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Since the symbols other than the conventional logic asmuch as less preparation, time, and effort would be
symbols should have an accompanying explanation, required by the coder, and the alpha characters are al-
they should be supplied with each statement. Thus: ready established in the computer.
L = "int" logic (Logik) I t must be remembered that, regardless of which ap-
M = "int" mathematics (Mathematik) proach is used, the original translation, from language
S= "int" symbol (Symbol) to symbols, must be manually (humanly) produced. The
M' = "int" meaning (Bedeutung) primary advantages would be derived from the fact
1 = "int" nearly one (nahezu Eins). that:
1) It is not necessary for the coder to know any
The above statement designates how it is possible, foreign language in order to effect a translation.
given a constant meaning for a set of symbols, to trans- 2) Translation into as many foreign languages as
late from one language into another through a computer, exist in the libraries of the computer is equally
given a set of bit configurations for each symbol and possible, once the symbolic coding is completed.
a dictionary of corresponding words and phrases, in any
A third approach to the translation problem would
given language, for each symbol. The fact that the
involve the possible combination of symbolic designa-
symbols can be interpreted in any language would make
tion with the procedures involving grammatical and
it possible, with limitations, to translate any language
structural analysis often described. No attempt has been
to any other through the symbols. For example, if the
made thus far to explore this possibility.
symbol, T(P), always refers to the truth of a proposi-
tion or statement, going from the German, "die Wahr- SOME CONSIDERATIONS
heit einer Festellung," to the symbol T(P) , it can then To return to the first approach, namely that of de-
be matched with the corresponding phase in French, veloping a complete symbolic language, a few additional
I talian, Indian, Russian, English, or any other language. explanatory remarks include:
1) The necessity for establishing a large library of
Two ApPROACHES symbols would present considerable difficulty.
One .of the more significant questions to be resolved 2) Certain well-defined rules of operation and identi-
in the development of this system is: To. what extent fication procedures would require development.
should the symbolism replace the language (i.e., words)? Examples of these:
Regardless of how the problem is handled, a large a) Verbs could all be expressed as relations, viz.,
amount of storage would be needed-virtually enough R=seeing, testing, etc. The tense may be in-
to hold the vocabulary desired. Two relatively disparate dicated by subscript notation, i.e., Rl = present,
approaches offer themselves: R2 = past, Ra = past progressive, etc. The pro-
gressive or participial form is used exclusively.
1) To develop a large number of symbols (in essence b) The subject wiIl generally be designated (x).
a new, symbolic language) to represent words c) Separate tables of symbols for prepositions,
and/or phrases, or conjunctions, certain adverbs and other parts
2) To utilize a minimum number of symbols, enough
of speech.
to convey the meaning, with identifiers which are d) Use of normal, logical symbolism wherever
immediately translated within the construct of applicable.
each statement. e) Use of some method, such as over-or-under-
The statement already discussed, 2) would fall into lining to designate various types of phrases
the first category, provided a separate library of sym- and/or clauses. For example, a line under an
bols and meanings were instituted. An example of the element to indicate it is the object of a
second type of treatment would be the proverb: preposition.
£) Introductory phrases, parenthetical phrases,
(x) (x is in the hand)
and words and phrases which do not have a
---'t(x=y)(x is a bird)(y=2x in the bush).
definite function in the sense or meaning of the
I t is believed that for all practical purposes, the sec- statement may be omitted in the symbolic
ond method would be the faster and more efficient, in- form, unless they enter into the meaning.
g) Where variant meanings of words exist, a sub- Here the flexibility of the language is shown in that,
script to designate the intended meaning could if a running vocabulary is maintained for each state-
be employed. Take, for example, the word ment, the corresponding terms can be translated to
"fast" : another language regardless of the symbols used.
Fl = "int" rapid Again, in the case of poetry, where in many cases
F2 = "int" motionless meanings are obscure and subject to the whim of the
Fa = "int" abstain from food interpreter, the following selection from "Music Hall
F4 = "int" having zest for living. Song"4 may be illustrative:
h) Active and passive voice or verbs could be in- (Ex) (IR2x) U(x..:..R')~
dicated by an arrow pointiug left or right above (YR"?)(IR"'x). -!
R, indicating the direction of the relation: x = "int" donkey R' = "int" going
of-
R = "int" passive R R2 = "int" having (past) R" = "int" thinking
~
CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY
It is not expected that the method outlined here will [1] V. H. Yngve, "The translation of languages by machine" in
"Proceedings of the Third London Symposium on Inform~tion
preserve the aesthetic values of poetry, the local color of Theory," Academic Press, New York, N. Y.; 1956.
colloquialisms and idioms, nor the fluidity of oratory. In [2] S. N. !3-azumovskii, "On the question of automatizing the pro-
grammmg of problems of translation from one language into
many cases, it may even be difficult to preserve the another':' Dokl. Akad. N.,auk. USS~, vol. 113, p. 760-761; 1957.
meaning, as in the not-so-new example of the machine TranslatiOn by M. D. Fnedman, Lmcoln Lab., Lexington, Mass.
[3] I. K. Bel'skaya, L. N. Korolev, I. S. Mukhin D. Yu. Panov
translation of the Biblical quotation, "The spirit is will- and S. N. Razumovskii, "Certain problems of a~tomatic transla~
ing, but the flesh is weak," which came out in one Rus- tion" (tran~lation), U. S. Joint Publ. Res. Service, Washington,
D. c.; Apnll, 1958.
sian translation, "The whiskey is good, but the meat is [4] D. Yn. Panov, I. A. Mel'chuk, O. S. Kulagina, I. K. Bel'skaya
rotten." A method which can be put into operation with- T. N. Moloshnaya, et at., "Soviet experiments in machine trans~
lation" (trapslation), U. S. Joint Publ. Res. Service, Washington,
out too much time and difficulty is all that is intended. D. c.; Apnl 1, 1958.
The ideas presented here are neither complete nor [5] "Abstracts of the Conference on Machine Translation," First
Mosc.ow State Pedagogical Inst. of Foreign Languages, Ministry
fully developed. They are fragmentary and intended to of. HIgher Ed., USSR; May 15-21, 1958. Translation, U. S.
stimulate further thinking and development. Entry into Jomt Publ. Res. Service, Washington, D. c.; July 22, 1958.
[6J J. Lambeck, "The mathematics of sentence structure," Amer.
a new area of application is usually slow, incomplete, Math. Monthly, pp. 154-170; March, 1958.
and often muddled and confused by human stupidity. (7] J. Whatmough, "Language, a Modern Synthesis" New American
Library of World Literature, Inc., New York, N. Y.; 1946.
Such attempts, however, are necessary even to the slow (8] S. K. Langer, "Symbolic Logic," Dover Publications Inc., New
progress of fundamental understanding. Beginnings York, N. Y.; 1953.
must be made somewhere, sometime. Perhaps this re- [9] W. N. Locke and A. D. Booth, ed., "Machine Translation of
Languages," M.LT. Press and John Wiley and Sons, New York,
port will establish one such beginning. N. Y.; 1955.