Constructing Natural Language Interpreters in a Lazy Functional Language

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Abstract
In this paper, we describe a method by which language parsers and interpreters may be implemented in a lazy functional programming language. The visual appearance of such interpreters mimics the BNP description of the grammar of the language being interpreted. The method is particularly well suited to the implementation of language interpreters that are based on the principle of ‘rule to rule’ correspondence (in which each production rule of the grammar has a translation rule associated with it). The main objective of the paper is to demonstrate that the method described provides a useful framework within which both grammars and semantic theories of languages many be investigated. We present the method by example: the simple natural language interpreter we construct is based loosely on principles proposed by Richard Montague.

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