]> 2008/06/10 OpenCyc Knowledge Base Copyright© 2001-2008 Cycorp, Inc., http://www.cyc.com/, Austin, TX, USA This file contains an OWL representation of information contained in the OpenCyc Knowledge Base. The content of this OWL file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license whose text can be found at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode. The content of this OWL file, including the OpenCyc content it represents, constitutes the "Work" referred to in the Creative Commons license. The terms of this license equally apply to, without limitation, renamings and other logically equivalent reformulations of the content of this OWL file (or portions thereof) in any natural or formal language, as well as to derivations of this content or inclusion of it in other ontologies. externalID A unique, language-neutral, variable-sized identifier for a concept that can be used to refer unambiguously to that concept across OWL exports or across Cyc inference engines. label A natural-language representation for a concept that is both human readable and readable by the Cyc inference engine. These terms are not guaranteed to refer to the same concept across time but are guaranteed to be consistent within a particular OWL export. Use 'cycAnnot:externalID' for unambiguously referring to a concept across OWL exports or across Cyc inference engines. human language A specialization of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVj0iZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">Language</a>. Each instance of this collection is a language that is used by human communities for communication. This collection differs from <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a> in that a <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv5SKoZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">HumanLanguage</a> may be purposefully created, while <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a>s evolve without a purposeful creation process. Instances of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv5SKoZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">HumanLanguage</a> thus include not only many <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a>s, but also made-up languages like Esperanto and many (non-natural) <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv-Tl2JwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">SignLanguage</a>s. HumanLanguage human languages http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_language NaturalLanguage natural language A specialization of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv5SKoZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">HumanLanguage</a> and <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvV7TOhK5EduAAAACs0uFOQ" class="cyc_term">InformalLanguage</a>. Each instance of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a> is a language that is used for human communication, and which has evolved naturally. <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a> is thus disjoint with #$ArtificialLanguage. Instances include dead languages such as Ancient Greek and Latin; but concocted languages such as Esperanto are not included. SignLanguage sign language A collection of languages. Each element of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv-Tl2JwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">SignLanguage</a> is a language in which hand gestures are the primary means of communication, instead of spoken utterances, e.g., <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rwTv7pJwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">AmericanSignLanguage</a>. Note that <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv-Tl2JwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">SignLanguage</a> is not itself a language, but a collection. A specialization of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv5SKoZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">HumanLanguage</a>, #$ArtificialLanguage-Informal, and <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvkzeeJwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">DevisedStructuredActivity</a> (qq.v.). Each instance of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvhTVd5wpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">ConstructedHumanLanguage</a> is an artificially constructed language that can be used for everyday conversation. The collection is thus disjoint with both <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a> and <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv8zbW5wpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">FormalLanguage</a>. Note, however, that a <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvhTVd5wpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">ConstructedHumanLanguage</a> might evolve over time in a more-or-less "natural" manner, despite its artificial origin. ConstructedHumanLanguage artificial language Pretty String (<a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rwLSVCpwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">prettyString</a> TERM STRING) means that STRING is the English word or expression (sequence of words) commonly used to refer to TERM. The predicate <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rwLSVCpwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">prettyString</a> is used by the code which generates CycL to English paraphrases, but its applicability is not restricted to this use. prettyString The collection of all instances of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4r_4bScKNtQdiVw7XtX-HN0Q" class="cyc_term">ClarifyingCollectionType</a> that are used by the #$KRAKEN application to resolve natural language ambiguities. KE clarifying collection type KEClarifyingCollectionType human language A specialization of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVj0iZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">Language</a>. Each instance of this collection is a language that is used by human communities for communication. This collection differs from <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a> in that a <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv5SKoZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">HumanLanguage</a> may be purposefully created, while <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a>s evolve without a purposeful creation process. Instances of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv5SKoZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">HumanLanguage</a> thus include not only many <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a>s, but also made-up languages like Esperanto and many (non-natural) <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv-Tl2JwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">SignLanguage</a>s. HumanLanguage human language A specialization of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVj0iZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">Language</a>. Each instance of this collection is a language that is used by human communities for communication. This collection differs from <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a> in that a <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv5SKoZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">HumanLanguage</a> may be purposefully created, while <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a>s evolve without a purposeful creation process. Instances of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv5SKoZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">HumanLanguage</a> thus include not only many <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a>s, but also made-up languages like Esperanto and many (non-natural) <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv-Tl2JwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">SignLanguage</a>s. HumanLanguage A specialization of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvViAxJwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">TemporalThing</a>. This is the collection of all things that exist (or occur or obtain) in or at a time. <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rtM0npht0QdiUF94Dipp7Pg" class="cyc_term">TemporallyExistingThing</a> thus includes all instances of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvViAxJwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">TemporalThing</a> except <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvViAw5wpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">TimeInterval</a>s. Its specializations include <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVi255wpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">SomethingExisting</a> and <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvYjIS5wpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">Situation</a>. Here's arough-and-ready test for membership in <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rtM0npht0QdiUF94Dipp7Pg" class="cyc_term">TemporallyExistingThing</a>: If it makes sense to ask of a given temporal thing whether it could have had a different <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjQn5wpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">temporalExtent</a> (q.v.) than it actually has, then (and only then) it is an instance of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rtM0npht0QdiUF94Dipp7Pg" class="cyc_term">TemporallyExistingThing</a>. Tangible objects, events, and <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvh5TfJwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">StaticSituation</a>s all pass this test, while dates and other instances of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvViAw5wpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">TimeInterval</a> fail. It would be absurd to suppose (e.g.) that the day of 27 July 1947 might have taken place a year later than it actually did. Unlike temporally existing things, time intervals instances are differentiated solely on the basis of their duration and location on the time line. temporally existing thing TemporallyExistingThing ObjectType The collection of all collections that are "object-like" in at least one respect. A collection <code>COL</code> is object-like just in case there is some sense of 'part' according to which any (or nearly any) given proper part of an instance of <code>COL</code> is not itself an instance of <code>COL</code>; when this happens <code>COL</code> is said to be object-like with respect to that sense of 'part'. More precisely, for a collection <code>COL</code> to be an instance of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVirnZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">ObjectType</a> it is sufficient that there be some specialization <code>PARTPRED</code> of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rwgfukKs8QdePzLB9nLNpTw" class="cyc_term">properParts</a> such that, for any <code>OBJ1</code> and <code>OBJ2</code>, if <code>(<a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvViBBJwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">isa</a> OBJ1 COL)</code> and <code>(PARTPRED OBJ1 OBJ2)</code> both hold, then <code>(<a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvViBBJwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">isa</a> OBJ2 COL)</code> does not hold. (Also sufficient for <code>COL</code>'s being an object-type is that there be some specialization <code>INVPARTPRED</code> of the inverse of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rwgfukKs8QdePzLB9nLNpTw" class="cyc_term">properParts</a> (see <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvWHsNJwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">genlInverse</a>) such that <code>(INVPARTPRED OBJ2 OBJ1)</code>, with everything else remaining the same as above.) Note that neither of the above sufficient conditions for <code>COL</code>'s being an object-type is strictly necessary: some exceptions are allowed. Thus as long as either one of the above conditionals holds in nearly all cases, <code>COL</code> should be considered an instance of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVirnZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">ObjectType</a>. Here are two examples. Consider <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvViVwZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">Automobile</a>. Take an instance of that, say my car. Now consider one of the proper <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVj5FpwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">physicalParts</a> of my car, say the steering wheel. The steering wheel is not an instance of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvViVwZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">Automobile</a>. And the same would be true for any proper physical part of any car. So <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvViVwZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">Automobile</a> is an <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVirnZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">ObjectType</a>. Consider <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjyV5wpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">CalendarYear</a>. No proper <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvWn4OZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">timeSlices</a> of a year is itself a year. So <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjyV5wpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">CalendarYear</a> is an <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVirnZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">ObjectType</a>. See <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVir35wpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">StuffType</a> for the contrasting (though not disjoint) notion of being stuff-like. type of object Language A specialization of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVj0P5wpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">CommunicationConvention</a>. Each instance of this collection is a generative system of signs for transmitting information. These signs are normally conventional and arbitrary in nature, though the case of body language is a (borderline) exception to this. The reality of any given language consists in its being interpretable by some community (usually human -- cf. <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv5SKoZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">HumanLanguage</a>). This is not quite true of #$ComputerLanguages, however such languages are only possible insofar as some kind of automation of the process of interpretation (by computers) has been effected. In the case of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvViiqJwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">DeadLanguage</a>s, the community may not longer exist (although even if no-one can _speak_ such languages any longer, currently-interpretable texts often remain, cf., for example, <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjAMJwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">AtticGreekDialect</a>). Languages are most often spoken, but not always (cf. <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv-Tl2JwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">SignLanguage</a>). It is also worth noting that not every system of signs is a language; a certain richness of possible expression is required. Thus <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv30UjpwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">MorseCode</a>, for example, though a <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVj0P5wpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">CommunicationConvention</a>, is not an instance of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVj0iZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">Language</a>. Finally, this collection is not intended to cover the special vocabulary and usages of a scientific, professional or other group, or a characteristic style of speech or writing (e.g. 'Shakespearean language'). language human language A specialization of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVj0iZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">Language</a>. Each instance of this collection is a language that is used by human communities for communication. This collection differs from <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a> in that a <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv5SKoZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">HumanLanguage</a> may be purposefully created, while <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a>s evolve without a purposeful creation process. Instances of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv5SKoZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">HumanLanguage</a> thus include not only many <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a>s, but also made-up languages like Esperanto and many (non-natural) <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv-Tl2JwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">SignLanguage</a>s. HumanLanguage human language A specialization of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVj0iZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">Language</a>. Each instance of this collection is a language that is used by human communities for communication. This collection differs from <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a> in that a <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv5SKoZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">HumanLanguage</a> may be purposefully created, while <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a>s evolve without a purposeful creation process. Instances of <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv5SKoZwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">HumanLanguage</a> thus include not only many <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rvVjzepwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">NaturalLanguage</a>s, but also made-up languages like Esperanto and many (non-natural) <a href="http://sw.opencyc.org/2008/06/10/concept/Mx4rv-Tl2JwpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA" class="cyc_term">SignLanguage</a>s. HumanLanguage