Notationet

Notationet is a proposed conceptual framework for a universal, machine-readable ecosystem that enables the representation, exchange, and transformation of symbolic notations across disciplines, including music, mathematics, linguistics, and technical diagrams. The term combines 'notation' with 'network' to signify a linked, interoperable space where disparate notations can be encoded in a common, extensible data model.

Origin and status: The term notationet appears in academic discussions and speculative proposals within digital humanities and informatics. It is not a widely adopted standard, and no single specification has achieved consensus. The concept serves as a heuristic for thinking about interoperability rather than a concrete protocol at present.

Core ideas: A notationet would rely on a layered architecture with a notation layer describing the symbolic content, a semantic layer linking symbols to meanings via ontologies, and an interchange layer providing APIs and serialization formats. It would favor open, schema-driven representations, using identifiers (URIs), linked data principles, and interoperable formats such as JSON-LD, RDF, or domain-specific encodings. A key feature would be the ability to annotate, version, and provenance-track notation elements as they move between systems.

Applications: In libraries and archives for cross-domain digitization, in education and research for teaching and AI training, and in notation-aware tools that convert between formats (for example, music notation to MIDI, mathematical notation to computer algebra inputs).

Challenges: The diversity and precision of notation across fields, the need for governance and authority on ontologies, performance considerations, licensing, and alignment with existing standards. While promising in theory, notationet remains a topic of ongoing research rather than an established infrastructure.

See also: MusicXML, MathML, LaTeX, IPA, RDF, JSON-LD, Linked Data.