The lextype DB : a web-based framework for collaborative multilingual grammar and treebank development

Abstract

We have constructed a web-based framework for collaborative

multilingual grammar and treebank development in which developers

are distributed around the world. It is important for developers of

the world-wide collaboration to i) grasp and share the big picture of the

grammar and treebank of each language and ii) understand commonalities

of languages. Our framework, the Lextype DB, describes lexical

types of the grammar and treebank. Lexical types can be seen as detailed

parts-of-speech and are the essence for the two important points

just mentioned. Information about a lexical type that the Lextype DB

provides includes its linguistic characteristics; examples of usage from

a treebank; the way it is implemented in a grammar; and correspondences

to major computational dictionaries. It consists of a database

management system and a web-based interface, and is constructed semiautomatically.

Currently, we have applied the Lextype DB to grammars

and treebanks of Japanese and English.