Alle Publikationen
2018
-
(2018): Argumentation mining. How can a machine acquire common sense and world knowledge?. In: Argument & Computation 9 (1), S. 1-14. DOI: 10.3233/AAC-170025Keywords: Allgemeiner Sinn, Ambiguität, Argumentation, argumentation mining, Argumentationssuche, Argumentationstheorie, argumentative text processing, Common Sense, Deep Learning, fortgeschrittene interaktive Geräte, frame semantics, Kognitionswissenschaft/Social Sciences/Humanities, Lebenswissen, Linguistik, Mensch-Technik-Relationen (MTR), Natural language understanding, Neural Networks, Realtechnik, representation learning, Sprachverarbeitung, Sprachverstehen, Technik, unsupervised, Voraussetzungen für sozial angemessenes Verhalten, Weltwissen, world knowledge
2017
-
(2017): Decoding images. Toward a theory of pictorial framing. In: Discourse & Society 28 (4), S. 327-352
Abstract: Using data from the Egyptian public discourse on the United States, this article lays out the foundation for building a general theory of pictorial framing. In this theory, at the most general level, the concept of pictorial framing refers to subtle alterations in the visual presentation of judgment and choice problems. Specifically, pictures are viewed as constructions, and pictorial meaning is seen as an intricate web of connected frames. The article thus adopts the view that a visual grammar is part of cognitive science and is fundamentally concerned with the relation between what goes on in the human mind and manifestations of this activity. The article draws on insights from blending model (Fauconnier and Turner, 2002), Relevance Theory (Sperber and Wilson, 1995) and frame semantics (Fillmore, 1985), discussing a large corpus of 90 multimodal cartoons on the United States.
-
(2017): Stereotype negation in Frame Semantics. In: Glossa: a journal of general linguistics 2 (1). DOI: 10.5334/gjgl.293Keywords: affixation, contextual coercion, frame semantics, Framesemantik, Frame-Semantik, Intellektualtechnik, Kogn. Architektur, Kontext, lexical negation, lexical rules, Lexik, Linguistik, Mensch-Technik-Relationen (MTR), Negation, Observablen/Kriterien für sozial angemessenes Verhalten und dessen Bewertung, Sprachgebrauch, Sprachverstehen, Status / biologische Marker, Technik
-
(2017): Structured learning for spoken language understanding in human-robot interaction. In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ROBOTICS RESEARCH 36 (5-7), S. 660-683
Abstract: Robots are slowly becoming a part of everyday life, being marketed for commercial applications such as telepresence, cleaning or entertainment. Thus, the ability to interact via natural language with non-expert users is becoming a key requirement. Even if user utterances can be efficiently recognized and transcribed by automatic speech recognition systems, several issues arise in translating them into suitable robotic actions and most of the existing solutions are strictly related to a specific scenario. In this paper, we present an approach to the design of natural language interfaces for human robot interaction, to translate spoken commands into computational structures that enable the robot to execute the intended request. The proposed solution is achieved by combining a general theory of language semantics, i.e. frame semantics, with state-of-the-art methods for robust spoken language understanding, based on structured learning algorithms. The adopted data driven paradigm allows the development of a fully functional natural language processing chain, that can be initialized by re-using available linguistic tools and resources. In addition, it can be also specialized by providing small sets of examples representative of a target newer domain. A systematic benchmarking resource, in terms of a rich and multi-layered spoken corpus has also been created and it has been used to evaluate the natural language processing chain. Our results show that our processing chain, trained with generic resources, provides a solid baseline for command understanding in a service robot domain. Moreover, when domain-dependent resources are provided to the system, the accuracy of the achieved interpretation always improves.
Keywords: Algorithmen, doppelter Treffer, frame semantics, Frame-Semantik, Interaktion, Korpus, Mensch-Maschine-Kommunikation, Mensch-Technik-Interaktion, Mensch-Technik-Relationen (MTR), narürliche Sprache, natural language interface, Observablen/Kriterien für sozial angemessenes Verhalten und dessen Bewertung, Realtechnik, Robotik, Serviceroboter, Soziale Angemessenheit, Soziale Robotik, speech processing, Sprache, Sprachgebrauch, Sprachverarbeitung, Sprachverstehen, Status / biologische Marker, structured learning algorithm, Technik -
(2017): Children’s early awareness of the effect of interpersonal status on politeness. In: Journal of Politeness Research 13 (1). DOI: 10.1515/pr-2014-0016
Abstract: This study discusses two Mandarin-speaking children's linguistic politeness through longitudinally observing their uses of request forms with regard to different interactional situations where their interpersonal status may vary accordingly. It seems that the children demonstrate a systematic correspondence between request forms and directness to adhere to politeness at an early age. Although they apparently prefer to utilize comparatively more direct request forms most of the time, a closer investigation reveals a division of labor: they appear to use simple imperatives when their interpersonal status is either superior or equal to their parents and use declaratives with the lexeme WANT when their interpersonal status is inferior. It is therefore suggested that politeness may be mutually negotiated between interlocutors and that children should get socialized with politeness through interaction with adults or other children within various social or interpersonal relationships.
Keywords: Direkte oder indirekte Art der Fragestellung/Formulierung etc., Familie/Eltern-Kinder, Grammatische Elemente (Lexeme u.a.), Kommunikations-/Interaktionsprinzipien, Situationsbedingter Kontext, Social Rank, Soziale Hierarchie, Sprachgebrauch, Sprachverstehen, time, Verhalten von Höherstehenden gegenüber Niedrigstehenden, Verhalten von Niedrigstehenden gegenüber Höherstehenden, want -
(2017): Online Recognition of Daily Activities by Color-Depth Sensing and Knowledge Models. In: SENSORS 17 (7)
Abstract: Visual activity recognition plays a fundamental role in several research fields as a way to extract semantic meaning of images and videos. Prior work has mostly focused on classification tasks, where a label is given for a video clip. However, real life scenarios require a method to browse a continuous video flow, automatically identify relevant temporal segments and classify them accordingly to target activities. This paper proposes a knowledge-driven event recognition framework to address this problem. The novelty of the method lies in the combination of a constraint-based ontology language for event modeling with robust algorithms to detect, track and re-identify people using color-depth sensing (Kinect® sensor). This combination enables to model and recognize longer and more complex events and to incorporate domain knowledge and 3D information into the same models. Moreover, the ontology-driven approach enables human understanding of system decisions and facilitates knowledge transfer across different scenes. The proposed framework is evaluated with real-world recordings of seniors carrying out unscripted, daily activities at hospital observation rooms and nursing homes. Results demonstrated that the proposed framework outperforms state-of-the-art methods in a variety of activities and datasets, and it is robust to variable and low-frame rate recordings. Further work will investigate how to extend the proposed framework with uncertainty management techniques to handle strong occlusion and ambiguous semantics, and how to exploit it to further support medicine on the timely diagnosis of cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Keywords: activities of daily living, activity recognition, assisted living, Bildsemantik, color-depth sensing, complex events, Ereigniserkennung, Ereignisverständnis, frame semantics, Informations- & Kommunikationstechnik, Knowledge representation, Kognitive Skills/Social Cognition, Mensch-Technik-Relationen (MTR), people detection and tracking, Realtechnik, senior monitoring, Sprachverstehen, Technik, Voraussetzungen für sozial angemessenes Verhalten, Weltwissen -
(2017): Elaborating time in space. The structure and function of space-motion metaphors of time. In: LANGUAGE AND COGNITION 9 (2), S. 191-253
Abstract: This paper studies the principles according to which spatial and motion concepts metaphorically structure temporal concepts in some languages. There are two types of space–motion metaphor of time, distinguished by whether or not the metaphor is structured by a person’s perspective. “Christmas is approaching” and “We are approaching Christmas” are perspectival. “New Year’s follows Christmas” is not. This contrast in deixis and frame of reference is linguistically relevant whether the contrast has to do with imagination or external reality. Study of experiential motivations and analysis into primary metaphors helps reveal the particular ways spatial and motion concepts function in each type of metaphor. One focus is accounting for the contrasting temporal meanings that words for in-front and behind can have. For example, “Ahead of us” is later than Now, while “ahead of Christmas” is earlier than Christmas. We find that the temporal ‘directions’ expressed in the contrasting frames of reference are not opposites. Rather, they are motivated by different kinds of temporal experience. This project investigates the fundamental spatial relations that structure temporal concepts; for example co-location vs. separation. But since motion involves time, purely spatial structure is limited. Conceptual blending analysis reveals that the source and target frames of the perspectival metaphors share an aspectual – i.e., temporal – generic structure. Thus a dichotomy between ‘space’ and ‘time’ is of limited utility in describing space–motion metaphors of time. Instead, the analysis has to deal with the specific spatial and temporal concepts that function in each metaphor.
Keywords: Bewegungsbasiertes Verstehen, Deiktik, deixis, Embodiment, frame semantics, Kognitionswissenschaft/Social Sciences/Humanities, Linguistik, Observablen/Kriterien für sozial angemessenes Verhalten und dessen Bewertung, Sprache, Sprachgebrauch, Sprachverstehen, Status / biologische Marker, temporal concepts, Zeit in der Sprache, Zeit und raumzeitliche Bewegung, Zeitgefühl -
(2017): Making sense of words. A robotic model for language abstraction. In: Autonomous Robots 41 (2), S. 367-383. DOI: 10.1007/s10514-016-9587-8
Abstract: Building robots capable of acting independently in unstructured environments is still a challenging task for roboticists. The capability to comprehend and produce language in a 'human-like' manner represents a powerful tool for the autonomous interaction of robots with human beings, for better understanding situations and exchanging information during the execution of tasks that require cooperation. In this work, we present a robotic model for grounding abstract action words (i.e. USE, MAKE) through the hierarchical organization of terms directly linked to perceptual and motor skills of a humanoid robot. Experimental results have shown that the robot, in response to linguistic commands, is capable of performing the appropriate behaviors on objects. Results obtained in case of inconsistency between the perceptual and linguistic inputs have shown that the robot executes the actions elicited by the seen object.
-
(2017): If you want a quick kiss, make it count. How choice of syntactic construction affects event construal. In: Journal of Memory and Language 94, S. 254-271. DOI: 10.1016/j.jml.2016.12.001Keywords: Ähnlichkeit, Dauer, Disziplin, Ereignis, Ereignisähnlichkeit, Ereignisdauer, Ereignisinterpretation, Ereignisverständnis, Events, frame semantics, Individuation, Informations- & Kommunikationstechnik, Intellektualtechnik, Interpretation, Kogn. Architektur, Kognitionswissenschaft/Social Sciences/Humanities, kognitive Architekturen, Künstliche Intelligenz, Lexical aspect, Lexik, Light verb constructions, Linguistic framing, Linguistik, Mass–count distinction, Mensch-Technik-Relationen (MTR), Observablen/Kriterien für sozial angemessenes Verhalten und dessen Bewertung, Realtechnik, Soziale Angemessenheit, Sprachgebrauch, Sprachverstehen, Status / biologische Marker, Syntax, Technik, Verständnis
2016
-
(2016): Towards a Computational Comparative Neuroprimatology. Framing the language-ready brain. In: PHYSICS OF LIFE REVIEWS 16, S. 1-54. DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2015.09.003
DOI: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26482863 Abstract: We make the case for developing a Computational Comparative Neuroprimatology to inform the analysis of the function and evolution of the human brain. First, we update the mirror system hypothesis on the evolution of the language-ready brain by (i) modeling action and action recognition and opportunistic scheduling of macaque brains to hypothesize the nature of the last common ancestor of macaque and human (LCA-m); and then we (ii) introduce dynamic brain modeling to show how apes could acquire gesture through ontogenetic ritualization, hypothesizing the nature of evolution from LCA-m to the last common ancestor of chimpanzee and human (LCA-c). We then (iii) hypothesize the role of imitation, pantomime, protosign and protospeech in biological and cultural evolution from LCA-c to Homo sapiens with a language-ready brain. Second, we suggest how cultural evolution in Homo sapiens led from protolanguages to full languages with grammar and compositional semantics. Third, we assess the similarities and differences between the dorsal and ventral streams in audition and vision as the basis for presenting and comparing two models of language processing in the human brain: A model of (i) the auditory dorsal and ventral streams in sentence comprehension; and (ii) the visual dorsal and ventral streams in defining "what language is about" in both production and perception of utterances related to visual scenes provide the basis for (iii) a first step towards a synthesis and a look at challenges for further research.
Keywords: Animals, Ape gesture, Auditive Faktoren, Biological Evolution, Computational Biology, Cultural evolution, Dorsal and ventral stream, dorsale und ventrale Ströme, Dyadic brain modeling, dynamic brain modelling, Evolution, Gehirnfunktion, Grammatik, Humans, Im (wissenschaftlichen) Diskurs, Imitation, Intellektualtechnik, Kogn. Architektur, kognitive Architekturen, Kognitive Skills/Social Cognition, Kompositionale Semantik, Künstliche Intelligenz, Language, Language evolution, language-ready brain, Mensch-Technik-Relationen (MTR), Models, Neurological, Ontologische Differenzierungen: Tier, Mensch, Maschine, Pantomime, Primates, Protosprachen, Psychomotor Performance, Realtechnik, Reflexionen über MTR, sprachbereites Gehirn, Sprache, Sprachevolution, Sprachfähigkeit, Sprachverstehen, Technik, Tier, Mensch, Maschine, Tier-Mensch-Vergleich, Vollsprachigkeit (vs. Protosprachigkeit) -
(2016): Semantic language models with deep neural networks. In: COMPUTER SPEECH AND LANGUAGE 40, S. 1-22
Abstract: In this paper we explore the use of semantics in training language models for automatic speech recognition and spoken language understanding. Traditional language models (LMs) do not consider the semantic constraints and train models based on fixed-sized word histories. The theory of frame semantics analyzes word meanings and their constructs by using "semantic frames". Semantic frames represent a linguistic scene with its relevant participants and their relations. They are triggered by target words and include slots which are filled by frame elements. We present semantic LMs (SELMs), which use recurrent neural network architectures and the linguistic scene of frame semantics as context. SELMs incorporate semantic features which are extracted from semantic frames and target words. In this way, long-range and "latent" dependencies, i.e. the implicit semantic dependencies between words, are incorporated into LMs. This is crucial especially when the main aim of spoken language systems is understanding what the user means. Semantic features consist of low-level features, where frame and target information is directly used; and deep semantic encodings, where deep autoencoders are used to extract semantic features. We evaluate the performance of SELMs on publicly available corpora: the Wall Street Journal read-speech corpus and the LUNA human-human conversational corpus. The encoding of semantic frames into SELMs improves the word recognition performance and especially the recognition performance of the target words, the meaning bearing elements of semantic frames. We assess the performance of SELMs for the understanding tasks and we show that SELMs yield better semantic frame identification performance compared to recurrent neural network LMs.
-
(2016): Epistemic logics for sceptical agents. In: JOURNAL OF LOGIC AND COMPUTATION 26 (6), S. 1815-1841
Abstract: In this article, we introduce an epistemic modal operator modelling knowledge over distributive non-associative full Lambek calculus with a negation. Our approach is based on the relational semantics for substructural logics: we interpret the elements of a relational frame as information states consisting of collections of data. The principal epistemic relation between the states is the one of being a reliable source of information, on the basis of which we explicate the notion of knowledge as information confirmed by a reliable source. From this point of view it is natural to define the epistemic operator formally as the backward-looking diamond modality. The framework is a generalization and extension of the system of relevant epistemic logic proposed by Majer and Peliš (2009, college Publications, 123–135) and developed by Bílková et al. (2010, college Publications, 22–38). The system is modular in the sense that the axiomatization of the epistemic operator is sound and complete with respect to a wide class of background logics, which makes the system potentially applicable to a wide class of epistemic contexts. Our system admits a weak form of logical omniscience (the monotonicity rule), but avoids stronger ones (a necessitation rule and a K-axiom) as well as some closure properties discussed in normal epistemic logics (like positive and negative introspection). For these properties we provide characteristic frame conditions, so that they can be present in the system if they are considered to be appropriate for some specific epistemic context. We also prove decidability of the weakest epistemic logic we consider, using a filtration method. Finally, we outline further extensions of our framework to a multiagent system
Keywords: Agenten, Agenten-Überzeugung, Disziplin, epistemic modal operator, Epistemische Logik/Modallogik/Doxastische Logik/Wissenslogik, Epistemische Operatoren, frame semantics, Intellektualtechnik, Kogn. Architektur, kognitive Architekturen, Künstliche Intelligenz, Mensch-Technik-Relationen (MTR), mögliche Welten, mögliche Welten Theorie, multi-agent systems, Multi-Agenten-Systeme, Philosophie, possible worlds theory, Realtechnik, relational frame, Sprache, Sprachtheorie, Sprachverstehen, Technik -
(2016): Smell in Polish. Lexical Semantics and Cultural Values. In: JOURNAL OF SLAVIC LINGUISTICS 24 (2), S. 273-299
Abstract: Verbs of perception have been typically classified into three semantic groups. Gisborne (2010) calls the three categories agentive (listen class), experiencer (hear class), and percept (sound class). Examples pertaining to the sense of smell in English use the same lexical item (smell), while in Polish, the three senses of smell are expressed with different verbs: wąchać (agentive), czuć zapach (experiencer), and pachnieć (percept). In metaphorical extensions of the verbs of sensory perception these verbs often stand for mental states, as meaning shifts typically involve the transfer from concrete to abstract domains. I show that the metaphorical extensions of pachnieć and percept to smell are quite different. Not only does pachnieć not suggest bad character or dislikeable characteristics, it actually conveys the opposite, as in the expression coś komuś pachnie ‘something is attractive to someone’ or when used without a modifier. These differences stem from the positive meaning of pachnieć and the negative meaning of to smell. Since the percept verbs of smell seem to be intrinsically positively or negatively valued, they do not lend themselves to universal Mind-as-Body extensions. I also consider some of the dramatic frequency contrasts between Polish and English smell constructions and show they can have their root in different cultural scripts underlying modes of speaking (pachnieć jak vs. smell like), framing of experiences (czuć zapach vs. experiencer to smell), polysemy, and different constructional capabilities (wąchać vs. to sniff).
Keywords: Agent, Agentive, Biologische Marker, Disziplin, Erlebender, Experiencer, frame semantics, Geräuschhören, Gisborne, Hear, Hören, Kultur, Kulturdifferenz, Kulturspezifizität, Kulturtheorie, Kulturvergleich, Linguistik, Listen, Percept, Perzept, Riechen, schnüffeln, Semantik, Semantische Gruppen, Smell, Smell like, Sniff, sound, Sprachgebrauch, Sprachverstehen, Status, Verben, Wahrnehmung, Wahrnehmung und Sprache, Wahrnehmungsverben, Zuhören -
(2016): The semantic isomorphism theorem in abstract algebraic logic. In: Annals of Pure and Applied Logic 167 (12), S. 1298-1331
Abstract: One of the most interesting aspects of Blok and Pigozzi’s algebraizability theory is that the notion of algebraizable logic L can be characterised by means of Syntactic and Semantic Isomorphism Theorems. While the Syntactic Isomorphism Theorem concerns the relation between the theories of the algebraizable logic L and those of the equational consequence relative to its equivalent algebraic semantics K, the Semantic Isomorphism Theorem describes the interplay between the filters of L on an arbitrary algebra A and the congruences ofA relative to K. The pioneering insight of Blok and Jónsson, and the further generalizations by Galatos, Tsinakis, Gil-Férez and Russo, showed that the concept of algebraizability was not intrinsic to the connection between a logic and an equational consequence, thus inaugurating the abstract theory of equivalence between structural closure operators. However all these works focus only on the Syntactic Isomorphism Theorem, disregarding the semantic aspects present in the original theory. In this paper we fill this gap by introducing the notion of compositional lattice, which acts on a category of evaluational frames. In this new framework the non-linguistic flavour of the Semantic Isomorphism Theorem can be naturally recovered. In particular, we solve the problem of finding sufficient and necessary conditions for transferring a purely syntactic equivalence to the semantic level as in the Semantic Isomorphism Theorem.
-
(2016): Frames, polarity and causation. In: CORPORA 11 (2), S. 259-290
Abstract: A polarity-sensitive item (PSI), as traditionally defined, is an expression that is restricted to either an affirmative or negative context. PSIs like ‘lift a finger’ and ‘all the time in the world’ sub-serve discourse routines like understatement and emphasis. Lexical–semantic classes are increasingly invoked in descriptions of the properties of PSIs. Here, we use English corpus data and the tools of Frame Semantics (Fillmore, 1982, 1985) to explore Israel's (2011) observation that the semantic role of a PSI determines how the expression fits into a contextually constructed scalar model. We focus on a class of exceptions implied by Israel's model: cases in which a given PSI displays two countervailing patterns of polarity sensitivity, with attendant differences in scalar entailments. We offer a set of case studies of polarity-sensitive expressions – including verbs of attraction and aversion like ‘can live without’, monetary units like ‘a red cent’, comparative adjectives and time-span adverbials – that demonstrate that the interpretation of a given PSI in a given polar context is based on multiple factors. These factors include the speaker's perspective on and affective stance towards the described event, available inferences about causality and, perhaps most critically, particulars of the predication, including the verb or adjective's frame membership, the presence or absence of an ability modal like can, the grammatical construction used and the range of contingencies evoked by the utterance.
-
(2016): “How” questions and the manner–method distinction. In: Synthese 193 (10), S. 3169-3194. DOI: 10.1007/s11229-015-0924-9
Abstract: How questions are understudied in philosophy and linguistics. They can be answered in very different ways, some of which are poorly understood. Jaworski (Synthese 166: 133-155, 2009) identifies several types: (i) 'manner', (ii) 'method, means or mechanism', (iii) 'cognitive resolution', and develops a logic designed to enable us to distinguish among them. Some key questions remain open, however, in particular, whether these distinctions derive from an ambiguity in how, from differences in the logical structure of the question or from contextual underspecification. Arguing from two classes of responses, adverbs and by gerunds, I give the answer that the logical structure of the question is indeed relevant: loosely, manners are adjuncts but methods are arguments.
2015
-
(2015): Disrupting morphosyntactic and lexical semantic processing has opposite effects on the sample entropy of neural signals. In: BRAIN RESEARCH 1604, S. 1-14
Abstract: Converging evidence in neuroscience suggests that syntax and semantics are dissociable in brain space and time. However, it is possible that partly disjoint cortical networks, operating in successive time frames, still perform similar types of neural computations. To test the alternative hypothesis, we collected EEG data while participants read sentences containing lexical semantic or morphosyntactic anomalies, resulting in N400 and P600 effects, respectively. Next, we reconstructed phase space trajectories from EEG time series, and we measured the complexity of the resulting dynamical orbits using sample entropy an index of the rate at which the system generates or loses information over time. Disrupting morphosyntactic or lexical semantic processing had opposite effects on sample entropy: it increased in the N400 window for semantic anomalies, and it decreased in the P600 window for morphosyntactic anomalies. These findings point to a fundamental divergence in the neural computations supporting meaning and grammar in language. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Bedeutung, Bedeutung und Grammatik, Bedeutungszusammenhang, frame semantics, Grammar, Grammatiktheorie, Intellektualtechnik, Kogn. Architektur, Kognitionswissenschaft/Social Sciences/Humanities, Kognitive Skills/Social Cognition, lexikalische Semantik, Meaning, Mensch-Technik-Relationen (MTR), Neurowissenschaften, Sprache, Sprachverarbeitung, Sprachverstehen, Technik, Voraussetzungen für sozial angemessenes Verhalten -
(2015): Framing Event Variables. In: ERKENNTNIS 80, S. 31-60
Abstract: I find myself writing two papers that are due around the same time. This one develops an objection, based on Davidson’s (1967a) analysis of action reports, to truth-theoretic accounts of linguistic meaning. The other one is about the relevance of Liar Paradoxes for such accounts; see Pietroski (forthcoming). In both papers, the first numbered sentence is (1). (1) The first numbered sentence in “Framing Event Variables ” is false. But here, (1) is simply a reminder of a familiar difficulty for the idea that declarative sentences of a Human Language have truth conditions; where for these purposes, a Human Language is a spoken or signed language that any biologically normal child can acquire given an ordinary course of linguistic experience. In my view, (2) and (3) present further difficulties for this idea. (2) Alvin chased Theodore gleefully and athletically but not skillfully. (3) Theodore chased Alvin gleelessly and unathletically but skillfully. Following Davidson and others, I think action reports have “eventish ” logical forms like (2a-3a).
-
(2015): Sentilo. Frame-Based Sentiment Analysis. In: COGNITIVE COMPUTATION 7 (2), S. 211-225
Abstract: Sentilo is an unsupervised, domain-independent system that performs sentiment analysis by hybridizing natural language processing techniques and semantic Web technologies. Given a sentence expressing an opinion, Sentilo recognizes its holder, detects the topics and subtopics that it targets, links them to relevant situations and events referred to by it and evaluates the sentiment expressed on each topic/subtopic. Sentilo relies on a novel lexical resource, which enables a proper propagation of sentiment scores from topics to subtopics, and on a formal model expressing the semantics of opinion sentences. Sentilo provides its output as a RDF graph, and whenever possible it resolves holders’ and topics’ identity on Linked Data.
-
(2015) : Building autonomous sensitive artificial listeners (Extended abstract): 2015 International Conference on Affective Computing and Intelligent Interaction (ACII 2015): Xi'an, China, 21 - 24 September 2015: Piscataway, NJ: IEEE, S. 456-462
Abstract: This paper describes a substantial effort to build a real-time interactive multimodal dialogue system with a focus on emotional and non-verbal interaction capabilities. The work is motivated by the aim to provide technology with competences in perceiving and producing the emotional and non-verbal behaviours required to sustain a conversational dialogue. We present the Sensitive Artificial Listener (SAL) scenario as a setting which seems particularly suited for the study of emotional and non-verbal behaviour, since it requires only very limited verbal understanding on the part of the machine. This scenario allows us to concentrate on non-verbal capabilities without having to address at the same time the challenges of spoken language understanding, task modeling etc. We first summarise three prototype versions of the SAL scenario, in which the behaviour of the Sensitive Artificial Listener characters was determined by a human operator. These prototypes served the purpose of verifying the effectiveness of the SAL scenario and allowed us to collect data required for building system components for analysing and synthesising the respective behaviours. We then describe the fully autonomous integrated real-time system we created, which combines incremental analysis of user behaviour, dialogue management, and synthesis of speaker and listener behaviour of a SAL character displayed as a virtual agent. We discuss principles that should underlie the evaluation of SAL-type systems. Since the system is designed for modularity and reuse, and since it is publicly available, the SAL system has potential as a joint research tool in the affective computing research community.
Keywords: deutsche Community, Emotionserkennung, Emotionssensitive Systeme, Favoriten, Interaktion, Künstliche Intelligenz, Mensch-Technik-Relationen (MTR), Nonverbal communication, Nonverbale Kommunikation, Realtechnik, Sensitive Artificial Listener, Sozial Intelligente Agenten, Soziale Robotik, Soziosensitive Systeme, Sprachverstehen, Technik, Virtual Agents SAL -
(2015): Foreigner and Foreign in English-language Newspapers in Malaysia: A Framesemantic Approach. In: The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, S. 103-114Keywords: Ereignisinterpretation, frame semantics, Frame-Semantik, Kultur, Kulturelle Normen, Linguistik, Medien, Medienwirksamkeit, Medienwissenschaft, Observablen/Kriterien für sozial angemessenes Verhalten und dessen Bewertung, Sprache, Sprachgebrauch, Sprachverhalten, Sprachverstehen, Status / biologische Marker
-
(2015): Parafoveal-on-Foveal Effects of Emotional Word Semantics in Reading Chinese Sentences. Evidence From Eye Movements. In: JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY-LEARNING MEMORY AND COGNITION 41 (4), S. 1237-1243
Abstract: Despite the well-known influence of emotional meaning on cognition, relatively less is known about its effects on reading behavior. We investigated whether fixation behavior during the reading of Chinese sentences is influenced by emotional word meaning in the parafovea. Two-character target words embedded into the same sentence frames provided emotionally positive, negative, or neutral contents. Fixation durations on neutral pretarget words were prolonged for positive parafoveal words and for highly frequent negative parafoveal words. In addition, fixation durations on foveal emotional words were shorter than those on neutral words. We also found that the role of emotional words varied as a function of their valence during foveal and parafoveal processing. These findings suggest a processing advantage for emotional words relative to emotionally neutral stimuli in foveal and parafoveal vision. We discuss implications for the notion of attention attraction due to emotional content. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Keywords: Aufmerksamkeit, Emotion und Sprachverarbeitung, Emotions, Emotionserkennung, frame semantics, Kognitionswissenschaft/Social Sciences/Humanities, Kognitive Skills/Social Cognition, Lesen, Mensch-Technik-Relationen (MTR), Neurowissenschaften, Realtechnik, Sprachverstehen, Technik, Voraussetzungen für sozial angemessenes Verhalten 2012
-
(2012): Frame-Semantik. Ein Kompendium. Berlin; Boston: De Gruyter. Online verfügbar unter http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/9783110269451
Abstract: Frame semantics is an important recent development in linguistic theory that links linguistics, cognitive psychology, general cognitive science, and AI research. This handbook-style introductory work, which is the first to com-prehensively consider the topic from a linguistic perspective, discusses the most important frame models and their theoretical roots, applications, and implications. The handbook format allows each chapter to be read and used individually Frame semantics is an important recent development in linguistic theory that links linguistics, cognitive psychology, general cognitive science, and AI research. This handbook-style introductory work, which is the first to com-prehensively consider the topic from a linguistic perspective, discusses the most important frame models and their theoretical roots, applications, and implications. The handbook format allows each chapter to be read and used individually. Dietrich Busse,Universität Düsseldorf.
-
(2012): The Intelligibility in Context Scale. Validity and Reliability of a Subjective Rating Measure. In: Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research 55 (2). DOI: 10.1044/1092-4388(2011/10-0130)
Abstract: Purpose: To describe a new measure of functional intelligibility, the Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS), and evaluate its validity, reliability, and sensitivity using 3 clinical measures of severity of speech sound disorder: (a) percentage of phonemes correct (PPC), (b) percentage of consonants correct (PCC), and (c) percentage of vowels correct (PVC). Method: Speech skills of 120 preschool children (109 with parent-/teacher-identified concern about how they talked and made speech sounds and 11 with no identified concern) were assessed with the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology (Dodd, Hua, Crosbie, Holm, & Ozanne, 2002). Parents completed the 7-item ICS, which rates the degree to which children's speech is understood by different communication partners (parents, immediate family, extended family, friends, acquaintances, teachers, and strangers) on a 5-point scale. Results: Parents' ratings showed that most children were always (5) or usually (4) understood by parents, immediate family, and teachers, but only sometimes (3) by strangers. Factor analysis confirmed the internal consistency of the ICS items; therefore, ratings were averaged to form an overall intelligibility score. The ICS had high internal reliability (alpha=.93), sensitivity, and construct validity. Criterion validity was established through significant correlations between the ICS and PPC (r=.54),PCC (r=.54), and PVC (r=.36). Conclusions: The ICS is a promising new measure of functional intelligibility. These data provide initial support for the ICS as an easily administered, valid, and reliable estimate of preschool children's intelligibility when speaking with people of varying levels of familiarity and authority.
2008
-
(2008): Frames und sprachliches Wissen. Kognitive Aspekte der semantischen Kompetenz. Dissertation. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
Abstract: The book is concerned with frame theory, which in recent years has experienced an immense growth in interest, not only in Germanic Linguistics. Frames are knowledge structures in the long-term memory which are of relevance for understanding expressions in language. Thus, for example, the gratuity frame makes knowledge available about eating in a restaurant. Frames can also be deployed as analytical tools. This is demonstrated using the metaphor of "financial investors as locusts" coined by the then-SPD Minister of Labour Franz Müntefering
Keywords: Dietrich Busse, Einführungswerk, frame semantics, Frame-Forschung, frames, Framesemantik, Frame-Semantik, Grammatiktheorie, Kognitionstheorie, Kognitive Grammatik, Kognitive Linguistik, Korpusanalyse, linguistische Epistemologie, Martin Wengeler, Morphologie, Psycholinguistik, Referenz, Schemata, Semantik, Sprachtheorie, Sprachverstehen, Syntax, Überblick, Übersicht zu Framesemantik, Zeichentheorie