[Corpora-List] Newbie help - language parsing, Python, Java, etc.

From: Brian Parkinson (parki@whatevernot.com)
Date: Thu Sep 05 2002 - 00:24:05 MET DST

  • Next message: Robert Dale: "RE: [Corpora-List] Newbie help - language parsing, Python, Java, etc."

    Hello:

    I am starting a hobby type application at home - essentially, I'd want
    to be able to control the X.10 devices in my home (lights, switches,
    etc) with some 'English' commands.

    What I want to do is be able to type stuff like "turn the hall light
    on" or "turn all lights off" - that sort of thing. The main intention
    is to learn about this stuff - doesn't have to be anything "fancy" in
    the end - I just want to putter in this area.

    Eventually, I'd like to hook up speech recognition software so I can
    talk to the house as it were. Likely IBM's ViaVoice.

    I am on a Mac (OS X) and have extensive experience with programming
    (Java, C/C++, Python, Perl - that sort of thing). I have the interface
    from Java to the X.10 devices sorted out, but the whole arena of
    natural language processing is new and daunting - note that I am not by
    any stretch trying to tackle "real" speech or to gramatically parse any
    given sentence - I am happy with a specific grammar which hopefully I
    could extend as time goes on.

    I'd like to be cross platform - this is a bit of a goal.

    The nltk library (Python) looks promising, but there is no "English-y"
    grammar that is supplied - this is the framework to put together
    something like this, but contains not even really a Hello World type
    example that I could start using. So I am a bit stymied.

    Is there anyone on the list that might be able to help with nltk
    (supply a Hello World type example) or point me in a better direction?
    Perhaps there are some Perl or Java English parsers available. And any
    hints/suggestions or good dox to read to help out would be especially
    helpful.

    Back to your regularly scheduled discussion...

    Thanks,

    parki...



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