Evolution of concept networks and implications for knowledge representation
| Date | 23 October 2007 |
| Published date | 23 October 2007 |
| Pages | 963-983 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/00220410710836466 |
| Author | Jung‐ran Park |
Evolution of concept networks
and implications for knowledge
representation
Jung-ran Park
College of Information Science and Technology, Drexel University,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to present descriptive characteristics of the historical
development of concept networks. The linguistic principles, mechanisms and motivations behind the
evolution of concept networks are discussed. Implications emanating from the idea of the historical
development of concept networks are discussed in relation to knowledge representation and
organization schemes.
Design/methodology/approach –Natural language data including both speech and text are
analyzed by examining discourse contexts in which a linguistic element such as a polysemy or
homonym occurs. Linguistic literature on the historical development of concept networks is reviewed
and analyzed.
Findings – Semantic sense relations in concept networks canbe captured in a systematic and regular
manner. The mechanism and impetus behind the process of concept network development suggest
that semantic senses in concept networks are closely intertwined with pragmatic contexts and
discourse structure. The interrelation and permeability of the semantic senses of concept networks are
captured on a continuum scale based on three linguistic parameters: concrete shared semantic sense;
discourse and text structure; and contextualized pragmatic information.
Researchlimitations/implications – Researchfindingssignifythecriticalneedforlinking
discourse structure and contextualized pragmatic information to knowledge representation and
organization schemes.
Originality/value – The idea of linguistic characteristics,principles, motivation and mechanisms
underlying the evolution of concept networks provides theoretical ground for developing a model for
integrating knowledge representation and organization schemes with discourse structure and
contextualized pragmatic information.
Keywords Semantics, Structures, Pragmatism
Paper type Conceptual paper
Introduction
Language is arguably the salient characteristic that defines humanity (Park and Park,
2005). Givon (1979, p. 352) posits language as “a system of representation of
knowledge, acquisition of new knowledge, remodeling-change of knowledge and the
communication of new knowledge”. An examination of the historical development of
semantic senses yields pertinent implications for knowledge representationstudies.
For instance, the phenomena of synonymy (i.e. related semantic senses across
terms/words) and polysemy (i.e. multiple semantic senses of a term/word), both of
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0022-0418.htm
The author would like to express his appreciation of the anonymous reviewers’ comments which
greatly contributed to enhancement of this paper.
Evolution of
concept
networks
963
Received 1 August 2005
Revised 30 April 2006
Accepted 20 June 2006
Journal of Documentation
Vol. 63 No. 6, 2007
pp. 963-983
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0022-0418
DOI 10.1108/00220410710836466
which add dynamic complexity and creativity to natural language use, at the same
time engender great hindrances in information retrieval owing to inherent lexical
ambiguities. The key principles and characteristics underlying the formation of
concept networks represented in polysemy and synonymy can be applicable and
exploitable to the design of knowledge representation and information retrieval
schemes.
In this paper, I will follow Brugman and Lakoff’s sense of concept network.
Brugman and Lakoff (1988, p. 480) state that concept networks exhibit a “radial”
structure:
Categories may contain a great deal of internal structure –for instance, that one member of a
category should be more exemplary of that category than some other member; that the
boundaries of the category are not always clear-cut. The category structure utilized here is
called a “radial” structure, with a central member and a network of links to other members.
In this sense concept networks concern semantic categories that share core common
concepts and semantic sense relations. Polysemy, which involves multiple related
semantic senses, is an example of a concept network.
The mechanisms behind the evolution of concept networks manifest a close linkage
with discourse-pragmatic contexts and accordingly with socio-cognitive factors.
Context-dependent meaning changes and new meaning creation, as well as key
principles governing the process of development of concept networks, are manifest
across languages (Traugott and Dasher, 2002; Yap, 1999; Park, 2003). This
characteristic is applicable to designing knowledge representation schemes geared
to multilingual and multicultural resources.
This study aims to present descriptive characteristics of the historical development
of concept networks. The principles, mechanisms and motivations behind the
evolution of concept networks, as well as implications and potential applications of
such principles and characteristics in relation to knowledge representation and
information retrieval, will also be discussed.
For this, natural language data including both speech and text are analyzed by
examining discourse (both speech and text) contexts in which a linguistic el ement such
as a polysemic word or homonym occurs. Use of speech based language data is derived
from the fact that one of the critical conditions of language evolution underlies frequent
verbal use of certain linguistic element. For example, Hawaiian pidgin, which lacks the
principal grammatical elements of standard language, originated from a multicul tural
environment owing to waves of immigration from different countries and ethnically
heterogeneous plantation life. In this environment, communication was facilitated by
employing verbal use of only the core elements of English lacking any structured
grammatical elements such as defined word order or morphemic rules. Over time, by
frequent verbal use a pidgin may evolve into a creole, which employs a fully-fledged
grammatical text and is structured virtually to the same extent as an established
language. In this sense, analysis of speech-based data as well as text is critical to the
study of information science and documentation.
Finally, existent knowledge representation schemes such as AACR2
(Anglo-American Cataloging Rules) and LCSH (Library of Congress Subject
Headings) are examined, focusing on the treatment of homonymy and polysemy by
applying linguistic principles underlying the evolution of concept networks. The rapid
proliferation of digitization projects by libraries and other organizations calls for
JDOC
63,6
964
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