary. :) And put in Project Runway. I would have WAY too much fun with that!
Yes, lauren, thanks. That makes excellent sense. Today you have once again made me a smarter person. =)
-= Chris
I LOVE metadata.
Shelby: I don’t know what’s going to be in it. We can’t just make up words – there has to be USE WARRANT and LITERARY WARRANT.
Obviously.
Chris: I don’t know exactly what you do, but is any of that familiar or anything you use?
Katie: You’re a huge dork. Do you even use metadata?
Not something I use in daily work, however I can see how it’d be analogous to computer programming. It does seem kinda familiar, at least in concept.
-= Chris
PS: Yay! METADATA!!