Globally Agreed Definitions for Individual Semantics

["William J. Kammerer" <wkammerer@foresightcorp.com>]

Sue Probert said "Depending on the mode of transportation, the country,
or countries or the terms of delivery etc. this one piece of semantic
data [bill of lading number ] can be called many different names e.g.
airwaybill number, CMR number, railway consignment note etc. etc."

Further, "...there will be only one of these reference numbers per
consignment and the generic semantic definition could be agreed globally
as something like 'transport contract reference number' ... We want to
obtain the best generic globally acceptable name and definition for each
piece of semantic data and then enable the specification of business
synonyms..."

Dear Sue:

I agree wholeheartedly.  And I would have thought most folks in
UN/EDIFACT would agree that we need the "best generic globally
acceptable name" for an item, though I'm somewhat discouraged how
they're carrying that on.  For example, take a look at D.E. 1153
(Reference code qualifier). Actually everyone can take a look - even if
you don't have EDISIM - by going to
http://www.unece.org/trade/untdid/d01a/tred/tred1153.htm.  Code value
"AHI" has a name of "Transport contract reference number," defined
lucidly as "Reference number of a transport contract."

If the intent was that the Transport contract reference number could be
used to designate any of a bill of lading, air waybill, CMR waybill, or
railway consignment note number, then I wish UN/EDIFACT had augmented
the definition with those synonyms, rather than ridiculously
regurgitating the name with a clumsy prepositional genitive.  If those
synonyms (which were probably known at the time "Transport contract
reference number" was conceived) were available for searching, it
probably would've made everyone's life easier.

"Jeans of Blue," anyone?

William J. Kammerer
FORESIGHT Corp.
4950 Blazer Pkwy.
Dublin, OH USA 43017-3305
+1 614 791-1600

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