**The 3 components to any language. All languages have these three components in order to function as a language: Ontology, Semantics, and Syntax. 1. **[[Ontology]]** defines and constraints what entities can exist in the system. It's the set of words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc) that **can** exist and are able to carry meaning. It also describes how entities can be grouped and subdivided. Ontologies use "signifiers", which is a word that's a superset of "words" and "symbols". 2. **Semantics** ascribe meaning to the members of the ontology. It is the bridge between a wavy line in a circuit diagram and the resistor it represents. 3. **Syntax** is the set of rules, principles, conventions, and processes that govern how you can construct member signifiers of the ontology to form higher-level semantic meaning. **** # More ## Source ## Related - [[IDEF]] - [[OPM]] - [[Ontology Language]] - [[Ontology Components]]