Challenges in Naming
Names are given for many reasons
- Classificatory: e.g., Linnaean systematic taxonomies
- Functional: e.g., computer, traffic signal, telephone, writer
- Descriptive: e.g., supraorbital, pepper box, exotoxin
- Acronyms: e.g., LASER, CD-ROM
- Social: e.g., titles, surnames
- Arbitrary: e.g., tab, mug
Names are not unique, they form equivalence classes
- Check any thesaurus … which does one “standardize” on?
The Platonic ideal is not always satisfied
- How close is “good enough” in order to assign a name?
Names are often composed from other names, and adjectives
- E.g., skyscraper, lighthouse, hothouse, …
- So is it a House which has Temperature = { hot }, or
- A Hothouse (or a Greenhouse?)