Template:Sbv definition object type

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A common pattern of definition begins with a designation for a more general concept followed by the keyword ‘that’ (used in the second sense defined for ‘that’ in the Other Keywords subclause above) and then an expression of necessary and sufficient characteristics that distinguish a thing of the defined concept from other things of the more general concept. Another less used pattern also leads with a designation for a more general concept but then uses the word ‘of’ with another expression as explained in the Other Keywords subclause above. Two kinds of information are formally expressed by a fully formal definition. 1. A fact that the concept being defined is a category of a particular more general concept 2. A closed projection that defines the concept. Only the first kind of information is formally expressed by a partially formal definition. A partially formal definition leads with a styled designation that is for a more general concept. That designation is generally followed by the keyword ‘that’ and then an informal expression of necessary and sufficient characteristics. The following example shows a partially formal definition. It formally expresses the fact that the concept ‘icon’ is a category of the concept ‘nonverbal designation’, but it uses words that are external to the formally available vocabulary. icon Definition: nonverbal designation that is a pictorial representation The next example is fully formal. Its formal interpretation includes that the concept ‘representation’ specializes the concept and also includes a closed projection conveying semantics of the definition. representation obligation claim Definition: actuality that a given expression represents a given meaning The next example is not formal at all. It defines the most general concept used by SBVR. thing Definition: anything perceivable or conceivable A definition of an object type can generally be read as a statement using the following pattern (where “a” represents either “a” or “an”): A is a. For example: An icon is a nonverbal designation that is a pictorial representation. Another style of formal definition is extensional. It uses disjunction to combine a number of concepts. For example, a contextualized concept is anything that is a role or a facet. contextualized concept Definition: role or facet


 * Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Business Rules, v1.0 page 247