In this course, students will learn how to use Prolog to construct semantic representations for fragments of natural language and perform inference with these representations. Students will also learn about methods for using machine learning to map from sentences to meaning representations and back. At the end of the course, students should be in a good position to appreciate ongoing developments in computational semantics.
The course will be based on two textbooks by Patrick Blackburn & Johan Bos, Representation and Inference for Natural Language: A First Course in Computational Semantics and Working with Discourse Representation Theory: An Advanced Course in Computational Semantics, as well as additional primary readings listed below.
Student in the course will have an opportunity to:
Topics will include:
Ling 684.01 or equivalent. The course is open to advanced undergraduate and graduate students.
Letter grades will be assigned using the standard OSU scale based on class participation and homework assignments.
You will be expected to keep up with the readings and actively participate in class discussions and activities.
There will be five homework assignments, with the lowest score dropped in calculating the grade. Homework assignments will be due by the beginning of class, in the Carmen dropbox. No late homeworks will be accepted without prior notice of a justifiable delay.
I encourage group work on the homework assignments, but each of you should write out your own answers. Note that group work means that everyone in the group contributes and fully understands what you turn in.
Each student will design their own mini-project as a final homework. A brief description of the mini-project must be submitted for approval on or before the penultimate day of class. The mini-project write-up will be due on the date the final exam would normally be held.
The mini-project is not expected to be novel research. Instead, it is expected to require the same level of effort as one of the homework assignments, with the level of difficulty on a par with the advanced exercises in the B&B textbooks. The mini-project can be related to any topic covered during the course, and thus can potentially be turned in at any time during the quarter, depending on when the relevant topic is covered in class.
We'll be using the Carmen system for the schedule and for homework and reading assignments. There will also be discussion forums for posting questions and providing feedback (comments, complaints or ideas) during the course, anonymously if desired.
The first Blackburn & Bos book is out in paperback and available from various booksellers. Their second book is only available in a draft form that is somewhat out-of-date with respect to the accompanying slides. The implementation of van der Sandt's approach to anaphora resolution and presupposition projection is also described in Bos's (2003) article in Computational Linguistics.
There will also be further readings of primary sources assigned periodically, and listed below.
As with any class at this university, students are required to follow the Ohio State Code of Student Conduct. In particular, note that students are not allowed to, among other things, submit plagiarized (copied but unacknowledged) work for credit. If any violation occurs, I am required to report the violation to the Council on Academic Misconduct.
Students who need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me to arrange an appointment as soon as possible to discuss the course format, to anticipate needs, and to explore potential accommodations. I rely on the Office of Disability Services for assistance in verifying the need for accommodations and developing accommodation strategies. Students who have not previously contacted the Office for Disability Services are encouraged to do so (292-3307; http://www.ods.ohio-state.edu).
This syllabus is subject to change. All important changes will be made in writing (email), with ample time for adjustment.