This book explores the rich history of the keyword from its earliest manifestations (long before it appeared anywhere in Google Trends or library cataloging textbooks) in order to illustrate its implicit and explicit mediation of human cognition and communication processes. The author covers the concept of the keyword from its deictic origins in primate and proto-speech communities, through its development within oral traditions, to its initial appearances in numerous graphical forms and its workings over time within a variety of indexing traditions and technologies. The book follows the history all the way to its role in search engine optimization and social media strategies and its potential as an element in the slowly emerging semantic web, as well as in multiple voice search applications. The author synthesizes different perspectives on the significance of this often-invisible intermediary, both in and out of the library and information science context, helping readers to understand how it has come to be so embedded in our daily life.
This book: - Provides a thorough history of the keyword, from primate and proto-speech communities to current times
- Explains how the concept of the keyword relates to human cognition and communication processes
- Highlights the applications of the keyword, both in and out of the library and information science context
Author(s): Betsy Van der Veer Martens
Series: Synthesis Lectures on Information Concepts, Retrieval, and Services
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 156
City: Cham
Preface
Contents
1 Representation, Reference, Relevance, and Retention
1.1 Defining the Keyword
1.2 Grounding the Keyword
1.3 Representation
1.4 Reference
1.5 Relevance
1.6 Retention
1.7 Grounds for Key Concepts
References
2 Signals, Semiotics
2.1 Introduction to Semiotics
2.2 Studying Signals
2.3 Gestural Repertoires
References
3 Proto-Signs, Proto-Words
3.1 Proto-World
3.2 Theories of Language Evolution
3.3 Communication-Centric Theories of Language Evolution
3.4 Culture-Centric Theories of Language Evolution
References
4 Philologies, Philosophies, Pragmatics
4.1 Philology and Plato
4.2 Historical Linguistics
4.3 Reference and Relevance
4.4 The Problems of Pragmatics
4.5 Expanding the World of Words
References
5 Rites, Religions
5.1 Origins of Symbols
5.2 Oral Traditions
5.3 Ritual Writings
References
6 Writing, Indexing
6.1 The Rise of Writing
6.2 The Importance of Interpretation
6.3 The Literacy Revolution
6.4 The Language of Science and the Science of Language
References
7 Progress, Public
7.1 The Growth of Governments and the Push Toward Progress
7.2 Cooperation and Competition
References
8 Discovery, Retrieval
8.1 Indexing Essentials
8.2 Library Discovery Systems
8.3 Information Discovery Systems
8.4 The TREC Conferences
References
9 Databases, Search Engines
9.1 Commercial Databases
9.2 Search Engines
9.3 Effects on LIS Practice and Research
References
10 Algorithms, Users
10.1 Search Engine Results Pages
10.2 Computational Advertising
10.3 Search Engines and the Public Sphere
10.4 The Future of Search
References
