This is a sequel to Pentagon of MEANING. Here we point out that what we generally accept as meaning of text is its most valid interpretation according to published grammar & vocabulary of the language. Such meaning is arrived at by sharing and negotiation of the text and its interpretation / clarification etc. The secret of reaching a common meaning is NOT long negotiation but it is: creating most unambiguous text. This is possible with the help of machine aided drafting of text. This is the subject of full paper by the author "Machine Mediated Meaning for Semantic Interoperability" which will be uploaded shortly. Please take a look and give your views.

1. Meaning is Mediated
Putcha V. Narasimham
Knowledge Enabler Systems
putchavn@yahoo.com

2. This is also Section 5 of
Semantic Web:
Dealing with Knowledge & Meaning
Putcha V. Narasimham
Knowledge Enabler Systems
putchavn@yahoo.com

3. Recall: Five Elements S, X, T, L and X’
Meaning is MEDIATED
X
22 JAN 14
1-S thinks 2-X
& presents it as 3-T
4-L gets T & creates
5-X’ in her mind
private
S
Open &
Common
Text T
L
X’
private
3

4. Relating S, X, T, L and X’

Meaning is MEDIATED

22 JAN 14


X & X’ are private to S and L
They must be brought out into S
open common view
Then S and L must agree on what
is common in their private
concepts
Meaning is an agreement reached
by sharing & negotiation
X
private
Open &
Common
Text T
L
X’
private
4

5. Bringing X & X’ into Open Common View

For communication to be complete
and common meaning to emerge
Meaning is MEDIATED

22 JAN 14


The concepts X, privately held by the
Speaker S of T and
X’ privately held by the Listener L of T
Must be brought into open, common
view and agreed upon by S and L
X
X
No CC yet
Common
Concept
CC
X’
X’
5

6. Dialog helps Creating Common Concept
Meaning is MEDIATED

22 JAN 14


Both the Speaker and Listener
S
X
must know the language of T
very well
Listener has to express X’
Text T
differently in T’ (now L becomes
a speaker of T’)
L repeating T DOES NOT imply
that L got the meaning of T
Text T’
L
X’
6

7. Listener Speaks & Speaker Listens


Meaning is MEDIATED

22 JAN 14



Now S has to listen to T’ &
Construct X’’ strictly from T’
When X” gets close to X,
T’ becomes public expression of
coming together of private
concepts X, X’ and X”
Then meaning of T’ becomes
Open, common & correct for S & L
X”
X
S
Based on T’
Text T’
This may
take more
exchanges
of T
X’
L
7

8. Multimedia for Complete Communication

Meaning is MEDIATED

22 JAN 14


Multi-media content &
Face to face communications
are often used
To ensure complete and
correct communication
Body language is one of the
modes of communication
X
S
Multimedia
X’
L
8

9. Meaning is Agreed Common Concept

Meaning is MEDIATED

22 JAN 14



Dialog enables sharing & negotiation
of privately held X & X’
And arriving at a common concept CC
Expressed as the latest agreed Text T
CC (still private) is the real & correct
meaning of the latest agreed T
For only those involved, not universal
X
X Common
Concept
X’
X’
9

10. Conditions for Common Agreed Meaning
the Speaker S and
the Listener L must know
and use the correct
Meaning is MEDIATED
 Both
22 JAN 14



Syntax of language of T
Meanings of all the words
of T used and
Context of T

This principle is valid for




Human-human and
Human-machine (will see shortly)
communications with focus on
meaning
Human-machine communications


Have limited domain
And the process has to be explicit
10

11. Is meaning always subjective?
X’N
Meaning is MEDIATED
Text T
22 JAN 14
X’1
L1
L2
L’N


For given Text T
Is there anything like

X’2


Minimal essential X’ of X’1, X’2, ..X’N of
N individual listeners? or
What we may call general meaning or
mean meaning
Perhaps it can be established with
some conditions
11

12. Meaning is Subjective in humans
Meaning is MEDIATED

22 JAN 14

Because meaning
is a concept X’
Generated
privately in mind
of listener



However under special conditions
Meaning of T can be less subjective
And machines can also arrive at
meaning---literal meaning, of course
12

13. Conditions for Meaning to be Objective

Meaning is MEDIATED

22 JAN 14


The grammar
and vocabulary
Of the language
of T are
Well-defined &
Rigorously
applied and
verified



This ensures that interpretation of T
cannot vary much irrespective of who
interprets
When they are so well-defined and
machine readable,
machines can also interpret
13

14. Machines Can Interpret & Even Mediate

Meaning is MEDIATED

22 JAN 14


What is more
important is
To create text
unambiguously,
This is eminently
feasible
So, we have





Machine Mediated Meaning for Semantic
Interoperability
First presented in a conference at Hyderabad
Central University in 2003
Published in Semantic Universe in Jan 2009
(not accessible now)
Revised substantially in Jan 2014,
See it on slideshare for details
14

15. Meaning is MEDIATED
22 JAN 14
Machine Mediated Meaning
for Semantic Interoperability
15

16. What machines actually do

Meaning is MEDIATED

22 JAN 14

Thoughts & concepts may be
creative and unique but
They must be expressed strictly
according to standard, published
grammar & vocabulary.
Machine can play a major role in
creating NLT which only has single
interpretation



Actually machines do not
generate meaning
They eliminate multiple
meanings at inception at the
speaker end
So whoever interprets can
only have a single valid
meaning of NLT
16

17. Conclusion:

Meaning is MEDIATED

22 JAN 14


What we call meaning is actually shared negotiated
meaning of agreed text
This is possible with restricted meaning of meaning or
literal meaning
Then machines can apply standard grammar &
vocabulary
To generate unambiguous text which has only one
Keep
Going
meaning ….literal meaning
17