That is interesting Claude. Did they come up with an idea of how accurate the program was as a confidence percentage? I can see where the computer made the mistake and I know that words that have multiple meanings could be a problem. I was trying to stick with the idea of a computer understanding the user's language, however, I find your story intriguing. Perhaps, if the program had a context portion to it, it would have seen a "key" word like Bible or religion would have helped it pick the right meaning. The dictionary will normally have an indication like Biblical or archaic so the program would require it also. The program could determine different contexts by indicating what the translation was for (business, daily conversation, religion, etc...). It is easier for a human being to understand the sentence because they refer to the source of the speech, however "spirit" or "flesh" could still have other meanings in that context. I agree that it is a very complex problem.
I have actually thought of this specific topic as I used to assist in an English as a Second Language class. I would often have to steer clear of multiple meaning words, in an effort to get the students to understand. I understood that 1 word that has 4 possible meanings, depending on context, had a mathematical chance of not being understood. I would often explain the meanings so the student would understand the possibilities depending on the context, or sometimes rely on simpler words to explain myself. As a professor, I am sure you have experienced the same situations before. |
