mtárgy

Mtárgy is a term used in Hungarian-language information science to denote a meta-object: an object that carries descriptive or structural metadata about one or more other objects. In this sense, mtárgy functions as a higher-level data unit that describes, links, or aggregates base objects within a data model or archive. The concept mirrors the general idea of metadata and meta-objects found in international practice, but it is applied in a way that emphasizes the meta-level role within specific Hungarian workflows or schemas.

Etymology and scope: the word combines the prefix m-, signaling meta- or multi-level, with tárgy, meaning object or item. The formation reflects a regional or domain-specific adaptation of broader metadata terminology and appears in Hungarian technical writing and system documentation from the early 21st century onward. The term is not universally standardized and its exact interpretation can vary between institutions or projects.

Uses and domains: mtárgy is used primarily in information management, digital libraries, and data cataloging to distinguish between a primary object and the descriptive or governance layer associated with it. In practice, an mtárgy may hold identifiers, provenance data, rights information, relations to other objects, and schema-specific metadata fields. It can participate in hierarchical or federated data models, where multiple mtárgy records describe or manage groups of base objects.

Characteristics: typical mtárgy records emphasize metadata about one or more underlying objects, including context, relationships, and preservation or access policies. They often serve as a control or indexing layer that supports discovery, provenance tracking, and data interoperability.

Notes: the term remains niche and regionally specific, with limited uptake outside Hungarian-speaking communities. Related concepts include metadata, data object, and ontology.