Introduction to Computational Linguistics (LING 185A)

Winter 2006

Mondays and Wednesdays 9:00 - 11:50, Public Policy 1343
Sections: Thursdays 12:00 - 1:50pm, Math Sciences 7608

Marcus Kracht

Short Description of the Course

The course in Winter 06 is only offered as an undergraduate course, and is targeted mainly for computer
science and linguistics students. Computer science students will get a chance to see the linguistic side of it,
while linguistics students will get a chance to do some language oriented programming. The language we shall
use is OCaML. Since it is not widely known, I will make sure that everybody has access to the program as well
as documentation. I will teach how to use it as we go along. The first two weeks will get people started on the
features of OCaML, especially its typing. This is a good excuse to teach something about typing After that we shall look at finite state automata and transducers.

Finite state technology has estalished itself quite firmly in practical applications of phonology and morphology, and there are nowadays quite sophisticated tools for linguistic analysis. We will look at the theory and try to implement some of the techniques. After that we shall turn to context free grammars. We shall again first deal with the theory, for example parsing techniques and normal forms. Then we shall implement some algorithms.

Where To Get OCaML

OCaML can be obtained for free by download from INRIA. You will be given directives for implementations on various platforms, and there is a host of useful material that can be accessed as well. The current version is 3.09.1 (January 2006).

Course Material

Programs for download

(Explanations are in the reader)

Useful Links

Assignments

  1. Assignment 1
  2. Assignment 2
  3. Assignment 3
  4. Assignment 4. Solutions: Program for A4.1, Solutions to A4.2 -A4.4.
  5. Assignment 5
  6. Assignment 6
  7. Assignment 7
  8. Assignment 8