[tei-council] FR nuncles: new element tei:objectType

[Gabriel Bodard]

I don't think "shape" or "form" (much less "embodiment") are 
particularly nice names for this element; they don't really say what is 
being described. This element is encoding the type of object on which 
the writing is found, not just its shape ("round", "square", 
"irregular-polygon"). The kinds of object on which writing is found can 
include:

(in epigraphy): panel, statue-base, column, stele, gravestone, wall, 
seat, table, sundial, spoon, dish, sword, axe-head, statue, doorpost, 
tablet, balustrade, paving-stone, mountainside, doorstep, sling-stone, 
drain-cover, mosaic, urn, shield, sarcophagus ... (see 
http://insaph.kcl.ac.uk/iaph2007/inscriptions/toc/monu/A.html for more 
examples)

(in papyrology): leaf, scroll, codex, ostrakon, lead-tablet, gold-leaf, 
wooden-tablet, wax-tablet, label, mummy-wrap, cartonnage, shipping-tag ...

(in codicology): codex, book, letter, loose-page, scroll, pamphlet, 
book-binding, leather-flap ...

(in modern texts): printed-book, letter-paper, envelope, desk-blotter, 
shopping-bag, postcard, calendar, box, teeshirt, coffee-mug, wall, 
door-panel, name-plate, toe-tag, keyboard, wedding-ring, tattoo 
(human-skin?), note-card, catalog-card, box-file, post-it-note, leaflet, 
business-card, billboard ... (etc. ad nauseam)

As I said in the SF ticket, I prefer "object" as the name for this 
element (good parallel with "material"), but the Ontology SIG have a 
good case that they'd like eventually to use this element name to mean 
something else, so "objectType" seemed a more specific term, if not very 
pretty. If you can think of any other way to compromise on that, it 
would be welcome.

Best,

Gabby

On 04/01/2011 17:37, Sebastian Rahtz wrote:
>
> On 4 Jan 2011, at 17:32, Lou Burnard wrote:
>
>>
>> how about "shape" ?
>>
>
> i think we need more examples of use from Gabriel to know whether
> this fits his pattern of use
>
> <stuff>  and<thing>. pshaw.
>


-- 
Dr Gabriel BODARD
(Research Associate in Digital Epigraphy)

Centre for Computing in the Humanities
King's College London
26-29 Drury Lane
London WC2B 5RL
Email: gabriel.bodard at kcl.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 7848 1388
Fax: +44 (0)20 7848 2980

http://www.digitalclassicist.org/
http://www.currentepigraphy.org/