“A folksonomy is a user generated taxonomy, typically Internet-based, that categorizes content such as Web pages, photographs, Web links and other web content using open ended labels called tags. The process of folksonomic tagging is intended to make a body of information increasingly easier to search, discover, and navigate over time. A well-developed folksonomy is ideally accessible as a shared vocabulary that is both originated by, and familiar to its primary users. Two widely cited examples of websites using folksonomic tagging are Flickr and del.icio.us.” Via Wikipedia
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Chris:
Do you think this folksonomic language will evolve from the collective conversations of myriad users, or will a few “prime movers” establish the vocabulary? Either way, seems like it will ultimately seep in to our everyday dialogue. One day perhaps we’ll all speak in tags.
jf
I believe that there are leaders and there are followers. I believe that the folksonomy “user-generated tagging” is always going to be “sui generis.” People are going to put anything they want into those “tags” and “labels.” The patters will emerge, but they will be initially unintentional. They will emerge like magic and appear intentional, in much the same way that my “tag cloud” at the bottom of this blog (scroll down) appears intentional. The largest concepts are not intentional, they’re 20/20 hindsight.
After the most popular concepts — the most prevalent patterns — that folksonomic analysis are revealed, there will be a backwash.
If you tag your articles “ATOM” or “syndication” or “RSS 1″ and most people tag/label them “RSS” or “feeds” then your conversational influence will tend to be less relevant on the global online conversation. The realization of this might influence the blogger, tagger, writer, etc, to adopt a common speak — a collaborative, grassroots agreed language — in order to be most effective.
And yes, whether we want to admit it or not, A-List bloggers, Mainstream Media, the Academy, and the popular media do, in fact, make the language. Define the language. Help us choose common ground and common tongue.
From the distance at which these patterns can be analyzed, parsed, and recognized, all of this will seem organized and led.
Folksonomy is an emergent system of organization. The patterns, trends, and arc are not designed, they emerge.
I am not naive. Folksonomic patters can be, and often are, influenced. While they may be influencable, they are not centrally controlled or controllable.