Method and means for grammatically processing a natural language sentence
First Claim
1. A computer method for grammatically processing a natural language sentence made up of word units using processing means comprising the steps of:
- a. Lexicalizing each of said word units in accordance with verbal categories and application directed categories registered in a lexical memory, for storing the lexicalized word units in a word memory;
b. Parsing said lexicalized word units read out from said word memory to provide at least one sentence representation for storing in a sentence representation memory for storing in a sentence representation memory, and including the steps of generating at least one constituent structure having functional indications from said word units, each of said sentence representations having associated therewith a probability factor anda) determining successively for each word unit supplied by the word memory and for each constituent supplied by the sentence representation memory and allocated with a constituted category the functional word category belonging to that word unit within the structure of said constituent by reference to grammar data list in a grammar data memory and concerning said verbal category of said word unit and the category of said constituent for updating or supplementing the respective sentence representations,b) describing for each constituent supplied by sentence representation memory and allocated with a category of a parent constituent, said parent constituent dominating said constituent, a closure process for said constituent based upon grammar data entered in the grammar data memory and concerning the category of said constituent and said parent constituent and (ii) allocating a functional label that can be provisional to said constituent to be closed by said closure process; and
c) testing the interrelation between the words and constituents of said parent constituent as to functional categories of said words and said constituents during at least step b) (i) or b) (ii) against rules stored in said grammar data memory and based upon syntax and changing said probability factor if an error is detected and selecting each sentence representation having a probability factor above a preselected threshold value.
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Abstract
A computer method of parsing a sentence into sentence parts to be described with functional indications, by means of lexicalized word units. The method includes determining, for each word unit and for each constituent, the functional word category within the constituent or a new constituent and, for each constituent, describing a step relating to closure of the constituent, and allocating a functional label to that constituent. The current constituent is then tested against rules relating to the context of the words and/or subsidiary constituents, and probability factor allocated to the sentence representation is reevaluated. Each sentence representation having a probability factor above a certain threshold value is then selected. A grammatically incorrect sentence already parsed can be corrected by selecting the grammatically incorrect constituent within that sentence and changed by reference to rules stored in the computer.
135 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A computer method for grammatically processing a natural language sentence made up of word units using processing means comprising the steps of:
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a. Lexicalizing each of said word units in accordance with verbal categories and application directed categories registered in a lexical memory, for storing the lexicalized word units in a word memory; b. Parsing said lexicalized word units read out from said word memory to provide at least one sentence representation for storing in a sentence representation memory for storing in a sentence representation memory, and including the steps of generating at least one constituent structure having functional indications from said word units, each of said sentence representations having associated therewith a probability factor and a) determining successively for each word unit supplied by the word memory and for each constituent supplied by the sentence representation memory and allocated with a constituted category the functional word category belonging to that word unit within the structure of said constituent by reference to grammar data list in a grammar data memory and concerning said verbal category of said word unit and the category of said constituent for updating or supplementing the respective sentence representations, b) describing for each constituent supplied by sentence representation memory and allocated with a category of a parent constituent, said parent constituent dominating said constituent, a closure process for said constituent based upon grammar data entered in the grammar data memory and concerning the category of said constituent and said parent constituent and (ii) allocating a functional label that can be provisional to said constituent to be closed by said closure process; and c) testing the interrelation between the words and constituents of said parent constituent as to functional categories of said words and said constituents during at least step b) (i) or b) (ii) against rules stored in said grammar data memory and based upon syntax and changing said probability factor if an error is detected and selecting each sentence representation having a probability factor above a preselected threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A processing means for grammatically processing a natural language sentence, characterized in that said means comprises:
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a. Means for determining successively, for each word unit supplied by a word memory and for each constituent supplied by the sentence representation memory, the functional word category for that word unit within the constituent or within a constituent which is to be generated, by reference to grammar data concerning the verbal category of the relevant word unit and the category of said constituent said grammar data being available in a grammar data memory; b. Means for describing, for each constituent from said sentence presentation memory by reference to grammar data available in the grammar data memory and concerning the category of the constituent and the category of the constituent dominating the said constituent, a step relating to closure of the constituent, and allocating a functional label, which may be provisional, to the constituent to be closed by said closure process; and c. Means for testing of a current constituent from said sentence presentation memory against regulations available in the grammar data memory and, based on syntax rules, concerning the interrelation between the words and/or constituents within said constituent as to their functional categories in at least one of the two steps a) and b) and, if necessary, revaluating a probability factor assigned to the sentence representation, and selecting each sentence representation whose probability factor is above a certain threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification