Hanane Bais; Mustapha Machkour; Lahcen Koutti

A Model of a Generic Natural Language Interface for Querying Database

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Author(s)

Hanane Bais ^1,* Mustapha Machkour ¹ Lahcen Koutti ¹

1. Information Systems and Vision Laboratory, Department Computer Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco

* Corresponding author.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5815/ijisa.2016.02.05

Received: 20 Jul. 2015 / Revised: 21 Oct. 2015 / Accepted: 2 Dec. 2015 / Published: 8 Feb. 2016

Index Terms

Databases, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Database Query Language (DBQL), Intermediate XML logical Query (IXLQ), Extended Context Free Grammar (ECFG), XML Schema, Auto Generator of Syntactic Rules (AGSR), Module of Natural Language Query Definitions (MNLQD), Machine Learning

Abstract

Extracting information from database is typically done by using a structured language such as SQL (Structured Query Language). But non expert users can’t use this later. Wherefore using Natural Language (NL) for communicating with database can be a powerful tool. But without any help, computers can’t understand this language; that is why it is essential to develop an interface able to translate user’s query given in NL into an equivalent one in Database Query Language (DBQL).
This paper presents a model of a generic natural language query interface for querying database. This model is based on machine learning approach which allows interface to automatically improve its knowledge base through experience. The advantage of this interface is that it functions independently of the database language, content and model. Experimentations are realized to study the performance of this interface and make necessary corrections for its amelioration.

Cite This Paper

Hanane Bais, Mustapha Machkour, Lahcen Koutti, "A Model of a Generic Natural Language Interface for Querying Database", International Journal of Intelligent Systems and Applications(IJISA), Vol.8, No.2, pp.35-44, 2016. DOI:10.5815/ijisa.2016.02.05

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