Context-free syntax and natural language engineering

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 1993

Authors

João Falcão e Cunha (Author) FEUP; Jeremy Pitt (Author) Other

Journal

Title: INESC Journal of Research and Development

Vol. 4 No. 2

Pages: 16-31

Other information

Resumo (PT): There has been a long-standing philosophical debate on whether natural languages are context-free or not. Recent research, using arguments based on various notions of 'capacity', appears to have resolved the question in the negative. Ideally natural languages would have been (at worst) context-free: however, since we seem to he forced to embellish a context-free syntax with additional tools, it is worth exploring the consequences. The ones that are discussed herein are the need to think of grammar as more than just syntax, the re-use of specification languages and parsing algorithms from Computer Science, and the use of these additional tools for the specification of semantics. As a result we can see how this seemingly negative result can he used to advantage for the purposes of natural language engineering - i.e. the construction of fast, efficient and robust natural language processing systems for applications such as database interfaces and content, scanning.

Abstract (EN): There has been a long-standing philosophical debate on whether natural languages are context-free or not. Recent research, using arguments based on various notions of 'capacity', appears to have resolved the question in the negative. Ideally natural languages would have been (at worst) context-free: however, since we seem to he forced to embellish a context-free syntax with additional tools, it is worth exploring the consequences. The ones that are discussed herein are the need to think of grammar as more than just syntax, the re-use of specification languages and parsing algorithms from Computer Science, and the use of these additional tools for the specification of semantics. As a result we can see how this seemingly negative result can he used to advantage for the purposes of natural language engineering - i.e. the construction of fast, efficient and robust natural language processing systems for applications such as database interfaces and content, scanning.

Language: Portuguese

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 16