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␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ u1


␈↓ α∧␈↓α␈↓ βYTHE COMMON BUSINESS COMMUNICATION LANGUAGE

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTHere␈αare␈αsome␈αideas␈αabout␈αthe␈αvalue␈αof␈αa␈α␈↓↓common␈αbusiness␈αcommunication␈αlanguage␈↓␈α(CBCL
␈↓ α∧␈↓for␈α∞short)␈α∞and␈α∞what␈α∞its␈α∞characteristics␈α
might␈α∞be.␈α∞ Besides␈α∞its␈α∞practical␈α∞significance,␈α∞CBCL␈α
raises
␈↓ α∧␈↓issues concerning the semantics of natural language.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTThe␈α⊃need␈α⊃for␈α⊂such␈α⊃a␈α⊃language␈α⊂was␈α⊃suggested␈α⊃to␈α⊂me␈α⊃by␈α⊃an␈α⊂article␈α⊃by␈α⊃Paul␈α⊃Baran␈α⊂that
␈↓ α∧␈↓appeared␈α∞in␈α∂␈↓↓Public␈α∞Interest␈↓␈α∞in␈α∂1965.␈α∞ In␈α∂this␈α∞article,␈α∞Baran␈α∂envisaged␈α∞a␈α∞world␈α∂of␈α∞the␈α∂future␈α∞in
␈↓ α∧␈↓which␈αcompanies␈α
would␈αbe␈αwell␈α
equipped␈αwith␈αon-line␈α
computer␈αsystems.␈α The␈α
inventory␈αcontrol
␈↓ α∧␈↓computer␈α∂of␈α∞company␈α∂A␈α∞would␈α∂write␈α∞on␈α∂the␈α∂screen␈α∞of␈α∂a␈α∞clerk␈α∂in␈α∞the␈α∂purchasing␈α∂department␈α∞a
␈↓ α∧␈↓statement␈α∀that␈α∀1000␈α∀gross␈α∀of␈α∀such-and-such␈α∀pencils␈α∀were␈α∀needed␈α∀and␈α∀that␈α∀they␈α∀should␈α∀be
␈↓ α∧␈↓purchased␈α∞from␈α∂company␈α∞B.␈α∂ The␈α∞clerk␈α∂would␈α∞turn␈α∂to␈α∞her␈α∂typewriter␈α∞and␈α∂type␈α∞out␈α∂a␈α∞purchase
␈↓ α∧␈↓order.␈α
 At␈α
company␈α
B␈α
another␈α
clerk␈α
would␈α∞receive␈α
the␈α
purchase␈α
order␈α
and␈α
turn␈α
to␈α∞her␈α
terminal
␈↓ α∧␈↓and␈α⊂tell␈α⊂the␈α⊃computer␈α⊂to␈α⊂arrange␈α⊂to␈α⊃ship␈α⊂the␈α⊂pencils.␈α⊂ Eliminating␈α⊃both␈α⊂clerks␈α⊂by␈α⊃having␈α⊂the
␈↓ α∧␈↓computers␈α∞speak␈α∞directly␈α∞to␈α∞each␈α∞other␈α∞was␈α∞not␈α∞mentioned␈α∞Perhaps␈α∞the␈α∞author␈α∞felt␈α∞that␈α∂he␈α∞was
␈↓ α∧␈↓already straining the credulity of his audience.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTSuppose␈α∂we␈α∂wish␈α∂to␈α∞eliminate␈α∂the␈α∂clerks␈α∂by␈α∂having␈α∞the␈α∂computers␈α∂speak␈α∂directly␈α∂to␈α∞each
␈↓ α∧␈↓other.  What are the requirements?

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTFirst,␈α∀computers␈α∀do␈α∀communicate␈α∀directly␈α∀now.␈α∀ In␈α∀the␈α∀late␈α∀1950s␈α∀the␈α∀Social␈α∀Security
␈↓ α∧␈↓Administration␈α∩announced␈α⊃a␈α∩format␈α⊃for␈α∩IBM␈α⊃seven␈α∩channel␈α⊃magnetic␈α∩tape␈α⊃on␈α∩which␈α∩it␈α⊃was
␈↓ α∧␈↓prepared␈αto␈αreceive␈αreports␈αof␈αearnings␈αand␈αpayroll␈αdeductions.␈α Note␈αthe␈αlimitations:␈α(i)␈αmagnetic
␈↓ α∧␈↓tapes␈αare␈αmailed␈αrather␈αthan␈αdirect␈αelectronic␈αcommunication␈α-␈αadmittedly␈αentirely␈αappropriate␈αin
␈↓ α∧␈↓this␈αcase.␈α (ii)␈αA␈αsingle␈αfixed␈αkind␈αof␈αmessage␈αwith␈αa␈αfixed␈αset␈αof␈αparameters␈αfor␈αeach␈αreport.␈α (iii)
␈↓ α∧␈↓There␈α∞is␈α∞only␈α∞one␈α∞receiver␈α∞of␈α∞information␈α∞which␈α∞can␈α∞dictate␈α∞the␈α∞format.␈α∞ Today␈α∂information␈α∞is
␈↓ α∧␈↓often␈α
exchanged␈α
electronically␈α
among␈α∞computer␈α
systems␈α
belonging␈α
to␈α
different␈α∞organizations,␈α
but
␈↓ α∧␈↓this␈αis␈αusually␈αby␈αspecific␈αtreaty␈αbetwen␈αthe␈αtwo␈αorganizations,␈αbut␈αsometimes␈αa␈αgroup␈αthat␈αwill␈αbe
␈↓ α∧␈↓communicating␈α∂has␈α∂agreed␈α∂on␈α∂formats.␈α∂ An␈α∂example␈α∂is␈α∂the␈α∂U.S.␈α∂Navy's␈α∂system␈α∂for␈α∂exchanging
␈↓ α∧␈↓information␈αamong␈αships␈αabout␈αwhat␈αtheir␈αradars␈αand␈αother␈αsensors␈αcan␈αsee␈αso␈αthat␈αeach␈αship␈α
can
␈↓ α∧␈↓have␈αthe␈αfull␈α
radar␈αpicture␈αacquired␈α
by␈αthe␈αwhole␈α
fleet.␈α In␈αconnection␈α
with␈αthe␈αextension␈α
of␈αthe
␈↓ α∧␈↓system␈αto␈αNATO,␈αit␈αwas␈αcompletely␈αredesigned,␈αand␈αon␈αa␈αdesignated␈αday,␈αall␈αusers␈αswitched␈αto␈αthe
␈↓ α∧␈↓new system.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTOur goal is more ambitious in the following respects:

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αT1.␈α∞ A␈α∞common␈α∞language␈α∞is␈α∞to␈α∂be␈α∞adopted␈α∞that␈α∞can␈α∞express␈α∞business␈α∂communications.␈α∞ For
␈↓ α∧␈↓example,␈α∞requests␈α∞for␈α∂price␈α∞quotations,␈α∞offers␈α∂to␈α∞buy␈α∞and␈α∞sell,␈α∂queries␈α∞about␈α∞delivery␈α∂times␈α∞and
␈↓ α∧␈↓places,␈α∪inquiries␈α∩about␈α∪the␈α∩status␈α∪of␈α∪delayed␈α∩orders,␈α∪references␈α∩to␈α∪standard␈α∪commercial␈α∩legal
␈↓ α∧␈↓agreements.␈α If␈αpossible,␈αthe␈αsame␈αlanguage␈αshould␈αwith␈αonly␈αdifferent␈αprimitives␈αshould␈αsuffice␈α
to
␈↓ α∧␈↓communicate␈αthe␈αNavy's␈αor␈α
the␈αFAA's␈αradar␈αinformation␈αor␈α
a␈αrequest␈αfrom␈αone␈αstate's␈α
department
␈↓ α∧␈↓of motor vehicles to another's for a list of a person's traffic convictions.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αT2.␈α↔Any␈α↔organization␈α_should␈α↔be␈α↔able␈α↔to␈α_communicate␈α↔with␈α↔any␈α↔other␈α_without␈α↔pre-
␈↓ α∧␈↓arrangement␈αover␈αordinary␈αdial-up␈αtelephone␈αconnections.␈α Of␈αcourse,␈αthis␈αrequires␈α
authentication
␈↓ α∧␈↓procedures␈α
and␈α
verification␈α
of␈αauthorization␈α
procedures,␈α
but␈α
let␈α
us␈αnot␈α
be␈α
unduly␈α
distracted␈αby␈α
the
␈↓ α∧␈↓security␈αaspects␈αof␈αcomputing␈αlest␈α
we␈αend␈αup␈αwith␈αa␈α
secure␈αmethod␈αof␈αcommunication␈αand␈α
nothing
␈↓ α∧␈↓to say.
␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ u2


␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αT3.␈α∞The␈α∞system␈α∞should␈α∞be␈α∞open␈α∞ended␈α∞so␈α∞that␈α∞as␈α∞programs␈α∞improve,␈α∞programs␈α∞that␈α∂can␈α∞at
␈↓ α∧␈↓first␈α∞only␈α∞order␈α∞by␈α∞stock␈α∞numbers␈α∞can␈α∞later␈α∞be␈α∞programmed␈α∞to␈α∞inquire␈α∞about␈α∞specifications␈α
and
␈↓ α∧␈↓prices␈α
and␈α
decide␈α
on␈α
the␈α
best␈α
deal.␈α
 This␈α
requires␈α
that␈α
each␈α
message␈α
be␈α
translatable␈α
into␈α
a␈α
human-
␈↓ α∧␈↓comprehensible␈α⊂form␈α⊃and␈α⊂that␈α⊃each␈α⊂computer␈α⊂have␈α⊃a␈α⊂way␈α⊃of␈α⊂referring␈α⊂messages␈α⊃it␈α⊂is␈α⊃not␈α⊂yet
␈↓ α∧␈↓programmed␈α
to␈α
understand␈α
to␈α
humans.␈α
 When␈α
a␈α
new␈α
type␈α
of␈α
message␈α
is␈α
to␈α
displace␈α
an␈α
old␈α
one,␈α
the
␈↓ α∧␈↓programs␈αshould␈αsend␈αboth␈αuntil␈αall␈αthe␈αreceivers␈αcan␈αunderstand␈αthe␈αnew␈αform.␈α Thus␈αthe␈αcrises
␈↓ α∧␈↓of cutover days, as in the naval example, could be eliminated.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTWe␈α
are␈α
not␈αnow␈α
interested␈α
in␈α
the␈αlow-level␈α
aspects␈α
of␈α
the␈αmessage␈α
formats,␈α
i.e.␈α
what␈αkinds␈α
of
␈↓ α∧␈↓bit␈α
streams␈α
and␈α∞what␈α
kinds␈α
of␈α∞modems,␈α
except␈α
to␈α∞remark␈α
that␈α
the␈α∞system␈α
should␈α
avoid␈α∞traps␈α
in
␈↓ α∧␈↓these areas, and the users should be able to change their systems asynchronously.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTWe do not have a final proposal but here are some ideas:

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αT1.␈α∞The␈α∞messages␈α∞are␈α∞lists␈α∞of␈α∞items␈α∞punctuated␈α∞by␈α∞parentheses.␈α∞ The␈α∞lead␈α∞item␈α∞of␈α∞each␈α∞list
␈↓ α∧␈↓identifies␈αthe␈αtype␈αof␈αmessage␈αand␈αis␈αused␈αto␈αdetermine␈αhow␈αto␈αinterpret␈αthe␈αrest.␈α The␈αitems␈αmay
␈↓ α∧␈↓be␈αeither␈α
sublists␈αor␈α
atoms.␈α If␈αan␈α
item␈αis␈α
a␈αsublist,␈α
its␈αfirst␈αelement␈α
tells␈αhow␈α
to␈αinterpret␈αit.␈α
 Atoms
␈↓ α∧␈↓are␈αbinary␈αnumbers␈α
of␈αsay␈α32␈α
bits.␈α A␈αdictionary␈αtells␈α
what␈αeach␈αmeans.␈α
 Other␈αforms␈αof␈αdata␈α
may
␈↓ α∧␈↓be␈αused␈αprovided␈αthey␈αare␈αdemarcated␈α
by␈αappropriate␈αpunctuation␈αand␈αprovided␈αthey␈αare␈α
pointed
␈↓ α∧␈↓at from lists that tell how they are to be interpreted.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αT2. Here are some examples:

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTa. (REQUEST-QUOTE (YOUR-STOCK-NUMBER A7305) (UNITS 100))

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTb. (REQUEST-QUOTE (PENCILS #2) (GROSS 100))

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTc.  (REQUEST-QUOTE (ADJECTIVE (PENCILS #2) YELLOW) (GROSS 100))

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTd.␈α⊂ (WE-QUOTE␈α⊂(OUR-STOCK-NUMBER␈α∂A7305)␈α⊂(QUANTITY␈α⊂100)␈α∂(DELIVERY-
␈↓ α∧␈↓DATE 3-10-77) (PRICE $1.00))

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTe. (PLEASE-SAY (IOTA (X) (AND (RED X) (PENCIL X))))

␈↓ α∧␈↓It appears that some items may require a variable number of modifiers.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTAs␈αa␈αtoy␈αexample,␈αimagine␈αwriting␈αconventions␈αthat␈αwould␈αpermit␈αany␈αMonopoly-like␈αgame
␈↓ α∧␈↓to␈αbe␈αplayed␈αby␈αindependently␈αwritten␈αprograms.␈α Suppose␈αthat␈αthe␈αmoves␈αare␈αcommunicated␈αto␈αa
␈↓ α∧␈↓referee␈α∂who␈α∂receives␈α∂requests␈α⊂to␈α∂roll␈α∂the␈α∂dice␈α∂and␈α⊂returns␈α∂information␈α∂about␈α∂what␈α⊂squares␈α∂the
␈↓ α∧␈↓pieces␈αlanded␈αon␈αand␈αwhat␈α"chance"␈αcards␈αwere␈αdrawn.␈α The␈αprograms␈αwould␈αcommunicate␈αoffers
␈↓ α∧␈↓to buy and sell directly to each other and to the "banker".

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTCBCL␈α
should␈α
satisfy␈α
an␈αimportant␈α
principle␈α
enunciated␈α
by␈αChomsky␈α
in␈α
his␈α
␈↓↓Reflections␈αon
␈↓ α∧␈↓↓Language␈↓␈α
as␈α
a␈α
characteristic␈α
of␈α∞human␈α
language.␈α
 The␈α
principle␈α
(reworded␈α
considerably)␈α∞is␈α
that
␈↓ α∧␈↓no␈α⊂grammatical␈α⊂position␈α⊂should␈α⊂require␈α⊂an␈α⊂identifier␈α⊂or␈α⊂a␈α⊂number␈α⊂per␈α⊂se␈α⊂but␈α⊂should␈α⊂allow␈α∂a
␈↓ α∧␈↓phrase.␈α∞ For␈α∞example,␈α∞instead␈α∞of␈α∞requiring␈α∞a␈α∞stock␈α∞number,␈α∞an␈α∞expression␈α∞designating␈α∞the␈α
stock
␈↓ α∧␈↓number,␈αsuch␈αas␈α"the␈αsame␈αstock␈αnumber␈αas␈αlast␈αweek"␈αor␈α"the␈αnew␈αstock␈αnumber␈αof␈αthe␈αitem␈αthat
␈↓ α∧␈↓was␈α∪formerly␈α∪stock␈α∪number␈α∪2531".␈α∪ We␈α∪don't␈α∪really␈α∪mean␈α∪these␈α∪English␈α∪phrases␈α∪but␈α∩rather
␈↓ α∧␈↓whatever they translate into.
␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ u3


␈↓ α∧␈↓αCBCL and natural language

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTDeveloping␈αan␈αexpressive␈αCBCL␈αhas␈αproved␈αunexpectedly␈αdifficult.␈α Even␈αconcentrating␈αon
␈↓ α∧␈↓the␈αidea␈α
of␈αa␈α
purchase␈αorder␈α
doesn't␈αeasily␈αlead␈α
to␈αdefining␈α
formats␈αthat␈α
permit␈αexpressing␈αall␈α
that
␈↓ α∧␈↓should␈α⊂be␈α⊃possible␈α⊂to␈α⊂include␈α⊃in␈α⊂a␈α⊃purchase␈α⊂order.␈α⊂ The␈α⊃problem␈α⊂is␈α⊂that␈α⊃every␈α⊂aspect␈α⊃of␈α⊂the
␈↓ α∧␈↓purchase␈α⊂order␈α⊂such␈α⊂as␈α⊂the␈α⊂delivery␈α⊂method␈α∂or␈α⊂the␈α⊂terms␈α⊂of␈α⊂payment␈α⊂seems␈α⊂to␈α⊂admit␈α∂infinite
␈↓ α∧␈↓variation␈α∞and␈α∞elaboration.␈α∂ It␈α∞is␈α∞a␈α∂semantic␈α∞feature␈α∞of␈α∞natural␈α∂language␈α∞that␈α∞this␈α∂elaboration␈α∞is
␈↓ α∧␈↓possible.␈α∞ The␈α∞problems␈α∞do␈α∞not␈α∞at␈α∞all␈α∞stem␈α
from␈α∞the␈α∞rigid␈α∞list␈α∞syntax␈α∞of␈α∞CBCL,␈α∞which␈α∞after␈α
all
␈↓ α∧␈↓resembles␈αthe␈αresult␈αof␈αparsing␈αa␈αnatural␈αlanguage␈αtext.␈α The␈αproblems␈αare␈αin␈αthe␈αsemantics,␈αi.e.␈α
in
␈↓ α∧␈↓specifying what should be expressible.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTThis␈α
suggests␈αthat␈α
the␈α
problem␈αof␈α
formalizing␈αwhat␈α
is␈α
expressible␈αin␈α
natural␈α
language␈αcan
␈↓ α∧␈↓and␈α∞should␈α∞be␈α∞studied␈α∂entirely␈α∞separately␈α∞from␈α∞the␈α∞syntax.␈α∂ In␈α∞addition␈α∞it␈α∞suggests␈α∂that␈α∞putting
␈↓ α∧␈↓natural␈α⊂language␈α⊃front␈α⊂ends␈α⊂on␈α⊃computer␈α⊂programs␈α⊃often␈α⊂entirely␈α⊂misses␈α⊃the␈α⊂key␈α⊃problems␈α⊂of
␈↓ α∧␈↓natural␈α
language.␈α Namely,␈α
before␈α
the␈αnatural␈α
language␈αfront␈α
end␈α
is␈αattached,␈α
the␈αprogrammer␈α
has
␈↓ α∧␈↓already␈αdecided␈αwhat␈αthings␈αshall␈αbe␈αsayable,␈αand␈αthey␈αare␈αusually␈αthings␈αthat␈αcan␈αreadily␈αbe␈αsaid
␈↓ α∧␈↓in␈αa␈αpre-existing␈αinput-output␈αsystem.␈α But␈αif␈αwe␈αare␈αright,␈αthe␈αmost␈αdifficult␈αproblems␈αin␈αmaking
␈↓ α∧␈↓a computer use language involve deciding what is to be sayable.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTFor example, consider some possible specifications of the method of delivery.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αT1. By air excluding Capital Airlines.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αT2.␈αBy␈αair␈αexcluding␈αCapital␈αAirlines␈αprovided␈αthis␈αdoesn't␈αdelay␈αthe␈αshipment␈αmore␈α
than␈αa
␈↓ α∧␈↓day.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αT3. As soon as possible without incurring extra charges.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αT4.␈α
By␈α∞truck␈α
complying␈α∞with␈α
the␈α∞rules␈α
on␈α
shipment␈α∞of␈α
explosives␈α∞(even␈α
though␈α∞the␈α
present
␈↓ α∧␈↓shipment isn't classified as explosive).

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αT5.␈α∞By␈α
truck␈α∞making␈α
sure␈α∞our␈α
competitor␈α∞doesn't␈α
learn␈α∞the␈α
size␈α∞and␈α
model␈α∞number␈α∞of␈α
item
␈↓ α∧␈↓shipped.

␈↓ α∧␈↓Unfortunately, these few examples do not show the scope of the problem.

␈↓ α∧␈↓John McCarthy
␈↓ α∧␈↓Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
␈↓ α∧␈↓Computer Science Department
␈↓ α∧␈↓Stanford University
␈↓ α∧␈↓Stanford, California 94305

␈↓ α∧␈↓ARPANET: MCCARTHY@SU-AI

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓εThis version of CBCL[F75,JMC] translated for printing (by PUB) at 8:40 on December 15, 1980.␈↓