Abstract: A processor expands a search expression. The processor determines nodes representing query terms of a search expression. The nodes have associated text for search term expansion, and represent at least one concept in a semantic graph of nodes that represents a domain of semantically related concepts. The processor determines i) a center of focus within the semantic graph for the two or more nodes based, at least in part, on a spreading activation in the graph and ii) a contextual relevance for the two or more nodes with respect to node the center of focus. The processor selects, for a query term, a node based on contextual relevance between that node and the query term and expands the search expression using an associated text of that node.

Abstract: A processor expands a search expression. The processor determines nodes representing query terms of a search expression. The nodes have associated text for search term expansion, and represent at least one concept in a semantic graph of nodes that represents a domain of semantically related concepts. The processor determines i) a center of focus within the semantic graph for the two or more nodes based, at least in part, on a spreading activation in the graph and ii) a contextual relevance for the two or more nodes with respect to node the center of focus. The processor selects, for a query term, a node based on contextual relevance between that node and the query term and expands the search expression using an associated text of that node.

Abstract: This illustrative embodiments provide a mechanism for correcting a phonetically sourced spelling mistake. The mechanism receives a language text string comprising at least one spelling mistake word and transcribes the at least one spelling mistake word into a phonetic form of the spelling mistake word using a phonetic dictionary. The mechanism locates a correctly spelled phonetic form from a phonetic form dictionary having shortest edit distance between characters of the correctly spelled phonetic form word and the phonetic transcription whereby the phonetic form dictionary comprises correctly spelled words and associated phonetic forms of the correctly spelled words. The mechanism substitutes the correctly spelled word for the spelling mistake word in the text string.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for modifying an ontology for use with a natural language processing (NLP) task. A model of the ontology is obtained that comprises nodes representing concepts of the ontology and edges between nodes representing relationships between associated nodes of the ontology. A spreading activation operation is performed on the model of the ontology with the spreading activation operation matching a portion of a textual source to a matching node of the model and identifying related nodes to the matching node through edges of the model associated with the matching node to thereby generate an activation network. The activation network is evaluated with regard to a chosen NLP task to determine a performance metric for the NLP task associated with the nodes of the model. Based on the results, one of the model or a configuration of the activation network may be modified.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for modifying an ontology for use with a natural language processing (NLP) task. A model of the ontology is obtained that comprises nodes representing concepts of the ontology and edges between nodes representing relationships between associated nodes of the ontology. A spreading activation operation is performed on the model of the ontology with the spreading activation operation matching a portion of a textual source to a matching node of the model and identifying related nodes to the matching node through edges of the model associated with the matching node to thereby generate an activation network. The activation network is evaluated with regard to a chosen NLP task to determine a performance metric for the NLP task associated with the nodes of the model. Based on the results, one of the model or a configuration of the activation network may be modified.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for finding the focus of a document. A semantic network includes a plurality of nodes, each representing a concept, and links, connecting the nodes, representing relations between the concepts is used. The method including: providing a list of terms in an input document which match concepts represented by the semantic network, and a frequency value for each matched term indicating the number of times the term appears in the document; mapping each matched term to a referent node or to a plurality of possible referent nodes in the semantic network, and assigning weights to nodes.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for finding the focus of a document. A semantic network includes a plurality of nodes, each representing a concept, and links, connecting the nodes, representing relations between the concepts is used. The method including: providing a list of terms in an input document which match concepts represented by the semantic network, and a frequency value for each matched term indicating the number of times the term appears in the document; mapping each matched term to a referent node or to a plurality of possible referent nodes in the semantic network, and assigning weights to nodes.