Patent ID: 7383169

Claim:
A method for generating a lexical knowledge base in a memory of a machine, said generating comprising the steps: (a) parsing a segment of text to obtain a logical form corresponding thereto using a natural language parser associated with said machine; (b) using said machine to extract from the logical form at least one complex semantic relation structure, the complex semantic relation structure including at least a headword, a semantic relation, and a value; the value of said complex semantic relation structure including a primary value term, a lower level relation, and a lower level value term; (c) storing in the lexical knowledge base in said machine memory the complex semantic relation structure in association with the headword; and (d) augmenting the lexical knowledge base by: (1) inverting the semantic relation structure; and (2) storing in said memory, in association with the primary value term, the inverted complex semantic relation structure, said stored inverted complex semantic relation structure including the lower level relation and the lower level value term.