On Term Formation: Consistency, Standards, and Exceptions

As taxonomy consultants at Factor, we are frequently engaged to help our clients clean up and improve existing taxonomies; these have often developed ad hoc and, often, have not been constructed or managed by taxonomists. This is fine! Having controlled lists of tags is better than not…having controlled lists of tags, and it’s a great place to start. Oftentimes one of the primary problems is with term formation: as terms are added on an as-needed basis (say, when a new tag is required) inexperienced taxonomists (and non-taxonomists, whom I do realize make up the vast majority of the population) add terms that make sense to them. Again: this is a fine place to begin. But good term formation is the foundation upon which most taxonomy practice rests.