Scope note

Text

This class comprises the intellectual or artistic realisations of Works in the form of identifiable immaterial objects, such as texts, poems, jokes, musical or choreographic notations, movement pattern, sound pattern, images, multimedia objects, or any combination of such forms. The substance of F2 Expression is signs.

An Expression is the outcome of the intellectual or creative process of realizing a Work. Subsequent expressions conveying the same work may be created over time.

Expressions do not depend on a specific physical carrier and can exist on one or more carriers simultaneously. As far as bibliographic practice is concerned, only instances of F2 Expression that are externalised on physical carriers other than both the creator’s brain and an auditor’s brain are taken into account.

The form of F2 Expression is an inherent characteristic of the F2 Expression. Differences in form imply different Expressions (e.g., from text to spoken word, a transcript of a recording). Similarly, differences in language or means of performance imply different Expressions (e.g., translations or arrangements for different instruments). Thus, if a text is revised or modified, the result is considered to be a new F2 Expression. While theoretically any change in signs will result in a new Expression, conventionally the context and use will determine the rules for distinguishing among expressions.

An instance of F2 Expression which includes spoken or written text may be multiply instantiated as an instance of E33 Linguistic Object. This allows for the association of the E56 Language of the text with the instance of F2 Expression by using the property P72 has language (is language of).

Language

en