A CORPUS-BASED APPROACH TO IDENTIFYING TOP-LEVEL TERMS FOR DEVELOPING A SKOS VOCABULARY FOR UKRAINIAN EPIGRAPHY

Abstract

This study aims to identify and classify top-level terms in Ukrainian epigraphy to develop a SKOS vocabulary and facilitate the categorization, organization, and retrieval of epigraphic inscriptions. This research fills a significant gap in the digital humanities, where Ukrainian epigraphic heritage has been underrepresented. The foundation for describing epigraphic artifacts in Ukrainian academia is the «Corpus of Inscriptions of Saint Sophia Cathedral Kyiv» by V. Korniyenko, which represents a structured format of Ukrainian epigraphic heritage. The study is based on comparative methods and detailed corpus-based linguistic analysis of the contextual application of terms in academic discourse. The use of the "Corpus of Inscriptions of Saint Sophia Cathedral Kyiv" is a justified choice due to its structured format and systematic approach to the description of epigraphic artefacts. An important element of the study is the analysis of the structure and content of Korniyenko’s works for developing a standardized SKOS vocabulary for Ukrainian epigraphic inscriptions. The research proposes a systematic approach to developing a SKOS vocabulary for Ukrainian epigraphy, integrated with existing frameworks such as the EAGLE vocabulary for Greco-Roman artifacts. This is not only a technical step but also a strategic one, ensuring broader applicability and interoperability, allowing Ukrainian inscriptions to be studied alongside those of other cultures. The findings contribute to a more integrated and accessible digital representation of epigraphic heritage, enriching the global digital humanities landscape and ensuring proper attention and scholarly recognition of the rich epigraphic heritage of Ukraine. The importance of digital tools and corpus analysis for the development of digital humanities, particularly digital epigraphy, is emphasized in this study. Developing a comprehensive SKOS vocabulary for Ukrainian epigraphy will enable the integration of these vocabularies with existing frameworks such as the EAGLE vocabulary for Greco-Roman artifacts, ensuring broader applicability and interoperability, allowing Ukrainian inscriptions to be studied alongside those of other cultures and enhancing cross-cultural and cross-linguistic research.