TERMIUM Plus®

From: Translation Bureau

On social media

Consult the Government of Canada’s terminology data bank.

FUNCTION THEORY [23 records]

Filter results by subject field Alphabetical list of terms

Filter results by subject field

Alphabetical list of terms

Record 1 2025-03-31

English

Subject field(s)
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Collaboration with WIPO
DEF

[An] AI [artificial intelligence] system that addresses a broad range of tasks with a satisfactory level of performance.

CONT

... it is believed that the current and prior work in AGI has focused on the development of sophisticated information processing algorithms, generally designed to embody a theory of human intelligence or brain function.

OBS

artificial general intelligence; AGI: designations validated by Canadian subject-field experts from Concordia University, Dalhousie University, Laval University and Microsoft Canada.

OBS

artificial general intelligence; AGI; general AI: designations and definition standardized by ISO in collaboration with the International Electrotechnical Commission.

Key term(s)
  • general artificial intelligence

French

Domaine(s)
  • Intelligence artificielle
  • Collaboration avec l'OMPI
DEF

Système d'IA [intelligence artificielle] qui traite un large éventail de tâches en affichant un niveau de performances satisfaisant.

CONT

[Les quatre] instances d'approches intégratives [présentées] sont toutes incluses dans le courant de l'intelligence artificielle générale [...] Contrairement aux recherches en intelligence artificielle dite classique, [...] le but est ici de modéliser les capacités de généralisation et d'adaptation [dont font preuve les] individus [lorsque surviennent des] problèmes nouveaux.

OBS

intelligence artificielle générale; IAG : désignations validées par des spécialistes canadiens de l'Université Concordia, de l'Université Dalhousie, de l'Université Laval et de Microsoft Canada.

OBS

intelligence artificielle générale; AGI; IA générale : désignations et définition normalisées par l'ISO en collaboration avec la Commission électrotechnique internationale.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Inteligencia artificial
  • Colaboración con la OMPI
CONT

El tercer objetivo es conocido por los investigadores como inteligencia general artificial. Con este término quieren mostrar que es posible la emulación de todo el cerebro usando máquinas de computación convencionales como forma de implementación de cerebros artificiales.

Save record 1

Record 2 2024-02-22

English

Subject field(s)
  • Computer Mathematics
OBS

decomposition : in switching theory, the realisation of an n-variable switching function as a composition of functions, each of which has less than n-variables.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Mathématiques informatiques

Spanish

Save record 2

Record 3 2024-02-05

English

Subject field(s)
  • Computer Mathematics
  • Information Processing (Informatics)
  • Artificial Intelligence
CONT

Universal hashing is a technique used in computer science and information theory for designing hash functions. It is a family of hash functions that can be efficiently computed by using a randomly selected hash function from a set of hash functions. The goal of universal hashing is to minimize the chance of collisions between distinct keys, which can lead to degraded performance in hash table operations.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Mathématiques informatiques
  • Traitement de l'information (Informatique)
  • Intelligence artificielle
CONT

En mathématiques et en informatique, le hachage universel [...] est une méthode qui consiste à sélectionner aléatoirement une fonction de hachage dans une famille de fonctions de hachages qui ont certaines propriétés mathématiques.

Spanish

Save record 3

Record 4 2022-07-27

English

Subject field(s)
  • Algebra
CONT

Rational polynomial functions have many applications, such as filter design, system theory, and digital image processing. In particular, rational polynomial functions provide the most common way of representing the z-transform. A rational polynomial function takes the form of the division of two polynomials...

French

Domaine(s)
  • Algèbre

Spanish

Save record 4

Record 5 2020-08-19

English

Subject field(s)
  • Human Behaviour
  • Educational Psychology
CONT

The expectancy–value theory addresses whether or not children desire to participate in an activity and how much effort they are prepared to put into the activity. Thus, the theory consists of 2 major components, expectancy beliefs and subjective task values. … Subjective task values are defined as individuals’ incentives for doing different tasks.... subjective task values are a function of 4 distinct components : attainmentvalue, intrinsic value, utility value, and cost.

CONT

… subjective task value can be thought of [as] the motivation that allows an individual to answer the question "Do I want to do this activity and why?".

French

Domaine(s)
  • Comportement humain
  • Psychologie scolaire
CONT

[…] cette théorie propose que la persévérance et la performance découlent des attentes de réussite de l'étudiant quant à une tâche ainsi que de la valeur qu'il lui accorde. En d'autres mots, la personne évalue son potentiel de réussite de la tâche (attentes) et l'adéquation entre cette éventuelle réussite et les buts qu'elle poursuit (valeur de la tâche).

CONT

La seconde variable – la valeur de la tâche – est l'appréciation subjective d'un individu quant à la manière dont une tâche influence son désir de la réaliser et satisfait ses besoins et buts à atteindre […]

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Comportamiento humano
  • Psicología educacional
CONT

Si consideramos el valor subjetivo de una tarea como una función entre las características de los individuos (necesidades, metas, valores) y las características de la tarea (valor intrínseco, demandas, costes, beneficios) se pueden observar un amplio rango de diferencias individuales en el valor que los estudiantes otorgan a las diferentes tareas académicas.

Save record 5

Record 6 2019-11-18

English

Subject field(s)
  • Applications of Automation
  • Computer Programs and Programming
DEF

... a technique derived from optimal control theory [that] is expressed as the minimization with respect to a control variable of an objective function that measures a discrepancy between a state variable and noisy measurements, subject to a constraint given by the state variable dynamics.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Automatisation et applications
  • Programmes et programmation (Informatique)
DEF

[...] ensemble des techniques qui permettent de combiner, de la meilleure des façons possibles [...] l'information mathématique contenue dans les équations et l'information physique provenant des observations en vue de reconstituer l'état d'un système.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Automatización y aplicaciones
  • Programas y programación (Informática)
CONT

La asimilación variacional de datos (VDA) permite estimar la trayectoria temporal de variables de estado de un sistema. Puede considerarse como un procedimiento en el cual datos perturbados y eventualmente incompletos son f iltrados por un sistema dinámico.

Save record 6

Record 7 2019-11-04

English

Subject field(s)
  • Artificial Intelligence
CONT

The interplay between Bayesian methods and deep learning is ubiquitous. Clean and well-formulated Bayesian models are using deep learning elements as "universal function approximators"(deep Bayesian learning) and deep neural networks are augmented with elements from probability theory(Bayesian deep learning).

French

Domaine(s)
  • Intelligence artificielle

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Inteligencia artificial
Save record 7

Record 8 2019-11-04

English

Subject field(s)
  • Artificial Intelligence
CONT

The interplay between Bayesian methods and deep learning is ubiquitous. Clean and well-formulated Bayesian models are using deep learning elements as "universal function approximators"(deep Bayesian learning) and deep neural networks are augmented with elements from probability theory(Bayesian deep learning).

French

Domaine(s)
  • Intelligence artificielle

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Inteligencia artificial
CONT

Una solución que ha ganado peso [...] es mezclar el punto de vista bayesiano (que nos da herramientas para entender el concepto de incertidumbre) con el poderoso poder predictivo de los modelos de aprendizaje profundo; esta rama del conocimiento parece ser llamada aprendizaje profundo bayesiano.

Save record 8

Record 9 2018-02-28

English

Subject field(s)
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Information Theory
CONT

In computability theory, the Ackermann function, named after Wilhelm Ackermann, is one of the simplest and earliest-discovered examples of a total computable function that is not primitive recursive. All primitive recursive functions are total and computable, but the Ackermann function illustrates that not all total computable functions are primitive recursive.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Intelligence artificielle
  • Théorie de l'information
CONT

Dans la théorie de la récursivité, la fonction d'Ackermann (aussi appelée fonction d'Ackermann-Péter) est un exemple simple de fonction récursive non récursive primitive, trouvée en 1926 par Wilhelm Ackermann. Elle est souvent présentée sous la forme qu'en a proposée la mathématicienne Rózsa Péter, comme une fonction à deux paramètres entiers naturels comme arguments et qui retourne un entier naturel comme valeur [...]

Spanish

Save record 9

Record 10 2015-04-08

English

Subject field(s)
  • Statistical Methods
CONT

The purpose of this paper is to give a detailed survey of new results in the theory of convergence of Lagrange interpolation taken at zeros of orthogonal polynomials with special emphasis on results related to infinite intervals.

CONT

We begin with the classical and most thoroughly investigated part of the theory of Lagrange interpolation, namely, pointwise convergence of [a certain function].

French

Domaine(s)
  • Méthodes statistiques
CONT

Problèmes d'interpolation. [...] L'idée la plus simple consiste bien entendu à faire passer un polynôme [...] de degré (n - 1) par ces [n points distincts] : c'est ce que l'on appelle l'interpolation de Lagrange. Ce problème a une et une seule solution [...]

OBS

interpolation : Intercalation de valeurs ou de termes intermédiaires dans une série de valeurs ou de termes connus.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Métodos estadísticos
Save record 10

Record 11 2014-06-05

English

Subject field(s)
  • Atomic Physics
DEF

The distance beyond the boundary of a medium to a point at which the asymptotic neutron flux density would go to zero if it were represented by the same function as within the boundary in the one-group theory of neutron transport.

OBS

The asymptotic flux density is the flux density far from boundaries, localized sources, and localized absorbers.

OBS

extrapolation distance; augmentation distance: terms and definition standardized by ISO.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Physique atomique
DEF

Dans la théorie à un groupe du transport des neutrons, distance de la limite d'un milieu jusqu'au point extérieur à cette limite où la densité de flux neutronique asymptotique s'annulerait si elle était représentée par la même fonction qu'en deçà de la limite.

OBS

La densité de flux asymptotique est la densité de flux loin des limites, des sources localisées et des absorbeurs localisés.

OBS

longueur extrapolée : terme et définition normalisés par l'ISO.

Spanish

Save record 11

Record 12 2014-03-13

English

Subject field(s)
  • Psychometry and Psychotechnology
  • Clinical Psychology
DEF

A test based on the theory that an individual' s ability to function is directly related to the degree and balance of satisfactions and frustrations experienced.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Psychométrie et psychotechnique
  • Psychologie clinique
DEF

[...] épreuve fondée sur la théorie voulant que la capacité de fonctionnement d'une personne soit directement en fonction du degré de satisfaction et de frustration vécues et de l'équilibre entre les deux.

Spanish

Save record 12

Record 13 2008-02-05

English

Subject field(s)
  • Silviculture
  • Forestry Operations
CONT

... the so-called Finnish forest site type theory developed by A. K. Cajander(1879-1943) is still dominant, both in practical applications and in the development of theories on vegetation structure and function.... A most important element in Cajander's system... for the later development of vegetation theory is the idea of site type classification where no clear distinction is made between site and vegetation.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Sylviculture
  • Exploitation forestière

Spanish

Save record 13

Record 14 2007-09-10

English

Subject field(s)
  • Provincial Government Bodies and Committees (Canadian)
  • Working Practices and Conditions
OBS

Department of Environment and Labour-Nova Scotia. The function of the Committee is to conduct an annual review of the minimum wage and submit to the Minister a report containing the recommendations of the Committee. This Committee has met regularly and has conducted the review by considering the following : economic theory; economic conditions and the impact of raising wages; Statistics Canada data such as Consumer Price Index, Average Industrial Wage, Low Income Cut Off, and a profile of minimum wage workers; trends in other jurisdictions; the changing value of minimum wage; and employers’ fixed cost increases.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Organismes et comités de gouvernements provinciaux canadiens
  • Régimes et conditions de travail
OBS

Comité d'examen du salaire minimum, déjà utilisé mais non officiel. Le comité est chargé d'effectuer un examen annuel du salaire minimum et de présenter au ministre un rapport contenant les recommandations du comité.

Key term(s)
  • Comité d'examen du salaire minimum

Spanish

Save record 14

Record 15 2005-03-30

English

Subject field(s)
  • Economic Doctrines, Systems and Policies
  • Pricing Theory
  • Econometrics
CONT

Md=kPY where the demand for money is a function of nominal income, i. e. the P level times real income Y, and where k is the assumed stable or constant proportion of nominal income held as cash. Given that k was treated as a constant and the money supply M was exogenously determined by the monetary authority, the Cambridge equation could be expressed as a theory of nominal income.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Doctrines, systèmes et politiques économiques
  • Théorie des prix
  • Économétrie
CONT

Alfred Marshall de l'école de Cambridge a reformulé la théorie quantitative de la monnaie en théorie de la demande de monnaie par l'introduction de son équation connue sous le nom "d'équation des encaisses" ou "équation de Cambridge" : Md = KPY. La demande de monnaie en termes réels (Md) est proportionnelle au revenu réel (Y). Le coefficient (K) est une propension psychologique, c'est le désir de conserver des encaisses. Md doit être associé aux conditions de l'équilibre du marché monétaire de sorte que : Md = Mo = KPY. Cette équation énonce qu'à court terme, il y a un lien de causalité entre l'offre de monnaie et les prix.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Doctrinas, políticas y sistemas económicos
  • Teoría de fijación de precios
  • Econometría
DEF

Principio teórico de todo el posterior pensamiento monetario.

Save record 15

Record 16 2002-01-10

English

Subject field(s)
  • Political Theories and Doctrines
  • International Relations
CONT

AS FIRST stated, the theory of democratic centralism, as the functional method of a political party, was based on the following reasoning : Social revolutionists needed not a mere parliamentary organization but a party of action which would function as a scientific body of direction, a vanguard of activists tied to the revolutionary masses, and a central control organon. The party should be An elite body professional revolutionists dedicating their lives to the cause and carrying out their decisions with iron discipline. No task too small; no sacrifice too great.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Théories et doctrines politiques
  • Relations internationales
CONT

Principe d'organisation des partis communistes défini par Lénine. Il repose principalement sur la discussion des décisions des dirigeants par les divers échelons du Parti. En réalité, le centralisme démocratique est un mécanisme qui sert plutôt à imposer ces décisions aux membres du Parti.

Spanish

Save record 16

Record 17 2000-07-17

English

Subject field(s)
  • Hydrology and Hydrography
CONT

In theory, however, at deep sites the material may eventually enter a phase of passive sedimentation where cloud velocity is essentially a function of the intrinsic fall velocity of the individual particles of which the material is composed.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Hydrologie et hydrographie
CONT

II faut noter que, en théorie, si la profondeur le permettait, les matériaux pourraient éventuellement entrer dans une phase de sédimentation passive où la vitesse du nuage serait essentiellement fonction de la vitesse de chute intrinsèque des différentes particules qui les composent.

Spanish

Save record 17

Record 18 2000-03-07

English

Subject field(s)
  • Hydrology and Hydrography
  • Environment
CONT

In theory, however, at deep sites the material may eventually enter a phase of passive sedimentation where cloud velocity is essentially a function of the intrinsic fall velocity of the individual particles of which the material is composed.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Hydrologie et hydrographie
  • Environnement
CONT

II faut noter que, en théorie, si la profondeur le permettait, les matériaux pourraient éventuellement entrer dans une phase de sédimentation passive où la vitesse du nuage serait essentiellement fonction de la vitesse de chute intrinsèque des différentes particules qui les composent.

Spanish

Save record 18

Record 19 1997-05-20

English

Subject field(s)
  • Microbiology and Parasitology
CONT

In an attempt to clarify the meaning of the term "addiction", a distinction is made between two types of addiction theory. "Pharmacological" theories focus upon changes in brain structure and function due to repeated ingestion of drugs, which affect brain reward pathways directly... It is argued that only substances or behaviours which can be shown to directly affect brain reward pathways should be considered as having addictive potential... The first is an idea about what drugs do to brain function-it is the idea that drugs stimulate brain reward pathways. The reward pathway most often held to be responsible for addiction is the Mesocorticolimbic Dopamine(DA) system.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Microbiologie et parasitologie

Spanish

Save record 19

Record 20 1993-04-09

English

Subject field(s)
  • Chemistry
  • Atomic Physics
DEF

Wave function of electron in atom, molecule or solid state, computed by any one-electron approximation method.

CONT

"orbital theory" : The quantum theory of matter applied to the nature and behavior of the electron, either in single atoms(atomic orbital) or in united atoms(molecular orbital).... In simple language, the orbital theory considers the electron not as a particle, but as a three-dimensional wave that can exist at several energy levels; its exact location and position in the "shell"(which in most elements is a group of orbitals) cannot be precisely determined, but only predicted by the laws of mathematical probability. The orbital levels and the movement of electrons within them are expressed by wave functions and quantum numbers. The probability that an electron will be found in a given volume(i. e., the square of the one-electron wave function) is called the orbital of that electron, and the shape of the orbital is defined by surfaces of constant probability(i. e. spheres and doughnut-shaped ellipses). The electron orbital, described in terms of probability, is like a cloud, with indefinite boundaries.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Chimie
  • Physique atomique
DEF

«Orbitale atomique» ou «moléculaire» : distribution spatiale d'un électron dans un atome, des électrons de liaison dans une molécule. (Dans la mesure où, en théorie quantique, le carré du module de la fonction d'onde de l'électron représente sa densité de probabilité de localisation, le mot «orbitale» est souvent entendu en un sens synonyme de «fonction d'onde».

OBS

La notion d'orbitale a remplacé celle d'orbite, propre au modèle planétaire de Bohr, lorsque fut reconnue l'impossibilité d'attribuer des trajectoires aux électrons atomiques.

Spanish

Save record 20

Record 21 1989-06-13

English

Subject field(s)
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Continuing Education
CONT

The foundation for the experimentation process is a database of assertions which O’Shea calls a "theory of instruction" for the domain. Each assertion in the database indicates the expected results of a specific experimental modification performed on the production rules. Results are expressed in terms of possible or definite effects on teaching performance with respect to one goal. For instance, an assertion could say that spending more resources on selecting appropriate problems might improve the performance of students on the post-test. Thus these assertions represent a corpus of possibly useful experiments. After choosing one of the four goals, the system selects all the assertions that propose modifications leading to a possible improvement with respect to that goal; then it executes the changes these assertions suggest. Statistical tests evaluate the variations in performance caused by the modifications, with respect to each of the four goals. The overall improvement of the system is then computed as a linear function of the goals’ respective variations. If a significant improvement is achieved, the modifications are adopted. In addition, as a form of learning involving some serendipity, new assertions are added to the original database to record the effects of the experiment on the different goals. In this way, not only does the system improve, but its ability to set up experiments is also extended. Obviously, it must have had a minimal number of assertions to start with. Figure 6. 6. gives an overview of the flow of information through the self-improving component.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Intelligence artificielle
  • Éducation permanente
OBS

Terme spécifique utilisé par O'Shea pour désigner la base de données assertionnelles de son système.

Spanish

Save record 21

Record 22 1986-07-03

English

Subject field(s)
  • Language (General)
  • Logic (Philosophy)
OBS

A general philosophical theory of signs and symbols that deals esp. with their function in both artificially constructed and natural languages and comprises the three branches of syntactics, semantics, and pragmatics. WEBIN

French

Domaine(s)
  • Linguistique (Généralités)
  • Logique (Philosophie)
DEF

Théorie générale des signes et de leur articulation dans la pensée.

Spanish

Save record 22

Record 23 1981-01-22

English

Subject field(s)
  • Economic Conditions and Forecasting
  • Currency and Foreign Exchange
OBS

Many will agree with our later liquidity-preference theory, whose Hicks-Hansen diagrams can be thought of as a theory of velocity-i. e., a theory in which V is an increasing function of the interest rate.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Prévisions et conjonctures économiques
  • Politique monétaire et marché des changes

Spanish

Save record 23

Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank

© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2026
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau

Display options

Change the order of display of the official languages of Canada
Option to display the non-official languages (Spanish or Portuguese)
Display definitions, contexts, etc., on records

Features

GCtranslate (available on the Government of Canada network only)

Use this artificial intelligence prototype to translate Government of Canada content up to and including Protected B. Available to employees of selected departments and agencies only.

Writing tools

The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.

Glossaries and vocabularies

Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.

Date Modified: