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Cognitive and Linguistic Aspects of Geographic Space pp 419–434Cite as

A Formalization of Metaphors and Image-Schemas in User Interfaces

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Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASID,volume 63))

Abstract

Sound engineering approaches to user interface design require the formalization of key interaction concepts, one of them being metaphor. Work on interface metaphors has, however, been largely non-formal so far. The few existing formal theories of metaphor have been developed in the context of natural language understanding, learning, or reasoning. We propose to formalize interface metaphors by algebraic specifications. This approach provides a comprehensive formalization for the essential aspects of metaphorical user interfaces. Specifically, metaphor domains are being formalized by algebras, metaphorical mappings by morphisms, and image-schemas by categories. The paper explains these concepts and the approach, using examples of spatial and spatializing metaphors.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis Department of Surveying Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, 04469, USA

    Werner Kuhn & Andrew U. Frank

Authors
  1. Werner Kuhn
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  2. Andrew U. Frank
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, Department of Geography, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA

    David M. Mark

  2. National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, Department of Surveying Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA

    Andrew U. Frank

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© 1991 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Kuhn, W., Frank, A.U. (1991). A Formalization of Metaphors and Image-Schemas in User Interfaces. In: Mark, D.M., Frank, A.U. (eds) Cognitive and Linguistic Aspects of Geographic Space. NATO ASI Series, vol 63. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2606-9_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2606-9_24

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5151-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-2606-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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