PANEL SESSION 
MACHINE-READABLE DICTIONABr~.S 
Donald E. Walker 
Natural-Language and Knowledge-Ruouree Systems 
SRI International 
Menlo Park, California 04025, USA 
and 
Artificial Intelligence and Information Science Research 
Bell Communicatlons Research 
445 South Street 
Morrlstown, New Jersey 07960, USA 
Abstract 
The papers in this panel consider machine-readable 
dictionaries from several perspectives: research in 
computational linguistics and computational lexicology, the 
development of tools for improving accessibility, the design of 
lexical reference systems for educational purposes, and 
applications of machine-readable dictionaries in information 
science contexts. As background and by way of introduction, a 
description is provided of a workshop on machine-readable 
dictionaries that was held at SRI International in April 1983. 
Introduction 
Dictionaries constitute a unique resource for a broad range of 
research involving natural language, information, knowledge, 
and the analysis of contemporary culture. Although they are 
often regarded as the special preserve of lexicographers and 
lexicologists, data contained in dictionaries have significant 
implications for research in linguistics, computational 
linguistics, artificial intelligence, information science, 
psychology, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, education, and 
probably other fields as well. Dictionaries embody the lexicon 
of the language. They provide phonological, grammatical, 
semantic, and historical information relevant for linguists and 
other language specialists. They are useful adjuncts for the 
development of natural-language-understanding systems and 
natural-language-interface technology. They can provide a 
mechanism for processing full-text data sources and for 
information retrieval more generally. Dictionary data figure in 
psychological experiments on language and perception. 
Semantics and usage are reflected in ways that are factored into 
ethnosemantic and sociolinguistic research. Philosophical and 
logical inquiries build on lexical information. For education, 
dictionaries provide not only reference, but are practical aid for 
teaching both adults and children reading and writing skills. 
Dictionaries have always had these potential attributes, but 
they are complex structures and difficult to manipulate. 
Having them available in machine-readable form makes more 
sophisticated research in lexieology and lexicography possible-- 
and the results of such work feed back into research in the 
other areas mentioned above. In addition, dictionaries can be 
utilized in areas like word processing and office automation, 
where people are currently showing considerable interest in 
them. A number of dictionaries have now been prepared by 
computer typesetting, so the tapes used to drive the 
photocomposer are available. However, there is a significant 
difference between having a dictionary in computerized form 
and having a database embodying its contents which can be 
accessed in a number of different ways. 
A Workshop 
Recognizing the potential of machine-readable dictionaries 
and, at the same time, the lack of coordination among people 
working in the field, Bob Amsler and 1 organized a A Workshop 
on Machine-Readable Dictionaries at SR! International in 
April 1983. The National Science Foundation agreed to provide 
funds (Grant No. 1ST-8300940; SRI Project 5699), and we 
succeeded in involving 29 people from Belgium, England, West 
Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden, and the United States for a 
period of three days. The group included research scientists 
from universities and institutes, publishers, and people involved 
in marketing dictionary products. 
There were a number of objectives that motivated convening 
the workshop and that served as a guide to its organization and 
the assessment of its results: 
1. Clarification of the research interests and goals of 
both the participants and the broader community 
that they represent. Including in the latter are 
dictionary publishers and the various classes of 
potential users of machine-readable dictionaries and 
their by-products. 
2. Identification of the resources in the field: for 
example, dictionaries actually in machine-readable 
form, the people engaged in research on them, 
programs developed for processing dictionary data, 
references to the relevant literature. 
3. Examination of the problems entailed in research in 
this area. 
4. Delineation of computational requirements for 
various research tasks. 
5. Specification of guidelines for dictionary design, 
both form and content. 
6. Formulation of a comprehensive plan to coordinate 
research efforts in the field. 
7. Determination of needs and potential sources of 
funding for research. 
8. Arrangements for future workshops or other 
meetings. 
A volume containing a challenge paper prepared by BOb 
Amsler, contributions from a number of the participants, 
summaries of the discussions, and an extensive bibliography of 
work in the field is in preparation. 
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