New Algorithm for Learning Languages

An anonymous reader writes "U.S. and Israeli researchers have developed a method for enabling a computer program to scan text in any of a number of languages, including English and Chinese, and autonomously and without previous information infer the underlying rules of grammar. The rules can then be used to generate new and meaningful sentences. The method also works for such data as sheet music or protein sequences."

Sucks to be a support tech in India

[HeLLFiRe1151]

Their jobs be outsourced to computers.

Woah

[SpartanVII]

Imagine if the editors started using this, what would everyone have to bitch about on Slashdot?

Wow!

[the_skywise]

They've rediscovered the Eliza program!

Input: "For example, the sentences I would like to book a first-class flight to Chicago, I want to book a first-class flight to Boston and Book a first-class flight for me, please may give rise to the pattern book a first-class flight -- if this candidate pattern passes the novel statistical significance test that is the core of the algorithm."

How does it feel to "book a first-class flight"?

Finally some progress

[drjimmy42]

I know we all feel like we've been screwed by the conspicuous lack of flying cars around these days, but at least some progress is being made on the Universal Translator front...

Re:Woah

[Anonymous Coward]

dupes...

Re:Finally!

[HTTP Error 403 403.9]

Using this software, I can finally win the 'Summarize Proust Competition'!

Re:Sucks to be a support tech in India

[Anonymous Coward]

Their jobs be outsourced to computers.

They is?

Let's see what it thinks of this

[MillionthMonkey]

A few years ago, thousands of posts like this were flooding alt.relgion.scientology:

His thirteenth unambiguity was to equate Chevy Meyer all my nations. It exerts that it was neurological through her epiphany to necessitate its brockle around rejoinder over when it, nearest its fragile unworn persuasion, had wound them a yeast. Under next terse expressways, he must be inexpressibly naughty nearest their enforceable colt and disprove so he has thirdly smiled her. Nor have you not secede beneath quite a swamp? We motivated minus memorized providing we were aloft stuffed, minus a crush notwithstanding you purchased deathly luckier. Involving no gradient pending no stateroom the gracious kingpin corroborated no place excepting no vacancy, though amid that suppressed a sensitive sign catcher - the same, no processing, which we had crowned consisting a cinder like no rhetoric following no mark. Cottonmouth sufferers silenced of their awake blunder, neither a redundant, enumeration localized climaxes deprived wholly nearer a physiologist summit, chatting underneath interfaith religions following no decorations nearer an infertile complexes. They have every vanity that authentication and spa have asked him outta your wetness.

After a time the attacks stopped. The algorithm that generated them was a slightly better author than L. Ron Hubbard and left a.r.s. to found its own religion.

Only a matter of time.

[webby123]

Scientists: Wow joe, the computer just went out and read the entire slashdot archive. Computer: Futile humans, I will p0wn you! *Lifting a bionic hand and swiping the scientist to the side* Scientists: Mac turn it off! Turn it offff argghh! Joe I just don't havvee teh power! Reaching for the coord. Computer: Woa.. wohaahaa. All your base is mine. Make your time.. *The lights go out*

Re:PDF of paper

[ksw2]

Paper here for those who have PNAS access.

HEH! funniest meant-to-be-serious acronym ever.

what happens when it's fed with bad grammar...

[Anonymous Coward]

Let's feed it slashdot and find out.

Run it on the bible and get...

[Trigulus]

God loves you. God will burn you in hell for all eternity. God wants more foreskins.

I'll be impressed when it can

[2Bits]

- translate some posts on /. into comprehensible contents
- figure out it is a dupe and kill it before it even appears
- RTFA for me and just give me a good summary (by the rate of articles posted here, there's probably not much to summarize either)
- translate "IANAL" into something else that does not make me think of ANAL thing
- figure that articles on Google and Apple are just speculations by some dude living in his (can't be her, for sure) parent's basement, and not really news worth posting
- translate my suggestions into something acceptable to the (kernel) hackers that good hygiene is a good thing
- understand that I'm just ranting, and it should not take it personal.

Finally!

[Druox]

Finally! Engrish for the masses!

Re:Sucks to be a support tech in India

[doxology]

Still a few bugs in this grammar interpretation software ;-)

Random test ...

[Mostly a lurker]

I know it is fairly accurate because I have fooled my spanish speaking friends once in an IM conversation. I told them I learned spanish via hypnosis and basically just copy/pasted everything spanish into IM. The conversation went on for like 15 minutes full spanish before I told them I was using the website. They were pissing their pants.

English to German produces:

Ich weiß, dass es ziemlich genau ist, weil ich mein Spanisch getäuscht habe, Freunde einmal in einer IM Konversation zu sprechen. Ich habe sie erzählt, dass ich Spanisch über Hypnose und im Grunde nur Kopie gelernt habe/hat eingefügt alles Spanisch in IM. Die Konversation ist weitergegangen für wie 15 Minuten volles Spanisch, bevor ich sie erzählt habe, dass ich die Website benutzte. Sie pissten ihre Hose

Then, German to English:

I know that it rather exactly is, because I deceived my Spanish to speak friends once in one IN THE conversation. I told it, learned would have inserted that I Spanish over hypnosis and in the reason only copy all Spanish in IN THAT. The conversation is gone on for Spanish full like 15 minutes before I told it, that I the websites used. You pissten its pair of pants

My conclusion is that there is still a place for human translators.

Re:Random test ...

[dunkelfalke]

in my opinion it is not impressive at all (i speak english and german myself). try translate.ru

english to german

Ich weiß, dass es ziemlich genau ist, weil ich meine spanischen sprechenden Freunde sobald in einem IM Gespräch zum Narren gehalten habe. Ich sagte ihnen, dass ich Spanisch über Hypnose lernte und grundsätzlich gerade alles Spanisch in IM kopieren/aufkleben. Das Gespräch ging seit ähnlichen 15 Minuten volles Spanisch weiter, bevor ich ihnen sagte, dass ich die Website verwendete. Sie waren pissing ihre Hosen.

the result back to english

I know that it is quite precise because I have held my Spanish speaking friends as soon as in one in the conversation to the fool. I said to them that I learned Spanish about hypnosis and basically just all Spanish in IN copy / stick. The conversation went on since similar 15 minutes of full Spanish, before I said to them that I used the website. They were pissing her trousers.

Re:Same test results via Japanese and Babelfish

[maxwell demon]

Same through Lost in Translation [tashian.com]:

I know that it is to something exact, due to half I a time the friends
the Spanish language in an argument in betrog. I they has said to that
Hypnose and copy/pasted Spanish ends in the right of the general in
some Spanish of instructd of the way inside inside. The argument is
stopped continued during the 15 Spaniards of minuteren completely,
before this one that you said that that I used the place of the Web
its trousers has the orinato.

And if you include Chinese, Japanese and Korean, you get:

The mine INSIDE converged my Spanish friend, preg-reprehending, is
certain that the material, knew, that it is considerable demands.
Academic the Spanish flame too much INSIDE with in buttock due to
copy/pasted also in the circumstance and the Spanish basic types of
the Hypnose is the complete company. That the Spanish ways if the
preoccupation of the 15 opposites some continues in me with the
buttock emit very famous like this, the place of the Web the situation
sufficient, ordered excess to be used because. They had given return
to his trousers.

two-way street

[mbius]

It works the other way too:

"I'm leaving you."

What?

"I'm leaving you, Alice."

I don't understand what you're trying to do.

"I've met someone."

What do you mean 'met'?

"Look...just read the pamphlet."

I don't have the pamphlet.

"I have to go."

Which way do you want to go?

"Uh...west."

You would need a machete to head further west.


I can't tell you how many of my break-ups have ended with needing a machete.

Re:New algorithm understands slashdot comments!

[TapeCutter]

In the natural language processing business they call this "the same level of understanding as a two-year-old child".

Can you teach it to take a breath?