LL-L "Resources" 2006.02.03 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
L O W L A N D S - L * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
http://www.lowlands-l.net * lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
Rules & Guidelines: http://www.lowlands-l.net/index.php?page=rules
Posting: lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org or lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
Commands ("signoff lowlands-l" etc.): listserv at listserv.net
Server Manual: http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html
Archives: http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html
Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8) [Please switch your view mode to it.]
=======================================================================
You have received this because you have been subscribed upon request.
To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l" as message
text from the same account to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or
sign off at http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
=======================================================================
A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West) Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
=======================================================================

03 February 2006 * Volume 02
=======================================================================

From: Paul Tatum <ptatum at blueyonder.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Resources" 2006.02.02 (09) [D/E]

> From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Resources
>
> I have been made aware of a recently published grammar:
>
> Hristo Georgiev
> ENGLISH ALGORITHMIC GRAMMAR
> The Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd., London - New York, 2006
> ISBN 0-8264-8777-7 (hardback)
> £85.00, US$170.00 (~ $153.00), EUR 156,50

Hmm, I read the preface and I think I would try to borrow a copy or read
reviews before buying it. The preface seems to make some claims that I
find surprising and very implausible, since people have been working on
the problem of natural language and computers since the 1940s, and
progress has been slow and stumbling, and many problems remain. The
preface makes no mention of any the problems that have classically
plagued natural language processing systems. It is very easy to write a
parsing engine that accepts a grammar written in the forms that grammars
are written in linguistic papers or university blackboards. (basically
phrase structure rules or variations thereof). It is easy to produce
structures such as parse trees representing the syntax of input
sentences using those grammars. This can all be done using a notation
close to that normally used by linguists. But then it gets difficult and
most applications require the manipulation of the parse tree using a
programming language e.g. to transform the parse tree of a sentence like
'What time does the next flight to Kenya take off?' to a database query.
The whole thing reads like the many other claims to make a computer
programmable for non-programmers. This area has seen many grandiose
claims that have sank without a trace when they hit the rocks of
reality. If it were not for the price, I would be tempted to put this in
the 'perpetual motion machine' category!

Paul Tatum 

==============================END===================================
* Please submit postings to lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org.
* Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
* Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
* Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
  to be sent to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or at
  http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
======================================================================