Generating English Discourse from Semantic Networks

A system is described for generating English
sentences from a form of semantic nets in which 
the nodes are word-sense meanings and the paths are
primarily deep case relations.  The grammar used 
by the system is in the form of a network that imposes
an ordering on a set of syntactic transformations 
that are expressed as LISP functions.  The generation
algorithm uses the information in the semantic 
network to select appropriate generation paths through
the grammar.  The system is designed for use as 
a computational tool that allows a linguist to develop
and study methods for generating surface strings 
from an underlying semantic structure.  Initial finding
with regard to form determiners such as voice, 
form, tense, and mood, some rules for embedding sentences,
and some attention to pronominal substitution 
are reported.  The system is programmed in LISP
1.5 and is available from the authors.

CACM October, 1972

Simmons, R.
Slocum, J.

semantic nets, grammars, deep case relations,
semantic generation, discourse generation

3.42 3.65

CA721004 JB January 27, 1978  3:10 PM

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