Developing and Maintaining a WordNet: Procedures and Tools

In this paper we present a set of tools that will help developers of wordnets not only to increase the number of synsets but also to ensure their quality, thus preventing it to become obsolete too soon. We discuss where the dangers lay in a WordNet production and how they were faced in the case of the Serbian WordNet. Developed tools fall in two categories: first are tools for upgrade, cleaning and validation that produce a clean, up-to-date WordNet, while second category consists of tools gathered in a Web application that enable search, development and maintenance of a WordNet. The basic functions of this application are presented: XML support and import/export facilities, creation of new synsets, connection to the Princeton WordNet, sophisticated search possibilities and navigation, production of a WordNet statistics and safety procedures. Some of presented tools were developed specifically for Serbian, while majority of them is adaptable and can be used for wordnets of other lan-