Cheerful or Lively or Joyful?

The process of indexing images, particularly faces, is made extremely complex by the variety of uses for which they can be used, as a study by the Principal of The Caldeson Consultancy, Michael Steemson, shows. A peaceful or contented face can look bored, an anxious visage can also illustrate wonder or confidence look like pride.

To assist on-line searches of picture archives, indexers must include key words of Facial Expressions to help users find images that illustrate their ideas, even when the searchers themselves may be unclear what would fit.

Over-page may be found synonym and key word lists for Concepts and Feelings and Actions. The following list of 16 groups of facial expressions has been condensed from about 100 key words with which they are linked. The expressions are pictorially similar, though the key words describing them may not necessarily be synonymous.

AGGRESSIVE: Anger, Annoyance, Contempt, Dislike, Evil, Hatred, Impatience, Irritation, Lust, Madness, Malice, Obstinacy, Rudeness, Stubbornness, Sullen, Superiority, Temper, Violence.

ALERT: Concentration, Determination, Expectation, Lively, Obedience, Resolution, Seriousness, Tension.

ANXIOUS: Despair, Isolation, Nervousness, Surprise, Wonder.

CHEERFUL: Enjoyment, Enthusiasm, Excitement, Fun, Happy, Humour, Irreverence, Joy, Laughter, Pleasure.

COMPASSIONATE: Courteous, Friendly, Gentle, Intimate, Kindly, Loving, Modest, Patient, Pitiful, Reverential, Warm.

DEFEATED: Exhaustion, Fatigue, Feebleness, Frustration, Loss, Neglect, Rejection, Remorse, Repentance, Resignation, Shame, Suffering.

DISTRUSTFUL: Greedy, Envious, Sceptical.

FRIGHTENED: Fearful, Shy, Timid.

FROWNING: Scowling.

GRIEVING: Miserable, Sad, Sorrowful, Unhappy.

GRIMACING: Pulling a face.

PAIN: Anguish, Hurting, Sore.

PEACEFUL: Apathy, Boredom, Complacency, Contemplation, Contentment, Indifference, Passivity, Serenity, Stupidity, Vacant.

PROUD: Conceit, Confidence, Loyal, Satisfaction, Smug, Trusting, Trustworthy.

SMILING: Grinning, Leering.

STARING: Glaring.

The Caldeson Consultancy indexing key words continue with Actions over-page.

Alternatively, to go to Concepts and Feelings key words, click here.

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Michael Steemson

For more information, e-mail to:

Michael Steemson,
The Caldeson Consultancy.