A Semantic-relations taxonomy for knowledge representation

• Published in: Brazilian Journal of Information Science Vol. 15; no. 1; p. e02123
• Main Authors: Maia, Lucinéia Souza, Ângela de Lima, Gercina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 13.10.2021
• Subjects: Knowledge organization; Knowledge representation; relations taxonomy; Semantic; Semantic relations
• ISSN: 1981-1640; 1981-1640
• DOI: 10.36311/1981-1640.2021.v15.e02123

Semantic relations in knowledge representation characterizes the association between the concepts of a domain. Concepts are units of knowledge and the relationships that link these units, which gives meaning to the knowledge as represented. In this way, semantic relations allow users to assimilate the purpose of the association between concepts in the presentational context, avoiding misinterpretation of the information, mainly that presented in instruments of knowledge representation.The objective of this paper is to propose a taxonomy of semantic relations that compiles the different approaches on the subject. The methodology applied bibliographic research for theoretical foundation and literature review based on the main bibliographic references on semantic relations. As result, some classifications of semantic relations were found to have been raised by different authors, each offering a singular point of view, which has resulted in a range of discordant terms. To answer this need, a taxonomy was arrived at of sixty-three semantic relations, including a new relation discovered by this study, dubbed here ‘subordinate agent’. Concepts are units of knowledge and, the relationships link these units, which gives the meaning as represented. Semantic relations in knowledge representation characterizes the association between the concepts of a domain. In this way, semantic relations allow users to assimilate the association between concepts in a domain. These relationships are essential because they serve as a basis for representing and structuring a domain of knowledge. Thus, the studies on semantic relations have been accomplished by several researchers from different areas of knowledge, approaching a different point of view, which resulted in a terminological variation. The objective of this proposal of the taxonomy of semantic relations arose precisely to solve this problem. In this sense, exploratory research was carried out using the methodological procedure literature research following criteria that pointed out the most relevant approaches to types of semantic relations. As result, a taxonomy was arrived at of sixty-three semantic relations, including the new relationships found from this study, nicknamed here "subordinate agent”.