SCE Standard — Version 1.0 (Draft)¶
- Document ID: SCE-STD-1.0-DRAFT
- Revision: 0.1
- Status: Draft (Not yet ratified)
- Source Authority: Maintainer (Foundational Phase)
- License: SCE Ethical Use License v0.1
- Dependencies: RFC-0001 (Core Ontology), GOVERNANCE.md, CONTRIBUTING.md, ROADMAP.md
1. Introduction¶
This specification defines the Semantic Communication Encoding (SCE) standard, a symbolic ontology and communication layer designed for use in human–machine interaction, annotation frameworks, compliance systems, conversational reasoning interfaces, and structured hybrid dialogues involving large language models or automated agents.
SCE provides a compact set of semantically governed Unicode emoji symbols with formally defined meanings and usage constraints. These symbols function as semantic operators, enabling structured reasoning, annotation, and interoperability across tools, systems, and communication modalities.
This document constitutes the normative reference for version 1.0.0 of the standard.
2. Scope¶
2.1 In-Scope¶
This standard defines:
- The canonical SCE Core Symbol Ontology
- Required metadata fields for symbol definitions
- Valid symbol categories and roles
- Syntax and usage rules for compliant implementations
- Versioning and compatibility expectations
- Validation and conflict resolution behavior
2.2 Out of Scope¶
This standard does not define:
- Transport mechanisms
- UI presentation rules
- Domain-specific symbol extensions
- Governance procedures beyond those referenced herein
- Rendering guarantees beyond standard Unicode behavior
3. Terminology¶
This specification uses formal requirement language as defined in RFC 2119.
The following keywords carry the meanings defined therein:
MUST
MUST NOT
SHOULD
SHOULD NOT
MAY
RECOMMENDED
OPTIONAL
4. Symbol Architecture¶
An SCE-compliant implementation MUST represent each symbol using the following structure:
emoji: string; // Unicode grapheme
role: string; // Category role
meaning: string; // Authoritative definition
allowedContext: string[]; // One or more of: HUMAN, LLM, TOOL
usage: string; // REQUIRED, OPTIONAL, or CONDITIONAL
conflictsWith: string[]; // Zero or more conflicting emojis
example: string; // Valid usage instance
All fields are normative and MUST be present.
5. Semantic Domains¶
The standard defines eight core semantic domains. Every symbol MUST belong to exactly one domain.
| Domain | Description |
|---|---|
| structure | Logical and document structuring markers |
| legalPolicy | Indicators of compliance, legality, or regulatory context |
| reasoning | Cognitive or analytical markers |
| tasks | Action or procedural state indicators |
| privacy | Information access-state and governance markers |
| actors | Entities or human roles |
| state | Status or risk-level conditions |
| control | Flow, direction, or branching logic |
Domains MUST NOT be redefined or repurposed.
6. Canonical Symbol Set (Normative)¶
The canonical symbol list SHALL match the content defined by RFC-0001.
The machine-readable reference located in ontology.ts SHALL be authoritative.
A condensed summary is provided below.
6.1 STRUCTURE¶
| Symbol | Identifier | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 🗂️ | structure.section | Section boundary |
| 📌 | structure.pinned | Non-negotiable fact |
| 📎 | structure.reference | Linked resource |
6.2 LEGAL POLICY¶
| Symbol | Identifier | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| ⚖️ | legal.law | Governing legal or regulatory framework |
| 📜 | legal.citation | Reference citation |
| 🧾 | legal.complianceRecord | Evidence of compliance |
| 🏛️ | legal.institutionAuthority | Court or institution authority |
6.3 REASONING¶
| Symbol | Identifier | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 🔍 | reasoning.analyze | Analysis or verification action |
| 🧠 | reasoning.insight | Interpretation or derived conclusion |
| 🕵️ | reasoning.investigate | Pending investigative question |
6.4 TASK PROGRESSION¶
| Symbol | Definition |
|---|---|
| 📝 | Instruction |
| ☐ | Not started |
| ☑️ | Completed (unverified) |
| ✅ | Verified completion |
| 🔁 | Recurring |
6.5 PRIVACY¶
| Symbol | Definition |
|---|---|
| 🔐 | Restricted |
| 🗝️ | Authorized |
| 🔓 | Public / unrestricted |
6.6 ACTORS¶
| Symbol | Definition |
|---|---|
| 👤 | Generic person |
| 🧑🎓 | Student |
| 🧑🏫 | Teacher or staff |
| 🧑⚖️ | Legal authority |
| 🏢 | Organization |
6.7 STATE¶
| Symbol | Definition |
|---|---|
| ⏳ | Pending |
| ❓ | Unknown |
| ⚠️ | Warning |
| ❌ | Prohibited or invalid |
6.8 CONTROL¶
| Symbol | Definition |
|---|---|
| 🔀 | Decision point |
| ⏭️ | Advance |
| ⏮️ | Return |
7. Usage Rules¶
- Symbols MUST retain their defined meaning without variation.
- Symbols MUST NOT be assigned alternate definitions.
- Symbols MAY appear in free-form text, structured workflows, or programmatic contexts.
- Conflicting symbols MUST NOT appear simultaneously in contexts where semantic exclusivity applies.
- Symbols MAY be extended only through the formal RFC process.
8. Validation Requirements¶
A compliant implementation MUST validate:
- Schema completeness
- No duplicate symbols
- Conflict rules respected
- Domains and roles remain unchanged
Validation behavior SHOULD be automated.
9. Backward Compatibility¶
Once ratified:
- Removal or redefinition of a symbol SHALL be considered a breaking change.
- Additive ontology expansion SHALL be considered non-breaking.
10. Ethical Restrictions¶
All implementations MUST adhere to the ethical usage constraints defined in the accompanying license.
11. Conformance¶
A system, tool, or document is considered SCE-Compliant if:
- It uses symbols exclusively from the canonical ontology.
- It follows the rules defined herein.
- It does not violate licensing restrictions.
Conformance MAY be certified in future versions.
12. Status¶
This specification is in Draft state and SHALL be finalized upon Working Group formation or Maintainer ratification.