SOME PROPERTIES OF RELATIONSHIPS IN THE STRUCTURE OF INDEXING LANGUAGES

Abstract

This discussion treats relational analysis as an alternative to the ‘categorical’ view of syntactic structures in indexing. It is suggested that the relational characterization of syntactic structures by reference to the meaning of the spaces between constituent terms may point the way to classification structures which are stable to new knowledge and discipline‐independent. Conversely the meaning‐protecting role of disciplinary domains has in the past relegated relational ideas to a peripheral significance in classification structures. General properties of syntactic strings, logical articulation, disarticulation, and linearization of branching relationships are discussed, together with the role of relational symbolism as noise in significant‐word based searches. Attention is next given to certain derivative relations which arise out of an inclusion relation between an isolated concept and the relation‐linked combination of which it forms a part. One class of these derivative relations is an explicit syntactic relation and its affiliation to other syntactic relations may throw light on the little understood nature and development of the content of personality facets.

Citation

COATES, E.J. (1973), "SOME PROPERTIES OF RELATIONSHIPS IN THE STRUCTURE OF INDEXING LANGUAGES", Journal of Documentation, Vol. 29 No. 4, pp. 390-404. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb026565