DEPTH CLASSIFICATION (3)

(Continued from page 23)

COMMON ISOLATE

S.R. Ranganathan

[Defines common isolate. Prescribes anterior position to approach

materials. Enumerates anteriorising common isolates. Discusses the en-

umeration of Time Isolates in the first order array of first level and second

level manifestations. Discusses the enumeration of Space Isolates in different

arrays of the first level and second level. Describes the organisation of the

analysis in the idea plane and of the zones and octaves in the notational plane.

Throughout makes a comparative study of UDC, CC and BC.]

1 Definition

There is a correspondence between the idea plane, the notational

plane and the verbal plane. Class in idea plane corresponds to

class number in notational plane and subject-term in the verbal

plane. Isolate idea in the idea plane corresponds to isolate number

in the notational plane and isolate term in the verbal plane. An

isolate idea is expressed as isolate number and as isolate term. The

expression as isolate number is necessary for helpful arrangement.

The expression as isolate term is necessary for communication. A

compound class is derived from a basic class by attaching an isolate

idea to it. A compound class number is built by synthesising a

basic class number and an isolate number. A compound subject-

term is the result of the synthesis of a basic subject-term and an isolate

term. An isolate number may represent the same isolate term and

the same isolate idea, in relation to many or all classes. Then we

have a COIDIDon Isolate,

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S. R. RANGANA'rHAN V 1. N 2

2 Anteriorising COIDIDon Isolate

I

IsolateI

CC No. BC No. UDC No.___ 1._____

Bibliography a 2Encyclopaedia k I 3Periodical m 6 5Yearbook n 5 58History v 3 9Biography w 4 92Collection x 7 8Scope z4 8

A subject-term formed by synthesising any of the above commonisolates with any host-subject-term denotes approach-material tothe host-subject. In the arrangement of books, it is helpful to havethe approach-materials of a subject, anterior to the books embodyingit. Bliss therefore applied the epithet "anterior" to the classformed by synthesising any class with such an isolate idea.

21 COLON CLASSIFICATION

CC secures actually anterior positionpostulating a special attribute to the lowerrepresent an anteriorising common isolate.Rule 0251 of part I of the Colon classification.

"0251 Any number followed by a small letter shall haveprecedence over the original number."

for such classes bycase letters used toThis is postulated in

Examples

B63y7 has precedence over, i.e., is anterior to, B63L23 :45a has precedence over, i.e., is anterior to, L23 :45ZObXm has precedence over, i.e., is anterior to, ZObX

211 Only in a Second or a Higher Order

An anteriorising common isolate number has no connectingsymbol preceding it. It is attached directly to the host class number.Thus this common isolate can occur only in a second or higher orderof array,

JUNE 1954 DEPTH CLASSIFICATION(3)

22 UDCUDC has no notational device to secure anterior positions for

approach materials. But there is nothing to prevent its providingfor it. For the connecting symbol for approach common isolate is(0 .... ). This connecting symbol may be postulated to have theanteriorising attribute.

23 BIBLIOGRAPHICCLASSIFICATIONBC has provided for the Arabic numerals to be invested with

anteriorising attribute. But, it is halting in doing so. For we readin p 49 of V I "But this disposition is not required by rule. If theclassifier should disagree, if the readers should disapprove, the strictlogical subordination is alternative .... the numerical subdivisionswould then not be anterior but posterior like the other sub-divisions."

ExamplesCI, C2, .... C8 are given precedence over C in pages 241 to

243 of V 1.Similar arrangements are indicated under each main class.

3 Ti:me IsolateCC and UDC make any time isolate a common isolate. The

connecting symbol for time isolate number has not been postulated,in either scheme, to have anteriorising attribute. A time isolate is,therefore, a posteriorising isolate.

31 COLON CLASSIFICATIONIn CC, time isolate is allowed to occupy either the prefirst

octave or the last octave. In other words, a time isolate numbercan begin with either a lower case letter or a capital letter. All otheroctaves are occupied by space isolate.

311 Public TimeThe last octave is used to represent public time measured

either backwards or forwards from the date of birth of Christ as theorigin.

ExamplesA before 10,000 BCC 999 to I BeD I to 999 AD

E 1000 to 1099M 1800 to 1899N 1900 to 1999etc, etc. etc.

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The unit used, i.e., the isolate in the first-order-array, does notrepresent the same duration for all periods of time. It uses "century"in the period beginning with the second millennium after Christ.A millennium is used as the unit for the period 2,000 Be to 1,000AD. A stretch of 8,000 years is used as the unit for the period 10,000BC to 2,000 BC. For the still earlier period, the unit is in terms ofgeological age. This is in accordance with" memory-perspective" .Z is used as octavising digit. Thus ZA represents 3,000 to 3,099 AD.This step to secure hospitality in array was lost sight of even inedition 4. .It will be incorporated in edition S.

312 Private Time

The pre-first octave is used to represent private time. Inprivate time, the origin for measuring time from, is taken to be someappropriate epoch germane to the class to which the time isolate isattached.

Schedule

CCNo.1 Unit of Time UDC No. CC No. Unit of Time !UDCNO.I

a Symbol to denote g Week 43Periodicity h Month 44

b Micro second 411 j Year 45,c Second 412 k Century 47

d Minute 413 m Millennium 48e Hour 414 n Geological age 49f Day 414.2

The number of units should be added after the digit for unit.It should be mentioned in Arabic integers.

313 Featured Time

Time is punctuated by the movement of earth and moon.These movements are periodical. Day is the period of the rotationof the earth on its axis. Lunar month is the period of one cycle ofthe moon on its ecliptic. Year is the period of one cycle of theearth on its ecliptic. These are the three primary periods of time.The very astronomical factors causing the periods of time causealso certain climatic correlates. These concern heat, light, atmos-pheric movement, humidity-variation, clouds, rain, dust, etc. Thetotal effect of these correlates divide each natural period of time

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JUNE 1954 DEPTH CLASSIFICATION (3)

into more or less distinct parts. All activities-in the physical,biological and human world-are correlated to these parts of eachkind of period of time. These form important isolate ideas in thetime facet of many subjects. It will therefore be an advantage tomake a schedule of such common time isolates. The vacant isolatenumbers in the pre-first octave may be used to represent them.

Schedule

p Day 54 Second halfq Day time 55 Waning moonql Morning twilight 56 Full moonq2 Sunrise s7 First halfq3 Morning s8 Second halfq4 Forenoon II Solar Monthq5 Noon ul Januaryq6 Afternoon u2 Februaryq7 Evening ..................r Night u8 Augustrl Sun set u91 Septemberr2 Evening twilight u92 Octoberr3 Early night u93 Novemberr4 Fore-midnight u94 Decemberr5 Midnight v Seasonr6 After-midnight vI Springr7 Late night v2 Summers Lunar month v3 Autumn51 Waxing moon v4 Winters2 New moon v51 Dry season53 First half v55 Rainy season

The schedule can also be used in the second level facet of time, whenan isolate of it appears in relation to a particular day, month or year.

Examples

Incidence of asthma in rainy season L44 :453 :51.v55

Incidence of asthma in the rainy season of 1954 in MadrasState L44 :453 :51.441.N54.v55

Virulence of asthma in the first half of the night L44 :453 :57.r4

314 Other Cycles

Other cycles also are caused by natural causes. About 25,000years is the period of the cycle of the precession of the axis of the earth.Twelve years is the period of the cycle of Jupiter on its ecliptic. 30

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years is the period of the cycle of Saturn on its ecliptic. There arealso other periods. Periodogram analysis and study have notadvanced sufficiently to demand the use of these longer periods andtheir parts. When the need arises, a schedule may be improvised onthe following lines:w Precession periodx Periods relating to other

heavenly bodiesxl Mercuryx2 Venusx3 Marsy may be reserved for other cosmic periods.z may be used as octavising digit.

315 PeriodIn some'subjects, a time-period may occur as an isolate in

time-facet. Fixing such a period is common in prescribing medicine." Every 4 hours" is a common prescription. In many biologicalexperiments, smaller periods such as 5 minutes and 30 minutes arecommonly prescribed for the repetition of an operation. In economicorganisation, 5 year has now become a common period. In educa-tional organisation too it has become common. For example, manyuniversity acts prescribe quinquennial re-examination of theeducational system. It is proposed to use a to stand for period. Thenumeral of a particular period may be added after it.

ExampleThird Quinquennial Commission of the Madras University

under the Act of 1924. T4.44,c1v:I.N.j5.a31

Second Five Year Plan of India z.44.N.j5.a2t5

316 Past and FutureCC provides the symbol" -7 " to denote an indefinite period

of the past and the future with reference to any epoch.

ExamplesPast with reference to twentieth centuryPast with reference to 1947Future with reference to twentieth centuryFuture with reference to 1947

x4x5x6x7x8

JupiterSaturnUranusNaptuneSolar phenomena

N~N47~N-7N47-7

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JUNE 1954 DEPTH CLASSIFICATION (3)

317 Stretch of Time

CC uses the symbol" -7 " to denote a stretch of time extendingfrom one epoch to another.

D060<;-C672N~Mh8~3

Examples

From 327 BC to 1060 AD.Nineteenth and twentieth centuriesFrom third to eighth month

32 UDC

In UDC, the notation uses only a single species of digits forsubstantives. An array can not therefore have different zones as inCC. However, the need for dividing the first-order-array of time-facet in different ways is recognised.

321 Public TimeThe digits 0 and 1 are reserved for representing public time.

These two digits together represent the first two millennia of AD.The digit 2 is left unused. Perhaps the intention is to use it torepresent the third millennium of AD. Beyond that the notationgets blocked. It does not however get blocked in regard to themillennia of BG. The integral notation is used for BC years. Theminus sign "- " is prefixed to the BC year-numbers. CC avoidsthe use of this additional operational symbol of arithmetic, by usingthe ":Method of Complements" described in rule 53 of part 1 ofColon classification.

Examples

UDCNo. Year CCNo. UDC No. CCNo.Year

-3-10-500

3 BC10 BC500 BC

C996C989C499

2356 BC9000 BC

B7643B0999

-2356-9000

Each digit in BC year IS represented 111 CC number by theexcess of 9 over it. This is the Method of Complements.

322 Private TimeUDC uses " 4" to denote unit of time in representing Private

Time. Its note is explicit. "The subdivisions of Time beginning

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with a " 4" are used when giving the age of a person, object, society,institution, etc., i.e., the time which has elapsed since some particularevent (a birth, foundation, invention, etc.) .... Multiples of the timeare indicated by adding a hyphen and a number. e.g.," 44-3 "Three months." The schedule of the units of time provided is givenin section 312.

323 Featured Time

UDC provides only for seasons and solar months.

324 Other Cycles

UDC does not provide for featured time causedastronomical cycles .such as those associated with theof the equinoxes, the planets or the solar phenomena.

325 Period

UDC provides for indication of periods. The digit 5 IS usedfor the purpose. We have the following specification:

" 5" Periodicity. Subdivide as "4"." 53-2" Twice a week

by otherprecession

326 Past and Future

UDC has the following specifications In regard to past andfuture.

" 31" Past, present and future"311" Past

" 312" Present" 313" Future

It is not clear how these isolates are to be used in association withisolates denoting public time or private time.

327 Stretch of Time

UDC represents stretch of time by connecting the isolates ofend epochs with a slant stroke.

Examples

04/14 From fifth to fifteenth century15/19 From sixteenth to twentieth century.

33 BIBLIOGRAPHICCLASSIFICATION

In BC, time is not made a common isolate. For each subject,a separate schedule needs to be constructed. Special time schedules

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JUNE 1954 DEPTHCLASSIFICATION(3)

are also to be constructed for the history of each country. For, itis stated, " History of each country has its own periods, and theseare often incommensurate with centuries". By provision of anad hoc schedule for each country and for each subject, the time isolateis reduced to a single digit in most cases. In CC and UDC, it needsa minimum of three digits. Is it worth seeking economy in thenumber of digits, or in thought and in schedule length by makingtime isolate common isolate? This is a moot point.

331 Other Basis of Division

BC does not seem to provide for other ways of forming time-isolates such as private time, astronomically featured time andperiodicity.

34 DECIMALCLASSIFICATION

DC had not devoted thought to time-facet, except in the mainclass" History". Even there it has not made time-facet a common-facet. An ad hoc schedule is provided for each country. DC hasnot provided for any division of time except on the basis of publictime.

4 Space Isolate

Practically all the schemes of classification make space isolatea common isolate. All the schemes start by making the isolates of thefirst-order-array represent continents and oceans. Thereafter theyform arrays of higher order on the basis of political and administra-tive characteristics.

41 COLON CLASSIFICATIONCC has restricted the hospitality of its space facet, by usmg

the same first-order-array to accommodate time isolates and spaceisolates. The pre-first octave and the last octave are thereby lostby space. However, the zones created in an array by octave notationdo give some freedom to form space isolates on the basis of severalcharacteristics. The use of " level-concept" also provides additionalfreedom.

411 First OctaveThe first octave is used to accommodate coutinents as isolates.

Of the eight places in the first octave only five are needed for the

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continents. The digits 4 to 8 are given to them. The digit 1 isgiven to the " earth as a whole" or " world" in other words. Thedigits 2 and 3 are reserved for local variation. 2 is the isolate numberfor the favoured country, state, district or any other territorial unit.3 is similarly the isolate numberfor the second favoured country, etc.

412 Second Octave

The second octave is used for two purposes. The first halfof it is used for the land scattered among the oceans. The secondhalf is used for the oceans qua oceans.

Schedule

CC No. Isolate UDC No. CC No. Isolate UDC No.

919293943947

Land withinIndian oceanAtlantic oceanPacific oceanAntarctic oceanArctic ocean

95,969998

959697983987

Ocean qua OceanIndian 267Atlantic 261,4Pacific 265,66Antarctic 269Arctic 268

The remammg octaves of the first-order-array have not yet beenbrought to use.

413 Second-Order-Array

The first two octaves are utili sed as follows when the isolate inthe first-order-array is " 1 World ",

CCNo. Isolate CC No. Isolate

11 Eastern hemisphere 187 Arctic countries12 Southern hemisphere 191 Equatorial zone13 Western hemisphere 192 Tropical zone14 Northern hemisphere 193 Subtropical zone15 Countries bordering 195 Temperate zone

on Indian Ocean 197 Subarctic zone16 Atlantic countries 198 Arctic zone17 Pacific countries

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JUNE 1954 DEPTH OLASSIFICATION (3)

For other isolates in the first-order-array, the isolates in thefirst octaves of the second-order-array are formed on the basis ofpolitical characteristic.

414 Last OctaveThe last octave of the second order-array is utilised for

accommodating near-sovereign formations. These isolates are formedby the Chronological Device.

Examples

IN League of Nations IN48 The CommonwealthIN4 United Nations

415 Other Last Octaves

In any array, the third last octave is formed by the SubjectDevice. The penultimate octave is reserved for orientation isolates.The schedule proposed for orientation isolates is as follows:

9B East 9K Far South 9T North9C Near 9M South West 9U Near9D Middle 9N West 9V Middle9E Far 9P Near 9W Far9F South East 9Q Middle 9X North East9G South 9R Far 9Y Inside9H Near South 9S North West 9Z Outside9J Middle South

416 Second Level

In Indian tradition, the physiographical features of the surfaceof the earth are taken as analogues to the organs of a person. Thisanthropomorphic tradition gives a clue to the solution of a difficultproblem encountered in the division of the surface of the earth. Thisdifficulty has been brought out in my Optional facets in library classi-fication (3), (4) and (5), appearing in pages 73-83,97-107 and 140-147of the Annals part of the Abgila 1, 1950. At that time, these problemsbaffled us. They looked insoluble. The conception of " Level ",taken along with the above-mentioned anthropomorphic tradition,opens out a line for pursuing this problem. Our using this traditiondoes not amount to swearing our faith in that tradition for allpurposes. It should not be so mistaken. For example, in this

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tradition a serpent-hill IS the analogue for ear. Whispering intothis ear of the earth with our lips touching it will lead to death byserpent-bite! We really convert this anthropomorphic traditioninto a convenient postulate, enabling us to solve an insoluble problemin the classification of the fundamental category Space manifestingitself as Geographical Space.

The following is an illustrative schedule of Second Level SpaceFacet :-

Schedule

CCNo.

UDCNo.

II1151212112212312413131132133134135137141516165

Isolate

Land(Geosphere)

SubterraneanSubmergedSurfaceDesertPrairyCultivatedForestIn relation tosea

CoastlandPeninsulaCapeIsthumusInlandDeltaIslandMarshValleyRiver valley

UDCNo.

24260325252251.3254253

210.5210.1210.2210.4282.622285.323282.4

CCNo.

232326.03

26

26.0426.0426.0426.0526.02282.6285282.2

Isolate

17175235

PlateauWatershedMountainCityWater

(Hydrosphere)U ndergroundIn relation toland (salt(water)

Coastal seaBayGulfStraitLand-seaHigh seaEstuaryLakeRiverAtmosphere

The different arrangements of the isolates in CC and UDC show theuncertainty of hitting upon any universally acceptable principle,in the idea plane, for securing" more or less:" helpful sequence ofphysiographical features. In CC sequence, there is progression ina vertical direction from below the earth's surface through thegeosphere and hydrosphere to the atmosphere.

417 IndividualisationFurther sub-division of the above isolates is done by alphabetical

device in the CC. The resulting isolate numbers represent particular

76

5153

5315325335345345355375468

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JUNE 1954 DEPTH CLASSIFICATION (3)

mountains, cities, rivers etc. An illustrative schedule will be foundin section 422.

42 UDCThe organisation of the first-order-array of UDC is parallel to

that of CC. But it does not have equal freedom to provide hospitality.There are two reasons for this: (1) Its notation consisting of one'species of digits only, it can not provide last octaves. (2) It has notutilised the freedom it has to provide a second level of space facet.UDC is therefore obliged to meet all the exigencies by creating zonesin the first-order-array.

421 Continents and OceansAs in CC, in UDC also the digit 1 is reserved for world as a

whole. Digits 4- to 9 are again used similarly to represent continentsand oceans.

422 Physical LocalityDigit 2 is used for the same purpose as the second level of space

in CC oie;., to represent the features of the earth or " physical locality "as it is termed in UDC.

Illus tratioe Schedule

CC No. UDC No.

4.2H4.53444.16G44.17D44.2V44.6G44l.16V44l.2N441.6V4412.54P5.2A5.l6R6.6R561.16T561.6T95.534P95.534S96.534G

Isolate

HimalayaCaspian SeaGangetic valleyDeccan plateauVindhyaGangesVaigai valleyNilgiri hillsVatgaiPuzhal lakeAlpsRhine valleyRhineThames valleyThamesPalks StraitSuez CanalStrait of Gibralter

235.253

282.4

282.253.21

II 234.3

282.243.1

282.242.4

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The CC numbers indicate a prescription implied in the ideaplane. The extension of the isolate in the first level space facetshould be the minimum consistent with the isolate in the second levelspace facet within it. In the case of a city, it may he helpful to reachthe country or the constituent State in the first level. In the case ofa village, it may be helpful to reach down to the tal uk-a part of acounty. This will have to be decided in the context of each subject.

Notational exigency brings about a fundamental differencebetween the sequences formed in CC and UDC. In CC, all thephysical features of a country or district or even of a town are broughttogether under the country, district etc. as the case may be. To putit in symbols, the facet formula is:

[Territorial division] [ Physical feature]

In UDC, the facet formula is the reverse of this viz.

[ Physical feature] [Territorial division]

The relative helpfulness of these two opposite arrangements needsstudy.

423 Local Variations

There is another result of this notational exigency. UDC isnot able to provide for local variation.

424 Individualisation

Again the notational exigency makes UDC individuahseparticular physical localities-such as a particular mountain, river,and lake-by enumeration. This can not obviously be exhaustive.The last octave of CC is able to take care of this by the application ofthe alphabetic device to form isolates in the last octave. Thedifference in hospitality is brought out by the illustrative schedulegiven in section 422.

43 BIBLIOGRAPHIC CLASSIFICATION

In BC, two alternative systems of notation are given for spaceisolates. One uses lower case letters. The other uses Arabicnumerals.

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JJJNE 1954 DEPTH CLASSIFICATION (3)

431 Biased Enumeration

The allocation of the isolate numbers in thetowards USA and some countries of Europe.allocation of the numeral base will show this:-

array IS biasedThe following

America 6 France 94 Africa

2 USA 7 S E Europe 95 Equatorial andCentral Africa

3 Latin America 8 Asia 96 South AfricaI

4 Europe 9 East Indies 97 Oceanic islands

5; British isles 93 Australasia 98 Hawaiian islands

The above enumeration proves that:

The break-down of the earth's area is too biased for uni-versal adoption; and

2 No attention is paid to keeping an array or its octavesdistinct as much in the notation plane as in the ideaplane.

432 No Geographical Contiguity

The subdivisions in the second and higher orders are oftenarbitrary. The reason for not following the Principle of Geographi-cal Contiguity is not clear. Here is an exemple of its violation:

871 Baluchistan 875 Delhi and U.P.

872 Western India 876 Himalayas

873 Bombay

874 Madras

877 Eastern India

878 Calcutta

433 Mixture of Characteristics

Several characteristics are used to arrive at the isolates in oneand the same array. This is a serious violation of the canons ofclassification. It is also unhelpful. Political divisions and divisions

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s. R. RANGAN ATKAN VI. N 2

based on physical features are intermixed. Here is an exemple :

IBONo. Isolate I 00 No. BO Isolate OONo.

I No.

eb England 561 ee S.E. England 561·9Fec South Eng- 561·9G eef Surrey 56121

landect Thames 561· 7T eeg Oroydon 561· 30ed London 56124 eet Thames 561· 7T· 537

Estuar y

434 Notation

BO numbers are only half as long as 00 numbers. But this issecured at the cost of future hospitability. In depth classification-i.e. classification needed in bibliographical service-there should beprovision to accommodate several localities in a helpful sequence.The BO schedule is very selective. It does not give any autonomy toclassifier to accommodate more entities as and when needed.Economy in length of class number at the cost of hospitality andautonomy is unhelpful in depth classification.

8Q