On The Difference Between Natural Language And High Level Query Languages

Abstract

Natural Language questions differ from most existing formal query languages in that they tend to admit a wider range of responses than their formal counterparts, and provide cues for selecting among the variety of appropriate responses. These differences reflect the fact that in Natural Language conversation, a respondent is expected to take an active role in the process of selecting and organizing responses, in contrast to formal query systems, where control of the interaction typically resides with the user or applications program. This paper explores some specific ways in which Natural Language questions are particularly well suited for their environment, and discusses the potential role of similar capabilities in formal query systems, particularly with respect to Natural Language Data Base query systems.