Developing neutral linguistic resources for the implementation of an automatic transformational analyzer

List of Authors

  1. Max Silberztein ,  
  2. Cristina Mota
    ,  
  3. Anabela Barreiro
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Abstract

Bakground

The linguistic pursuit of describing natural languages stands as a commendable scientific endeavor, regardless of immediate software application prospects. It transcends mere documentation of possible sentences to establish connections between sentences derived from transformations.

Methods

Amid the dominance of Large Language Models (LLMs) in research and technology, which offer intriguing advancements in text generation, the approaches presented in this article confront challenges like opacity, limited human intervention, and adaptation difficulties inherent in LLMs. The alternative or complementary approaches highlighted here focus on the theoretical and methodological challenges of describing linguistic transformations and are firmly rooted in the field of linguistics, the science of language. We propose two solutions to address the problem of language transformations: (i) the procedural approach, which involves representing each transformation with a transducer, and (ii) the declarative method, which entails capturing all potential transformations in a single neutral grammar.

Results

These approaches simplify the generation of complex sentences from elementary ones and vice versa.

Conclusion

This work has benefited from research exchanges within the Multi3Generation COST Action (CA18231), and the resources produced can contribute to enhancing any language generation system.

Plain Language Summary

The Multi3Generation COST Action (CA18231) aims to propel Natural Language Generation research for societal advancement through collaborative and inclusive strategies, considering diverse methodologies and resources. Amid the dominance of Large Language Models (LLMs) in research and technological progress, which indeed yield intriguing development in text generation, we tackle challenges such as opacity, limited human intervention, and adaptation difficulties inherent in these LLMs. This article underscores alternative or complementary approaches that prioritize neutral linguistic resources, providing transparency, adaptability, and human manageability in language generation (humans in the loop). The alternative or complementary approaches outlined in this article direct their focus toward addressing the theoretical and methodological challenges associated with describing linguistic transformations. We propose two distinct solutions to tackle these challenges effectively: (i) firstly, the procedural approach, which entails representing each transformation using a transducer; and (ii) secondly, the declarative method, which involves capturing all potential transformations within a single neutral grammar. These approaches serve to streamline the generation of complex sentences from elementary ones and vice versa. This work has been enriched by collaborative research exchanges within the Multi3Generation COST Action, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation in advancing our understanding and application of linguistic principles across various languages beyond English.

Corresponding author
Max Silberztein
0000-0003-0930-6463
Grant information

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research & Innovation as part of the COST Action [CA18231, Multi3Generation: Multitask, Multilingual, Multimodal Language Generation], as supported by the COST Association (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).

Copyright
© 2024 Max Silberztein (Corresponding Author, Co-Author); Cristina Mota (Co-Author); Anabela Barreiro (Co-Author) Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Authors & roles

Max Silberztein

Universite de Franche-Comte SLHS, Besançon, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France

Roles
Corresponding Author, Co-Author, Conceptualization, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Methodology, Project Administration, Software, Supervision, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing
0000-0003-0930-6463

Cristina Mota

Institute of Systems and Computer Engineering Research and Development in Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

Roles
Co-Author, Methodology, Project Administration, Resources, Validation, Visualization, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing

Anabela Barreiro

OpenLogos and Institute of Systems and Computer Engineering Research and Development in Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

Roles
Co-Author, Funding Acquisition, Investigation, Supervision, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing
0000-0001-9521-3006

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