LexMeta

LexMeta, a metadata model for lexical resources

LexMeta follows the three-level entity hierarchy for the representation of artistic or creative endavour proposed in the FRBR ontology, widely used in libraries, which we map to the two-level hierarchy for the representation of LCR metadata proposed in Metashare, from where we inherit the terminology, and the definitions. These hierarchy levels, expressed as classes, are the following:

FRBR class	Metashare class	LexMeta class	MetaShare definition
frbr:Work		Lexicographic work	[An abstract notion of a creation; used to group different expressions (editions, versions) of the same work, and address statements that apply on work level.]
frbr:Expression	ms:LexicalConceptualResource	LexicalConceptualResource	A resource organised on the basis of lexical or conceptual entries (lexical items, terms, concepts, etc.) with their supplementary information (e.g., grammatical, semantic, statistical information, etc.)
frbr:Manifestation	ms:DatasetDistribution	LCR Distribution	Any form with which a dataset is distributed, such as a downloadable form in a specific format (e.g., spreadsheet, plain text, etc.) or an API with which it can be accessed

The entity Schemata for LexMeta LCR and LCR Distributions are aligned to those of the corresponding FRBR and Metashare classes (in other words, the LexBib class is a subclass of both). This has several implications:

• Properties that describe LCR content are attached to items of class LexicalConceptualResource.
• Properties that describe the LCR distribution, e.g. a physical dictionay in book form, or an electronic dictionary in a dictionary web portal or as downloadable dataset, are attached to LCR Distribution items.
• LCR Distribution items, when they have publication metadata as books have, are LexBib Zotero items, i.e. in LexBib wikibase, members of class LexBib BibItem. This applies mainly for book publications, and distributions on CD-ROM. But also online electronic dictionaries are collected in library information systems and can have publication metadata, and can exist as LexBib Zotero items. Publication metadata properties are described in the BIBO ontology (RDF), and Zotero item data fields map to BIBO.
• A dictionary with the same contents in printed form, on CD-ROM, available in a mobile app, or downloadable in different serialization formats (XML, JSON, etc.) will be represented as the same resource (LexicalConceptualResource) with different distributions (LCR Distribution).
• Different versions, editions, conversions, summaries, etc., of a lexicographic work will be represented as different LexicalConceptualResource items, being able to describe relations between these using properties defined in Metashare.

Description of lexical-conceptual resources (LCR) such as dictionaries

LexMeta provides categories for classifying dictionaries and other lexical resources, here called properties attached to LCR. Property ranges are defined as listed in the following table. Click on the class names to see the member terms in a hierarchical representation.

Description of LCR distributions, such as printed or electronic dictionaries

Manuscript, printed, and offline and online electronic dictionaries, as distributions are represented using the same set of properties as for LexBib metalexicographical articles. They can also be listed in LexBib Zotero.