In this paper, we address a critical problem in conversation systems: limited input interpretation capabilities. When an interpretation error occurs, users often get stuck and cannot recover due to a lack of guidance from the system. To solve this problem, we present a hybrid natural language query recommendation framework that combines natural language generation with query retrieval. When rec...

In this paper we describe an approach for a multilingual natural language query interface that allows the formulation of queries on tourism information like hotel availability. The interface is based on n-gram language identification and a keyword-based query interpretation where natural language analysis is performed for identification of the requested objects. The web-based interface is desig...

One reason for the wide variety of views on many subjects in computational linguistics (such as parsing) is the diversity of objectives which lead people to do research in this area. Some researchers are motivated primarily by potential applications the development of natural language interfaces for computer systems. Others are primarily concerned with the psychological processes which underlie...

This paper is a study on constructing a natural language interface to database, concentrating on generating textual answers. TGEN, a system that generates textual answer from query result tables is presented. The TGEN architecture guarantees its portability across domains. A combination of a frame-based approach and natural language generation techniques in the TGEN provides text fluency and te...

Extracting information from database is typically done by using a structured language such as SQL (Structured Query Language). But non expert users can’t use this later. Wherefore using Natural Language (NL) for communicating with database can be a powerful tool. But without any help, computers can’t understand this language; that is why it is essential to develop an interface able to translate...

In this paper, we present the idea to use natural language as the user interface for programming tasks. Programming languages assist with repetitive tasks that involve the use of conditionals, loops and statements. This is what is often challenging users. However, users can easily describe tasks in their natural language. We aim to develop a Natural Language User Interface that enables users to...

We show how the two main characteristics of the ILLICO natural language interface-guided composition mode by partial synthesis, and the modularity of the encoding of li,aguistic knowledge specifying the lexical, syntactic, semantic and conceptual levels of well-formedness-have lead us to develop an approach and a system in which all the constraints on the different levels of well-formedness are...

We specify the advantages of guided composition of sentences and illustrate them with examples from Leader, a natural language interface we have developped. Guided composition is achieved by using the same grammar for analysis and for synthesis. We detail the problems we have encountered and we provide solutions for partial synthesis. We give the principles of the analysis-synthesis algorithm.