ENESTERNISMENOI (Was: De-Inflection Software?)

Peter Kirby kirby at earthlink.net
Sat Sep 21 20:23:42 EDT 2002


----- Original Message -----
From: "Carl W. Conrad" <cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu>
To: "Biblical Greek" <b-greek at franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Cc: "Biblical Greek" <b-greek at franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Sent: Saturday, September 21, 2002 5:16 PM
Subject: [b-greek] RE: ENESTERNISMENOI (Was: De-Inflection Software?)


> At 4:23 PM -0700 9/21/02, Richard A. Stauch wrote:
> >
> >Finally, Smyth writes, "As far back as we can follow the history of the
> >Indo-European languages we find only complete words; hence their
> >analysis into component morphological elements is merely a scientific
> >device for purposes of arrangement and classification" [193 N].
> >Nevertheless, if we took the rules and tables listed in Smyth Parts II
> >and III, boiled them down and added tables of roots and such, a computer
> >could use them much more quickly than a human can. And when we consider
> >that a computer program is nothing but an extension of human
> >capabilities, it isn't really cheating, after all. I believe this is a
> >project that can be done, and I am very surprised that, so far, it has
> >not.
>
> One final comment which may sound sarcastic but really is deadly serious:
> that's a neat citation from Smyth. I really think such a project is
> eminently do-able, BUT I think that in order to create it you would have
to
> learn thoroughly what all the interacting factors in the morphology of all
> inflected forms actually are and HOW they interact (e.g. for verbs, how
> consonantal stems alter before different consonantal endings such as GRAF
> in GEGRAMMAI, GEGRAYAI and GEGRAPTAI as well as the infinitive GEGRAFQAI;
> how augment replaces reduplication in certain double-consoant verbs like
> ENESTERNISMENOI, etc., etc.). And ... once you have mastered all these
> interacting factors that enter into the multiplicitous inflectional system
> of Greek--especially the verb--you'll have a splendid program--but YOU
> WON'T NEED IT ANY MORE, because you'll be able instantly to guess
> intelligently at the lemma and recognize precisely what form you have
> before you without using the newly-formed program at all. Or to say that
in
> different words: you would have to learn all that you really need to know
> about the interaction of elements in Greek inflection in order to create
> the program, and then you wouldn't need the program.

1.  This is no more true than the idea that a man who builds a keyboard can
then type at 100 words a minute.  Sure, you have to know where all the keys
go to build a keyboard, but you don't get the practice in typing naturally,
just as a person who compiles and codifies grammatical information does not
develop the skill of natural recall.

2.  There may be more than one person involved in making the program,
including a programmer and a Greek expert.  The Greek expert won't need the
program very much, but the programmer might.

3.  Programs can be sold for money or distributed for free to the benefit of
more people than the makers.

best,
Peter Kirby

"I'm hungry.  Let's get a taco." - Reservoir Dogs




More information about the B-Greek mailing list