EN ISO 19146:2010

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2010
Geografske informacije - Interdisciplinarni slovarji (ISO 19146:2010)
Geographic information - Cross-domain vocabularies (ISO 19146:2010)
Geoinformation - Themenübergreifendes Vokabular (ISO 19146:2010)
Informarion géographique - Vocabulaires transdomaines (ISO 19146:2010)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 19146:2010
ICS:
07.040 Astronomija. Geodezija. Astronomy. Geodesy.
Geografija Geography
35.240.70 Uporabniške rešitve IT v IT applications in science
znanosti
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN ISO 19146
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
November 2010
ICS 35.240.70
English Version
Geographic information - Cross-domain vocabularies (ISO
19146:2010)
Information géographique - Vocabulaires interdomaines Geoinformation - Themenübergreifendes Vokabular (ISO
(ISO 19146:2010) 19146:2010)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 23 October 2010.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European
Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same
status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels
© 2010 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 19146:2010: E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
Foreword .3

Foreword
This document (EN ISO 19146:2010) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 211 “Geographic
information/Geomatics” in collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 287 “Geographic Information” the
secretariat of which is held by BSI.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical
text or by endorsement, at the latest by May 2011, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the
latest by May 2011.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following
countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 19146:2010 has been approved by CEN as a EN ISO 19146:2010 without any modification.

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 19146
First edition
2010-11-01
Geographic information — Cross-domain
vocabularies
Information géographique — Vocabulaires interdomaines

Reference number
ISO 19146:2010(E)
©
ISO 2010
ISO 19146:2010(E)
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ii © ISO 2010 – All rights reserved

ISO 19146:2010(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction.v
1 Scope.1
2 Conformance .1
3 Normative references.1
4 Terms and definitions .2
5 Symbols and abbreviated terms .6
6 Semantic interoperability of geographic information.6
6.1 Introduction.6
6.2 Principles for cross-mapping of vocabularies .7
7 Approach.8
7.1 Concepts, definitions and terms.8
7.2 Concept systems.9
7.3 Domains, uniqueness and cross-mapping.10
8 Vocabulary cross-mapping .11
8.1 Introduction.11
8.2 Governance.12
8.3 Reference vocabulary .12
8.4 Cross-mapping process .13
8.5 Documentation and publication.14
9 Vocabulary register.15
9.1 Overview.15
9.2 Register management.15
9.3 Register schema.16
Annex A (normative) Abstract test suite .25
Annex B (informative) Cross-mapping examples.27
Bibliography.31

ISO 19146:2010(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies
(ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO
technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been
established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and
non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an
International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO 19146 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 211, Geographic information/Geomatics.
iv © ISO 2010 – All rights reserved

ISO 19146:2010(E)
Introduction
A common language is an essential prerequisite to effective communication. However, a simple knowledge of
a language's vocabulary is insufficient to ensure communication integrity. A word can have several meanings
depending on the context in which it is used. Similarly, a concept can be referenced by several words, each
communicating a different connotation or level of emphasis.
The issues associated with the correct use of language extend far beyond day-to-day communication. Every
field of endeavour, from engineering to cookery, has its own technical language and vocabulary. In order to
participate in discussions on a subject, it is necessary to understand both the subject's terminology and the
context in which it is to be used. The imprecise use of technical or professional language (for example, by
using two terms interchangeably when, in fact, they have distinctly different connotations) gives rise to the
same traps and dangers associated with the inappropriate use of a spoken language.
This International Standard establishes a methodology for cross-mapping technical vocabularies that have
been adopted by industry-focussed geospatial communities (for example, geospatial communities supporting
the transport or utilities industries). The processes relate to the unique identification of concepts and ensuring
the existence of monosemic relations between concepts and designations. The methodology aims to ensure
the consistent use of cross-mapping processes when associating disparate geospatial vocabularies and
identifying synonyms.
It is not the objective of this International Standard to define an ontology or taxonomy for geographic
information and geomatics. Its purpose is to provide rules for ensuring consistency when implementing cross-
mapping processes. The rules, however, have been developed with regard to taxonomic and ontological
concepts and with a view to enabling semantic interoperability. Their application to vocabulary cross-mapping,
therefore, can be expected to provide input to any future ontology/taxonomy initiatives.
This International Standard applies the provisions of ISO 19135 to the registration of geospatial concepts. An
online register of cross-mapped terminology entries, conforming to the requirements of ISO 19135, is
associated with this International Standard. Administrative arrangements for the population and maintenance
of the online register are beyond the scope of this International Standard. However, the provisions of
ISO 19135 relating to the maintenance of registers apply.
This International Standard adopts terms and concepts that are taken from UML and terminology theory and
practice. A cross-mapping between the two terminologies can be found in ISO/TR 24156:2008.

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 19146:2010(E)

Geographic information — Cross-domain vocabularies
1 Scope
This International Standard defines a methodology for cross-mapping technical vocabularies that have been
adopted by industry-specific geospatial communities. It also specifies an implementation of ISO 19135 for the
registration of geographic information concepts for the purpose of integrating multiple domain-based
vocabularies.
Methodologies for the development of ontologies and taxonomies that relate to geographic information and
geomatics are not within the scope of this International Standard.
2 Conformance
Any vocabulary cross-mapping that claims conformance to this International Standard shall satisfy all of the
conditions specified in the following abstract test suites:
a) Annex A of this International Standard, and
b) ISO 19135:2005, A.1 and A.2 for conformance to ISO 19135.
A vocabulary cross-mapping register established by ISO/TC 211 shall, in addition, satisfy all of the conditions
specified in the ISO 19135 abstract test suite for registers established by ISO/TC 211 as specified in
ISO 19135:2005, A.3.
3 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/TS 19103:2005, Geographic information — Conceptual schema language
ISO/TS 19104:2008, Geographic information — Terminology
ISO 19115:2003, Geographic information — Metadata
ISO 19135:2005, Geographic information — Procedures for item registration
ISO 19146:2010(E)
4 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
4.1
associative concept system
concept system based on associative, i.e. thematic or pragmatic, relations
NOTE 1 Adapted from ISO 12620:1999.
NOTE 2 An associative relation exists between the concepts “education” and “teaching”, “baking” and “oven”.
4.2
characteristic
abstraction of a property of an object or of a set of objects
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.2.4]
NOTE Characteristics are used for describing concepts.
4.3
concept
unit of knowledge created by a unique combination of characteristics
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.2.1]
NOTE Concepts are not necessarily bound to particular languages. They are, however, influenced by the social or
cultural background which often leads to different categorizations.
4.4
concept system
system of concepts
set of concepts structured according to the relations among them
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.2.11]
4.5
cross-mapping
comparison of terminology entries from different domains to determine their semantic equivalence
4.6
definition
representation of a concept by a descriptive statement which serves to differentiate it from related concepts
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.3.1]
4.7
delimiting characteristic
essential characteristic used for distinguishing a concept from related concepts
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.2.7]
NOTE The delimiting characteristic support for the back may be used for distinguishing the concepts “stool” and
“chair”.
2 © ISO 2010 – All rights reserved

ISO 19146:2010(E)
4.8
designation
designator
representation of a concept by a sign which denotes it
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.4.1]
NOTE In terminology work three types of designations are distinguished: symbols, appellations and terms.
4.9
domain
〈general vocabulary〉 distinct area of human knowledge to which a terminological record is assigned
NOTE 1 Adapted from ISO 12620:1999.
NOTE 2 Within a database or other terminology collection, a set of domains will generally be defined. More than one
domain can be associated with a given concept.
4.10
domain concept
concept that is associated with a specific domain
NOTE A concept may be associated with several domains and separately identified as a domain concept in relation
to each.
4.11
essential characteristic
characteristic which is indispensable to understanding a concept
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.2.6]
4.12
general concept
concept which corresponds to two or more objects which form a group by reason of common properties
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.2.3]
NOTE Examples of general concepts are “planet”, “tower”.
4.13
generic concept
concept in a generic relation having the narrower intension
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.2.15]
4.14
generic concept system
concept system in which concepts that belong to the category of the narrower concept are part of the
extension of the broader concept
NOTE Adapted from ISO 12620:1999.
4.15
generic relation
genus-species relation
relation between two concepts where the intension of one of the concepts includes that of the other concept
and at least one additional delimiting characteristic
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.2.21]
NOTE A generic relation exists between the concepts “word” and “pronoun”, “vehicle” and “car”, “person” and “child”.
ISO 19146:2010(E)
4.16
homonymy
relation between designations and concepts in a given language in which one designation represents two or
more unrelated concepts
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.4.25]
NOTE 1 An example of homonymy is:
bark
1 “sound made by a dog”
2 “outside covering of the stem of woody plants”
3 “sailing vessel”
NOTE 2 The designations in the relation of homonymy are called homonyms.
4.17
intension
set of characteristics which makes up the concept
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.2.9]
4.18
monosemy
relation between designations and concepts in a given language in which one designation only relates to
one concept
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.4.23]
NOTE The designations in the relation of monosemy are called monosemes.
4.19
partitive relation
part-whole relation
relation between two concepts where one of the concepts constitutes the whole and the other concept a part
of that whole
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.2.22]
NOTE A partitive relation exists between the concepts “week” and “day”, “molecule” and “atom”.
4.20
polysemy
relation between designations and concepts in a given language in which one designation represents two or
more concepts sharing certain characteristics
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.4.24]
NOTE 1 An example of polysemy is:
bridge
1 “structure to carry traffic over a gap”
2 “part of a string instrument”
3 “dental plate”
NOTE 2 The designation in the relation of polysemy are called polysemes.
4 © ISO 2010 – All rights reserved

ISO 19146:2010(E)
4.21
subordinate concept
narrower concept
concept which is either a specific concept or a partitive concept
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.2.14]
4.22
superordinate concept
broader concept
concept which is either a generic concept or a comprehensive concept
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.2.13]
4.23
synonymy
relation between or among terms in a given language representing the same concept
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.4.19]
NOTE 1 The relation of synonymy exists, for example, between deuterium and heavy hydrogen.
NOTE 2 Terms which are interchangeable in all contexts are called synonyms; if they are interchangeable only in some
contexts, they are called quasi-synonyms.
4.24
term
verbal designation of a general concept in a specific subject field
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.4.3]
NOTE A term may contain symbols and can have variants, e.g. different forms of spelling.
4.25
terminological data
data related to concepts or their designations
NOTE The more common terminological data include entry term, definition, note, grammatical label, subject label,
language identifier, country identifier and source identifier.
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.8.1]
4.26
terminological dictionary
technical dictionary
collection of terminological entries presenting information related to concepts or designations from one or
more specific subject fields
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.7.1]
4.27
terminological entry
part of a terminological data collection that contains the terminological data related to one concept
[ISO 1087-2:2000, definition 2.22]
ISO 19146:2010(E)
4.28
vocabulary
terminological dictionary which contains designations and definitions from one or more specific subject
fields
[ISO 1087-1:2000, definition 3.7.2]
NOTE The vocabulary may be monolingual, bilingual or multilingual.
5 Symbols and abbreviated terms
The following abbreviated terms are used in this document.
GIS Geographic Information System
LBS Location-Based Services
UML Unified Modeling Language
6 Semantic interoperability of geographic information
6.1 Introduction
The production of geographic information to address real-world business problems often requires the input of
spatio-temporal data sourced from multiple data suppliers. The manner in which the data is combined
depends on the nature of the problem under consideration, and may vary from the simple assembly of
thematic overlays through to sophisticated integration, analysis and rendering. In every case, the data
suppliers and processors must share a common understanding of the data's characteristics to ensure its
appropriate interpretation and use. The more complex or automated the processing becomes, the more
necessary it is for this understanding to be unambiguous.
A challenge that arises when combining disparate datasets stems from differing terminology conventions
adopted by the contributing suppliers. Frequently, a dataset will originate from a community of professionals
that provide geospatial support to a particular industry (for example, road transport). The terminology used to
describe the content, relationships and behaviour of the data reflects the industry's alignment of geographic
information concepts with its specialist culture, conventions and practices. A particular concept, therefore, may
be identified by different terms or definitions depending on the industry context in which it is used.
The issue is illustrated by the following example. The branch of mathematics dealing with topology identifies
the concepts of “node” and “directed edge”, defining them as follows:
⎯ node – 0-dimensional topological primitive;
⎯ directed edge – directed topological object that represents an association between an edge and one of its
orientations.
Similarly, the field of location-based services (LBS) includes the concepts of “junction” and “link”, and defines
them as follows:
⎯ junction – single topological node in a network with its associated collection of turns, incoming and
outgoing links;
⎯ link – directed topological connection between two nodes (junctions), consisting of an edge and a
direction.
In both instances, the LBS term is an alias for the topology term; “junction” is synonymous with “node” and
“link” with “directed edge”. The terms and definitions therefore address identical underlying concepts. However
the concepts are described within the context of the respective professional disciplines and expressed in
language that is more readily acceptable to the respective communities of interest.
6 © ISO 2010 – All rights reserved

ISO 19146:2010(E)
The ability to communicate the semantics of terms that describe a dataset's components is a prerequisite to
data's appropriate use by the wider information community. The comprehension of the information and process
elements that convey the meaning of the data is necessary to distinguish common concepts. In instances
where conventional geographic information system (GIS) databases are being established, the necessary
semantic translation can be accomplished through human intervention at the time of database design and
loading. In more dynamic situations however (for example, where the user interface may be on a mobile
computing device and the disparate data sets are being received in real-time for instantaneous combination
and display), user-assisted integration is not feasible. In such cases, a more rigorous approach to terminology
and to the unique identification of common concepts is needed to enable data/service interoperability.
The capacity to combine data that has been sourced from different professional communities is dependent
upon a common comprehension of the terms and concepts used to describe the business meaning of the data.
The focus of this International Standard is to help the enabling of semantic interoperability through the cross-
mapping of the terms and concepts applied by spatio-temporal user communities.
6.2 Principles for cross-mapping of vocabularies
Vocabulary cross-mapping is an integral part of the broader standardization agenda. Accordingly it should be
implemented in a manner that complements other standardization practices and maximizes overall benefit to
the user community. The following overarching principles, to be observed during any cross-mapping initiative,
reinforce this requirement.
⎯ Terminology is to be consolidated rather than proliferated.
The purpose of vocabulary cross-mapping is to standardize the association of specific terms with specific
concepts. It should not be used as a mechanism for permanently entrenching unnecessary duplication in
terminology conventions. The cross-mapping process may facilitate the rationalization of terminology by
identifying synonyms for deprecation. Ultimately, the cross-mapping process should lead to the consistent
application of terms and definitions.
⎯ Vocabulary cross-mapping shall provide a thesaurus, not a taxonomy or ontology.
Vocabulary cross-mapping should not be used to develop a taxonomy or ontology. The developers of the
relevant International Standards and industry standards should already have established the content of
the subject area vocabularies. Cross-mapping should relate the vocabularies of the existing taxonomies,
facilitating knowledge indexing and improved information retrieval from disparate industry data sources.
⎯ A stable reference vocabulary, maintained by a recognized standards body, shall be adopted for all cross-
mapping undertakings involving a particular discipline.
A reference vocabulary is necessary to provide consistency when multiple cross-mapping initiatives are to
be undertaken over a period of time. The reference vocabulary may segment or partition its contents and
may include terms and definitions from external sources. It is mandatory that all terms and definitions in
the reference vocabulary be published in a recognized International Standard or industry standard.
NOTE In the case of geographic information, the reference vocabulary should be the English version of the
ISO/TC 211 Multi-Lingual Glossary of Terms.
⎯ Cross-mapping shall proceed as a collaborative venture.
Cross-mapping should take place in an open and transparent manner between the owner of the reference
vocabulary and one or more communities of interest. During the process, each community of interest
should be acknowledged as the ultimate authority regarding the correct use and interpretation of its terms
and definitions. Discipline terms and conventions should be respected.
⎯ Cross-mapping shall not circumvent established processes.
Cross-mapping shall not be used to circumvent the established processes of the individual collaborating
organizations. For example, it should not directly deprecate terms, nor should it nominate new terms and
definitions to address perceived gaps in a concept system. However, it may trigger other processes within
the collaborating organizations to deprecate terms or to improve concept system structures.
ISO 19146:2010(E)
⎯ Cross-mapping should be recognized through publication in a register.
The cross-mapping must be readily accessible to all user groups if the objective of rationalizing
terminology is to be achieved. An authoritative public register should formally report the outcome of a
cross-mapping outcome.
⎯ Cross-mapping should accommodate continuous change.
Vocabularies, including reference vocabularies, will evolve over time in response to technology and
business process development. The cross-mapping of concepts should be periodically reviewed to
identify and accommodate any changes.
7 Approach
7.1 Concepts, definitions and terms
The development of a terminological entry for inclusion in a vocabulary requires the simultaneous resolution of
three issues:
⎯ the identification of the concept;
⎯ the nomination of a designation (usually a term) for that concept;
⎯ the construction of a definition, associated with the designation, that unambiguously describes the
concept.
Ideally, the consistent resolution of the three will be guided by the principle that
⎯ for each concept there is a single term (and vice-versa), and
⎯ for each concept there is a single definition (and vice versa),
producing a monosemic relationship between a term and a uniquely defined concept. In practice, however,
three other types of relationship (schematically represented in Figure 1) are encountered:
⎯ synonymy, where two or more terms represent the same concept;
⎯ polysemy, where a designation represents two or more concepts that share certain characteristics;
⎯ homonymy, where a designation represents two or more unrelated concepts.
The ambiguities inherent in the synonymic, polysemic and homonymic relationships are inhibitors to the
realization of semantic interoperability.
8 © ISO 2010 – All rights reserved

ISO 19146:2010(E)
Monosemy Synonymy
is identified by
Concept Concept
is identified by
is identified by
is identified by
is described by
is described by is described by
Definition Term
Definition 1 Definition 2
Term 1.0 Term 2.0
Domain 2
Term 1.1
Synonyms
Domain 1
Polysemy
Homonymy
Concept Shared
Concept 1 Concept 2
Characteristics
is described by is described by
Definition 1 Definition 2
Concept Distinct Concept Distinct
Characteristics 1 Characteristics 2
is identified by is identified by
(0.n) (1.n)
Term
is described by is identified by is identified by is described by
Definition 1 Term Definition 2

Figure 1 — Relationships between concepts, definitions and terms
7.2 Concept systems
The relationship of a concept to other concepts is reflected through its position in a concept system.
There are several categories of concept systems. A generic concept system is hierarchical in character and
relates superordinate concepts to their more specialized subordinate concepts. The specialization may reflect
the context provided by a field of knowledge and be effected by constraining the superordinate concept's
attributes, associations or behaviours. Consider, for example, the concepts
⎯ coverage – feature that acts as a function to return values from its range for any direct position within its
spatial, temporal or spatiotemporal domain (ISO 19123:2005, definition 4.1.7),
⎯ discrete coverage – coverage that returns the same feature attribute values for every direct position within
any single spatial object, temporal object, or spatiotemporal object in its domain (ISO 19123:2005,
definition 4.1.12).
The concepts form part of the same hierarchical concept system, “discrete coverage” being a subordinate
concept to “coverage”. During cross-mapping, the association between the two could be identified as
generalization or specialization depending on the direction of the relationship.
ISO 19146:2010(E)
A concept will frequently aggregate the attributes, behaviours and relationships of other concepts, forming a
compound concept from distinctly separate components. Consider, for example, the concept
⎯ coordinate reference system – coordinate system which is related to an object by a datum
(ISO 19111:2007, definition 4.8).
This combines the concepts
⎯ coordinate system – set of mathematical rules for specifying how coordinates are to be assigned to points
(ISO 19111:2007, definition 4.10), and
⎯ datum – parameter or set of parameters that define the position of the origin, the scale, and the
orientation of a coordinate system (ISO 19111:2007, definition 4.14).
Note that the further decomposition of “coordinate system” and “datum” into component concepts is also
possible (for example, into “coordinate”, “origin”, “scale”) as is aggregation into more complex concepts
(for example, “Cartesian coordinate system”, “compound coordinate reference system”).
The ability to systematically relate concepts, both within and across concept systems is a precursor to the
cross-mapping of vocabularies. The absence of this ability is a further inhibitor to the realization of semantic
interoperability.
7.3 Domains, uniqueness and cross-mapping
There are two prerequisites to the accomplishment of semantic interoperability, particularly if automated
recognition of concepts is required. They are
⎯ the establishment of one-to-one relationships between concept, definition and term, leading to the unique
identification of concepts, and
⎯ the identification of related concepts, leading to their definitive cross-mapping.
The first prerequisite requires the transformation of synonymous, polysemic and homonymic relationships into
monosemic relationships. This is achieved by associating a domain with each concept. A domain is a distinct
field of human knowledge or application to which a terminological record is assigned. Examples of domains
include road transport, geographic information and land cover. A domain can be viewed as an associative
concept system, a collection of closely and/or loosely associated concepts that apply to a single thematic field
of endeavour.
The required relationship between domains, concepts, definitions and terms is illustrated schematically in the
upper part of Figure 2. The entity Domain Concept encapsulates the requirement that, within each domain,
every concept-definition-term combination is unique. Further emphasis is provided by association multiplicities
that require each instance of Domain Concept to belong to one and only one Domain, to be described by one
and only one Definition, and to be identified by one and only one Term. Very often, the required unique
combinations are provided by an existing taxonomy.
The second prerequisite requires the appropriate cross-mapping of relationships within and between concept
systems. This is illustrated schematically in the lower part of Figure 2. The entity Concept aggregates every
instance of Domain Concept from every domain. Within this aggregation there are
⎯ concepts that are identical but associated with different domains,
⎯ concept systems associating subordinate concepts to a common superordinate concept (associated with
the same or different domains), cross-mapping to generalization, specialization or peer relationships, and
⎯ compound concepts that are constructed from component concepts, cross-mapping to aggregation or
component relationships.
10 © ISO 2010 – All rights reserved

ISO 19146:2010(E)
In addition, the association multiplicity between Concept and Term recognizes that
⎯ domain concepts from different domains can be designated by the same term, and
⎯ the same concept can be designated by different terms (synonyms) in different domains, reflecting
different contexts.
The identification and documentation of these relationships is necessary to develop consistent cross-domain
vocabularies. The process through which it is achieved is vocabulary cross-mapping.
Domain
BelongsTo
IsDescribedBy IsIdentifiedBy
Domain
Definition
1 Concept
preferredTerm 1
term1
superordinateConcept
HierarchicalWith Term IsAlsoKnownAs
1.*
1.*
0.*
0.* Concept
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Figure 2 — Concepts and Domains
8 Vocabulary cross-mapping
8.1 Introduction
The methodology for undertaking vocabulary cross-mapping is specified in 8.2 to 8.4. Each cross-mapping
undertaking shall pass through four stages, implementing or adopting
⎯ a governance framework – to formalize the relationship between participating vocabulary owners,
⎯ a reference vocabulary – to provide a consistent reference for multiple cross-mapping initiatives,
⎯ a cross-mapping process – to provide a consistent approach to the classification of cross-mapped
records, and
⎯ a registration and publication – to provide an authoritative repository for cross-mapping outcomes.
ISO 19146:2010(E)
8.2 Governance
The vocabulary custodians shall co-sponsor any initiative to cross-map their vocabularies. The sponsors shall
establish an open and transparent governance regime to provide oversight of the initiative. The governance
regime shall facilitate the smooth progression of the cross-mapping process. It shall also legitimize the
process outcomes to the members of the participating communities of interest.
The governance arrangements shall include the following.
⎯ Formal Agreement — A proposal to undertake a cross-mapping initiative shall be formally agreed by the
governing bodies of the organizations that serve as vocabulary custodians. The agreement may include
information regarding resources, schedules and publication arrangements. In instances where the
initiative will result in a new register being established, ownership of the register and sub-registers will be
identified in the agreement. In instances where the initiative will expand an existing register,
the agreement will acknowledge the current ownership of the register and identify the ownership of any
new subregisters.
⎯ Steering Committee — The participating organizations shall establish a representative steering
committee to oversee the initiative. The steering committee shall ensure that the cross-mapping process
is undertaken in accordance with the principles described in 6.2 of this International Standard.
⎯ Project Team — The steering committee shall establish a project team to undertake the work and
prescribe a project management methodology that is appropriate to the task.
⎯ Vocabulary Cross-Map — The project team shall collectively consider the cross-mapping of terms and
concepts. During the process, it may identify opportunities to improve a vocabulary's structure or content.
The project team shall not be empowered to change the content of any subject vocabulary. However, it
may provide recommendations to the participating organizations regarding additions, amendments or
deletions from their respective vocabularies. These recommendations shall not form part of the final
report unless expressly agreed by the participating body.
⎯ Dispute Resolution — In the event that the project team cannot agree on a cross-mapping issue,
the issue shall be escalated to the steering committee. Members of the steering committee shall consult
with their organizations and subsequently jointly consider the respective positions. If consensus cannot
be agreed, then the issue shall be recorded as an unresolved conflict.
⎯ Draft Report — The project team shall prepare a draft document for the steering committee that
recommends cross-mapping. The document shall identify instances where cross-mapping has been
achieved and the nature of the relationships identified. The steering committee members shall circulate
the document within their organizations, seeking comments. The comments shall be provided to the
project team. The project team shall consider the comments and amend the cross-map as appropriate.
⎯ Final Report and Endorsement — The project team shall supply a final draft to the steering committee.
Each participating organization shall seek endorsement for the proposals through its normal balloting or
approval arrangements. The proposals shall not be formally adopted until endorsed by all participating
organizations.
⎯ Publication — The outcome of the cross-mapping process shall be published in a register as described
in Clause 9 of this International Standard. Publication shall take place following endorsement by the
participating organizations.
8.3 Reference vocabulary
Prior to commencement, each participating organization shall identify their preferred reference vocabulary.
There are two options:
⎯ agreement by all participants to recognize a single reference vocabulary (for example, a vocabulary
published by an ISO Technical Committee);
12 © ISO 2010 – All rights reserved

ISO 19146:2010(E)
⎯ each participant adopting its community vocabulary as its reference vocabulary, the cross-mapping being
documented differently by each of the participants.
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