Conceptual choice and linguistic attraction in controlled vocabularies

Abstract

Controlled vocabularies of information languages show a variety of practices. There are varied ap¬plications of the same language, two. Common problems are reflected by them, although the theo-retical framework of controlled vocabularies can differ In spite of the dífferences of information languages, language groups and their applications, they share common features, because they are originated by humán activities, involving thinking and speaking. Dominating patterns of a specific information thesaurus are primanly determined by the interaction of the conceptual and lingvistic lev-els. In controlled vocabularies, specific patternes and models can be förmed in multiple ways in con-nection with editing methods; they can be „inheri-tid" from natural language use, they can derive from the ínterconnection of conceptual and linguistic levels, or they are determined by the principle of generál interdipendence. Comparing representa-tive examples of information languages based on different natural languages, and listing selected examples from Hungárián public libraries, the study focuses on the common difficulties of applications that concern the use of information languages in generál.