Ontology construction from online ontologies

One of the main hurdles towards a wide endorsement of ontologies is the high cost of constructing them. Reuse of existing ontologies offers a much cheaper alternative than building new ones from scratch, yet tools to support such reuse are still in their infancy. However, more ontologies are becoming available on the web, and online libraries for storing and indexing ontologies are increasing in number and demand. Search engines have also started to appear, to facilitate search and retrieval of online ontologies. This paper presents a fresh view on constructing ontologies automatically, by identifying, ranking, and merging fragments of online ontologies

English as the Language of Trade, Finance, and Technology in APEC: an East Asia Perspective

The use of English language for cross-border communications is important in many areas of trade ranging from tourism to trade in financial services. English will increase the capacity of people to communicate and exchange ideas and goods across borders. However, the increasing involvement in trade, tourism, and international relations among APEC member countries where English is not spoken as the first language poses some problems and barriers in achieving aspired regional cooperation. Efforts have been made by governments to encourage the internalization of English as a second language. This article documents ongoing efforts to adopt English as the official language of trade, finance, and technology in APEC member countries and to improve English fluency in selected East Asian countries. It is an interesting case study on the adoption of a common technology (i.e., English as the medium of communication) as an explicit policy to enhance both global integration and country competitiveness.capacity building, English language, language barrier, language skill, language education, English economy, trade language