The lexical semantics of comparative expressions in a multi-level semantic processor

Abstract

Comparative expressions (CEs) such as "bigger than" and "more oranges than" are highly ambiguous, and their meaning is context dependent. Thus, they pose problems for the semantic interpretation algorithms typically used in natural language database interfaces. We focus on the comparison attribute ambiguities that occur with CEs. To resolve these ambiguities our natural language interface interacts with the user, finding out which of the possible interpretations was intended. Our multi-level semantic processor facilitates this interaction by recognizing the occurrence of comparison attribute ambiguity and then calculating and presenting a list of candidate comparison attributes from which the user may chocse.