Understanding Natural Language Through Parallel Processing of Syntactic and Semantic Knowledge: An Application to Data Base Query

This paper describes the main features of the PARNAX system for natural language access (in Italian) to an ADABAS data base. The core of the system is constituted by the analyzer that includes parallel processing of syntactic and semantic knowledge. It is argued that this feature (together with the new macro and micro-analysis technique which is only shortly mentioned in this paper) allowed the system to reach a good linguistic coverage, still ensuring an acceptable degree of efficiency. After the basic architecture and operation of PARNAX have been described, attention is focused on the parallel syntactic/semantic analyzer which is illustrated in detail. The advantages obtained through parallelism are also shortly discussed. Examples of PARNAX operation are presented. References to related works are mentioned, and directions for future research are outlined.