Theme Data

A theme entry should start with a theme "name". The name is also its database ID and must be unique. The name should be in English but may use foreign expressions and characters where it is common to do so in English writing. For example, the French expression déjà vu is commonly used in English, and has been adopted as a theme. Insofar as is possible, this name should readily make it clear what the idea the theme expresses is. Note that the name may not contain commas.

The entry should have a description. The description should set out necessary and sufficient conditions for when the theme applies in a story. Relatively objective conditions are preferred as a starting point. The more subjective an entry is, the more difficult it will be to reach a consensus about when it applies. Exceptions, interpretations, and other subtleties may be explained either in the description or as notes.

Parents may contain any other theme that is logically implied by the present theme. For example the theme fatherly disappointment in a son implies the theme father and son. It is recommended that the list of parents begin with a carefully chosen place to anchor the theme in the main hierarchy of the ontology. For example if the theme concerns the relationship between two countries, it may have international issue as a first parent.