What is it about?

This publication explores how Wikidata, a comprehensive and freely available knowledge database, can be transformed into a dictionary that supports various Arabic dialects. Wikidata not only lists items in multiple languages but also details the relationships between them. The research proposes using this extensive resource to develop a multilingual and multi-dialectal dictionary specifically for Arabic, which could then aid in natural language processing for different Arabic varieties.

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Why is it important?

This work is important because it leverages the rich, semantic data of Wikidata to address a significant gap in resources for Arabic dialects. Arabic is a diverse language with many dialects that are often underrepresented in computational tools. By creating a dictionary that includes these dialects, this research has the potential to enhance the effectiveness of natural language processing systems, making them more inclusive and accurate for Arabic speakers. This could lead to improved applications in fields such as machine translation, text analysis, and linguistic research.

Perspectives

From a personal perspective, this publication represents a significant step in bridging the gap between linguistic diversity and computational resources. The idea of utilizing Wikidata's vast repository to support the varied dialects of Arabic is both innovative and practical. It highlights the potential of community-generated data to solve real-world problems and improve technological applications in underrepresented languages. As someone deeply involved in this field, I believe this approach will not only advance the capabilities of natural language processing but also contribute to preserving and promoting the richness of Arabic dialects.

Houcemeddine Turki
Universite de Sfax

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Using WikiData as a Multi-lingual Multi-dialectal Dictionary for Arabic Dialects, October 2017, Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE),
DOI: 10.1109/aiccsa.2017.115.
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