Welcome to the Let's Fly a Kite on a Sunny Day
Thesaurus designed by the Thesaurus Creative Group.
We have created the first module of a thesaurus
for the non-profit Municipal Kite Association (MKA). The MKA
has over 500 members and operates out of its volunteer board
members' homes. One member is responsible for the maintenance
of the website, PDF instruction sheets and diagrams and another
for editing the online newsletter Municipal Kite News.
From year to year the positions of web master and newsletter
editor change hands. A controlled language of preferred terms
was created to promote consistency in terminology between the
web site, newsletter and the PDF files over time. When finances
allow, the Municipal Kite Association will also index past newsletter
articles and web pages.
The thesaurus is necessary because the terminology
used for parts of kites and kite making materials differs among
experts and even between sources. There are also international
variations in the use of terms. Novice kite makers are especially
unfamiliar with terminology for kite parts and materials. The
thesaurus, in addition to being a tool for the Association to
disseminate consistent information, will also be posted on their
web site to educate visitors to the site about the preferred
terminology used. At the same time, the thesaurus will inform
the novice about non-preferred terms they may encounter in the
kiting community and in different sources such as books and
web sites.
For this initial module we focused on the two
stick kite, sometimes known as a "diamond" or "classic"
kite. The two stick kite ranks among the easier kites to construct.
It can be made from materials found around the home or at the
hardware store. The MKA is often asked to provide information
about beginner two stick kite construction by both individuals,
and groups, such as daycares, schools, libraries, and community
centres. This module includes preferred terms for kite parts.
This thesaurus also includes materials used in two parts of
this kite, the sails and the sticks.
Future Development
Further development of this module will include
materials for the remaining kite parts.
Future Modules
Later modules will develop the thesaurus to include
other types of kites, their additional parts and materials,
decorative elements, construction processes, tools, supplies,
and adhesives. Implementing an initial module, followed by later
ones will permit testing and increasing the thesaurus’
exhaustivity.
Thesaurus Maintenance
The thesaurus can be maintained by the MKA when
the additional modules have been completed. It is not foreseen
that preferred terms will change although non-preferred terms
will probably be added. Volunteers, rather than specialized
indexers, will be able to add these new terms once the thesaurus
is completed.
Disclaimer
The Municipal Kite Association is a fictitious
organization, as is the Thesaurus Creative Group and Municipal
Kite News. Please do not quote in any formal document.
