Glossary

Term	Description
Logical theory	set of expressions (like non-logical symbols, sentences and structuring elements) in a given logical language
Alignment	flexible, relational link that does not always have a formal, logic-based semantics
Matching	algorithmic procedure that generates an alignment for two given logical theories
Logical language	language that is used for writing down logical theories (e.g. formal ontologies, models and specification), equipped with a formal, declarative, logic-based semantics, plus non-logical annotations
Mapping	relationship between two logical theories, relating their non-logical symbols
Language translation	mapping from constructs in the source logical language to their equivalents in the target logical language
Interpretation	logical link that postulates a relation between two logical theories
Combination	aggregation of several logical theories along links to a new logical theory where (only) the linked non-logical symbols of the involved logical theeories are identified
Conservativity	property of an extension of theories, ensuring that the extension does not add new logical context
Basic logical theory	set of non-logical symbols, sentences, annotations about them, which is used as a building block for a larger logical theory
Axiom	sentence postulated to be valid (i.e. true in every model), party of a logical theory
Theorem	sentence that has been proven (in some logical theory) from other axioms and theorem
Structured logical theory	logical theory that results from other logical theories by import, union, combination, renaming or other structuring operations
Sentence	term that is either true or false in a given model, i.e. which is assigned a truth value in this model
Satisfaction relation	relation between models and sentences indicating which sentences hold true in the model
Non-logical symbol	atomic expression or syntactic constituent of a logical theory that requires an interpretation through a model
Module extraction	activity of obtaining from anlogical theory concrete modules to be used for a particular purpose (e.g. to contain a particular sub-signature of the original logical theory)
Module	subtheory that conservatively extends to the whole logical theory
Model	semantic interpretation of all non-logical symbols of a logical theory, satisfying the theory's axioms
Approximation	reduction of a theory to a less expressive logical language, such that the original theory implies the approximation