Belly Dancing Costumes: A Thesaurus


Introduction Review of Existing Indexing Languages Structure of Indexing Language
About Us Thesaurus: Alphabetical Display Thesaurus: Hierarchical Display of Top Terms

Structure of Indexing Language

 
Although LoBeLIA has the option to expand, edit and manipulate the thesaurus, they do not expect to maintain the thesaurus on a consistent basis. Therefore, the indexing language used is primarily for end-users who are familiar with the subject area and understand its terminology, but who are not expected to understand thesaurus creation nor are they advanced information retrieval specialists. This is in accordance with Rule 7.1. (All rules quoted are found in the ANSI/NISO Standard Z39.19-1993.)

The type of indexing language used is that of a controlled vocabulary designed for postcoordination.

Plural forms have been used as in keeping with Rule 3.5-3.5.2

LoBeLIA has used a conventional flat thesaurus structure (Rule 6.2.1.) and has formatted it to display alphabetically and hierarchically by top term. LoBeLIA feels that a flat thesaurus structure is both easier to use (for the lay user searching for terms) and provides greater potential for expansion. Our hierarchical structure is organized by function rather than material, so that the term chainmail headbands does not have chainmail as its top term, but rather head decorations. The keyword search feature in the completed ThoBe will cater to those users who may search according to material as opposed to function. In this way LoBeLIA hopes to cover all search possibilities with the capabilities of the Thesaurus.

The typography used is consistent with Rule 6.3.3. with lightface for nonpreferred terms, capitals for relationship indicators and boldface for descriptors.

Forms of terms:

* The descriptor dresses is an orphan term and has no narrower term(s) attached to it because all of the dress types associated with this term were not functions of the term dresses but were rather specific types of dresses such as Ashkazy of Bedhella.

* Zills is an orphan term that has no narrower term(s) because it is the only instrument that was considered integral to belly dance costuming and because its function was inextricably linked to the costume, zills acted much like a decoration rather than only as an instrument. However, we also believe that zills could be expanded in the future.

*Head decorations was used as a compound term descriptor following Rule 4.2 (a): splitting the two parts would lead to ambiguity and a loss of meaning. This rule is also used in the case of  chainmail belts; chainmail headbands; chainmail necklaces;  foundation garments; arm coverings; costume sets; costume styles; foot flowers; hand flowers; coin belts; belt bases; bra and belt sets; bra covers; harem pants;  pant, skirt and veil sets;  performance briefs; crop tops; head pieces; head scarves; head scarves; hip scarves; belly chains; torso covers; rectangular sashes; rectangular scarves; triangular sashes;  triangular scarves; square scarves.

* Scarves , veils and shawls are related terms as they are sibling terms that have overlapping meanings. Rule 5.4.1.1.

* Chainmail belts is a related term to belly chains because they are sibling terms that have overlapping meanings. Rule 5.4.1.1.

* Bras is a related term to bra covers because the noun in the phrase is not a true broader term. Rule 5.4.2. (i).

* Chains is a related term to chainmail because it has a derivational relationship. Rule 5.4.1.3.

* Sequins is a related term to paillettes because they are sibling terms with overlapping meanings. Rule 5.4.1.1.

Relationship Structures

Three kinds of relationships have been used in constructing the Thesaurus of Bellydancing (ThoBe): the equivalence relationship; the hierarchical relationship and the associative relationship. Rule 5.1.2.  Examples of the associative relationships are listed above. An example of the equivalence relationship is as follows:
                  Example (1): cholis
                      UF tops
Hierarchical relationships ( superordination and subordination ) are expressed in ThoBe using the following reciprocal indicators:
                 BT (Broader Term)
                 NT (Narrower Term).

Scope notes have been used in the thesaurus to expand and or to distinguish between descriptors that have overlapping meanings in natural language. Rule 3.2.2. Reciprocal scope notes have been used in the instance of chains and chainmail scope notes. Rule 3.2.2.1.

ThoBe will have a high precision rating because the language is controlled. The recall will be moderate in relation to the information in the database which is actually present in the retrieval set.

LoBeLIA has not constrained ThoBe to include only a particular type of bellydancing costume, for example, Egyptian and not Tribal, Folkloric, etc. The thesaurus is intended to reflect a broad, but not exhaustive, selection of bellydancing costume. The thesaurus is not closed, so it can be updated and expanded whenever LoBeLIA wishes to do so.