A Microcomputer System for Processing Natural Languages

This correspondence describes a microcomputer system, called μBE (for microprocessor-based English), for processing natural languages. Its techniques and facilities, however, should be extendible to other languages. By using the microprocessor as special purpose hardware for several functions of a natural language processor (in particular, hashing and parsing), the system aids computational linguists by increasing the computational power available for natural language investigations. An overview of μBE is given followed by a more detailed discussion of the hasher and parser. The paper concludes with specific applications of the microprocessor system to computational linguistics. μBE is not based on a particular theory of language so that the system's user may define his own theory and investigate its consequences. μBE contains facilities and capabilities to assist such investigations.