We will start out by studying basic components of language, and the theories, tools, and techniques that apply to them. After that, we will choose topics based on our combined interests. The assignments are intended to give you plenty of scope for pursuing individual interests, as well as sharing them with other members of the class. I have been fascinated with words, language, and what people do with language for many years. Applications of technology to language is equally enthralling.
Objectives Gain an appreciation of the wonderful complexity of natural language.
Describe some basic processes and representations used in syntax, semantics, discourse, and other components of natural language processing. Survey major applications of natural language processing. Important aspects of each application include the goals of the task, the materials and methods used, the state of the art, and how to evaluate progress in the field. Explore Web resources for natural language processing. Provide an opportunity for individual investigations in chosen topics.