Search by Meaning (SbM)

FCSS — SbM & examples

Search by Meaning

In this section, we explain the implementation of Search by Meaning (SbM). Later, in the Evaluation section we give examples for the application of SbM in the fields of energy research and scientific publications and compare it with random examples to Google search, as well as to WordNet search. The definitions of the Basic Linguistics Symbols (BLS) can now be used to implement a performant SbM algorithm. By specifying a Semantic Distance (SD), it can be determined up to which definition level the terms should be included. The terms for the respective levels # are stored in the BLS for each language lng in the attribute .SoC_#_lng, for example, (>BLS-accordion, .SoC_2_EN, {instrument, music, keyboard, wind}), where SoC stands for Set of Concepts.

The set of words of a bls ∈ BLS for level n in language lng is socn(bls, lng) = .SoC_lng_n(bls). The function contains(socn(bls, lng), kw) : L → {T, F} returns T (true) if the keyword kw is contained in socn(bls, lng), otherwise F (false). Then, the function SbM takes the form SbM(keywords, lng, sd) : 2L → BLS and returns for the set of keywords of all result terms in the language lng which are contained within the semantic distance sd in any soci(bls,lng), where i ≤ sd. Now we can define the Search by Meaning function (SbM) where all keywords of KW have to appear in at least one soci of concept bls:

{{definition:SbM:SbM = Search by Meaning: SbM(KW,lng,sd)={bls|∀i ≤sd ∧ ∀kw∈KW: contains(soci(bls,lng),kw).} }}

The example depicted in Figure wsd-organ2 shows the decomposition of musical instruments where each level n+1 is a decomposition of terms in level n. For the concepts Δ>BLS-church organ, Δ>BLS-melodica, and Δ>BLS-accordion we get:

Δ>BLS-church organ = {Δ>BLS-pipe instrument, Δ>BLS-large musical instrument,

Δ>BLS-organ (musical instrument)} ∪ {(Δ>BLS-house, Δ>BLS-God)}

  • SoC0: {church organ}
  • SoC1: {pipe instrument, large musical instrument, organ (musical instrument), church}
  • SoC2: {instrument, pipe, large, wind instrument, keyboard instrument, musical instrument, house, god}
  • SoC3: {instrument, music, wind, keyboard}, SoC4: ∅

Δ>BLS-melodica = {Δ>BLS-keyboard instrument, Δ>BLS-mouth wind instrument,

Δ>BLS-musical instrument}

  • SoC0: {melodica}
  • SoC1: {keyboard instrument, mouth wind instrument, musical instrument}
  • SoC2: {instrument, keyboard, mouth, wind instrument, music}
  • SoC3: {instrument, wind}, SoC4: ∅

Δ>BLS-accordion = {Δ>BLS-keyboard instrument, Δ>BLS-wind instrument,

Δ>BLS-musical instrument}

  • SoC0: {accordion}
  • SoC1: {keyboard instrument, wind instrument, musical instrument}
  • SoC2: {instrument, keyboard, wind, music}, SoC3: ∅
  SbM Examples:
The following examples demonstrate the functionality of Search by Meaning. For the Basic Linguistic Symbols in the result set, the ~translate function is applied. Sample 6 demonstrates the use of the mixed languages FR, ES, and DE.
  1. SbM ('church organ', 'DE', 0) = {>BLS-church_organ}
  2. ~translate(SbM ('church organ', 'DE', 0)) = {Kirchenorgel}
  3. ~translate(SbM ('music, instrument', 'EN', 1)) = {melodica, accordion}
  4. ~translate(SbM ('keyboard, instrument', 'EN', 2)) = {church organ, accordion, melodica}
  5. ~translate(SbM ('wind, instrument', 'FR', 3)) = {orgue d'église, accordéon, mélodica}
  6. ~translate(SbM ('grand, tubo, instrument', 'EN', 3)) = {church organ}

Extension: deriver.app

Combined mirror of FCSS Search by Meaning and SbM Examples. Back to Controlled vocabulary of concepts; Deriver documentation.

Sources: FCSS Search by Meaning, FCSS SbM Examples.