1. Standards in action
  2. Addressing
  3. - Terminology

Terminology

Most of the reviewed address standards define an address. INSPIRE Address and BS 7666 specifically define an addressable object, i.e. the object with which the address is associated. In the other standards, whatever the address is associated with, is implied in the address definition. Below are the definitions for the term ‘address’ from the reviewed address standards, as well as the addressable object as defined in these standards.

address

  • set of information which, for a postal item, allows the unambiguous determination of an actual or potential delivery point, usually combined with the specification of an addressee and/or a mailee (AFNOR XP Z10-011)
    NOTE   The term is defined as ‘postal address’.
  • means of identifying a location (company's or private individual's address) (AFNOR XP Z10-011)
      • the conventional means of describing, labelling or identifying an address site (AS/NZS 4819)
      • means of referencing an object for the purposes of identification and location (BS 7666)
      • location of properties based upon address identifiers, usually by road name, house number, postal code (INSPIRE Directive 2007/2/EC)
      • the location at which a particular organization or person may be found or reached (ISO/TS 15000-5)
      • a physical location or a mail delivery point (OASIS CIQ)
      • an unambiguous specification of a point of service delivery (SANS 1883-1)
      • set of information which, for a postal item, allows the unambiguous determination of an actual or potential delivery point, usually combined with the specification of an addressee and/or a mailee (UPU S42)
        NOTE ‘address’ is an alias for ‘postal address’.
  • specifies a location by reference to a thoroughfare or a landmark; or it specifies a point of postal delivery (US FGDC Address)
addressable object
  • a real world object that has a fixed location and which may be identified and referenced by means of one or more addresses (BS 7666)
  • spatial object type which can have instances to which it is meaningful to associate addresses in the context of the INSPIRE scope (INSPIRE Address)

Apart from the terms above and terms for address components, which are reviewed in the address components for the conceptual models, other terms defined in the standards include terms related to:

  • the delivery process: delivery point identifier (AS 4590, UPU S53), forwarding address, postal delivery identifier (INSPIRE Address), return address (UPU S42), specific distribution heading (AFNOR XP Z10-011), USPS general delivery point (US FGDC Address);
  • the person or organization involved in an ‘addressing transaction’: addressee (AFNOR XP Z10-011), mailee, mail originator, mail submitter, mailer (UPU S42), name (OASIS CIQ), party (OASIS CIQ, UPU S42), payer (UPU S42), recipient (AFNOR XP Z10-011, UPU S42);
  • authorities involved in assigning addresses: address authority (US FGDC Address), custodian (AS/NZS 4819), official address issuing body (SANS 1883-1), street naming authority (BS 7666);
  • services at the address: service (SANS 1883-1), utility (AS/NZS 4819);
  • the location of the address: address coordinates (US FGDC Address), coordinated point (BS 7666), geocode (AS/NXS 4819, AS 4590), geographic position (INSPIRE Address); and
  • land administration: cadastral property (SANS 1883-1), cadastre (SANS 1883-3), land and property identifier (BS 7666), property (INSPIRE Address), parcel of land (Japan), public right of way (BS 7666).