A non-technical scratch at the surface of this fascinating topic.

I keep tripping over references to semantic applications, semantic search, and the semantic web everywhere I look. And when it began showing up in main-stream sources like BBC and Yahoo it seemed time to at least try getting my arms around the topic.

And the dictionary is always where I start.

From the OED - semantic (a.) 1 Relating to signs of the weather (rare). 2 Relating to meaning in language; relating to connotations of words.

And from the Merriam-Webster dictionary - adj. of or relating to meaning in language.

So, assuming we aren’t talking about weather, it seems reasonable to conclude the “semantic web” must relate in some way to understanding the meaning of language, which makes sense given the abundance of language found on the web.

Since this semantic web thing can (and does) mean a lot of different things, I think it is useful to begin with a single core concept that we can build on later.

Let’s begin with the idea that, completely boiled down, the “semantic web” is simply one possible approach for working with information on the internet.

And yes, there is a lot more to it than that. And we are going to build some analogies to get a bit of a feel for its breadth and depth. But it is useful to keep in mind that this is all about how to better synthesize the vast amounts of information available to us.

Examples of the kinds of information that might be good fodder for a “semantic application” (software that uses a semantic approach) might include the question you type a in a search box, or the meaning of text on your web pages.

Keep in mind that these examples basic, and are by no means inclusive. Also, this post isn’t going to attempt an exploration of potential applications for semantic technologies. That’s just beyond the scope of what I’m tackling here, but you will find some great links near the end of the article should you want to explore the topic further. (more…)

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