Grounded conceptual graph models

Abstract

The ability to represent real-world objects is an important feature of a practical knowledge system. Most knowledge systems involve informal or ad-hoc mappings from their internal symbols to objects and concepts in their environment. This work introduces a framework for formally associating symbols to their meanings, a process we call grounding. Two kinds of grounding are discussed with respect to conceptual graphs - active grounding, which involves actors to provide mappings to the environment, and terminological grounding, which involves actors that establish the basic elements of meaning with respect to a subject field's agreed-upon terminology. The work incorporates active knowledge systems and international terminological standards. © 2008 Springer-Verlag.