Saturday, June 13, 2020

Applying Anthropology: Computational Linguistics

Have you ever spoken to your phone and it answered back?  Or used speech to text software?  Or simply used an internet search engine?  If you have (or know someone who has) then you can thank a computational linguist for that technology.  Computational linguistics is a multidisciplinary field that draws upon various fields of study, including anthropological linguistics, and one that greatly benefits many members of modern-day societies today.  This blog post will explore what computational linguistics is, how it came to be, and what it is used for.

Computational linguistics is a field of study that focuses on the intersections between technology and language, specifically focusing on how technology can be used to recognize and create language systems through various technologies.  Originally born out of the field of computer science, computational linguistics draws upon the fields of mathematics, neuroscience, education, computer science, artificial intelligence, and anthropological linguistics.  The field began in the 1950s specifically for translating speech from one language to another, but it eventually grew into something more as more and more people owned personal computers.  This led computational linguists to consider how users could communicate with their computers through written and spoken language, an idea largely inspired by artificial intelligence studies.  This required computer technologies to recognize language sounds, grammar systems, and syntax. 

Eventually, this all set the stage for greater computational linguistic applications, specifically in those widely used today.  Computational linguistic studies provided the basis and foundations for various linguistic tools today, such as voice recognition software, text to speech programs, interactive voice response options via computers or telephone prompts, the creation and facilitation of internet search engines.  Computational linguists find work in a variety of public and private institutions, such as in universities, social media companies (e.g. Facebook and Twitter), media corporations, governments, and more.

Works Cited

Association for Computational Linguistics. What is the ACL and what is Computational Linguistics? . n.d. Electronic. 19 May 2020.
Schubert, Lenhart. "Computational Linguistics." 6 February 2014. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Electronic. 19 May 2020.
Tech Target. Computational Linguistics (CL) . March 2018. Electronic. 19 May 2020.


4 comments:

Jasmine Hill said...

Reading this article I found out about Computational linguistics. I found out that Computational Linguistics is a field that focuses on the intersections between technology. As a Sociology Major I found this extremely knowledgeable.
-Jasmine Hill

Unknown said...


I really liked this blog. It taught me that Computational linguistics is a field of study that focuses on the intersections between technology and language, specifically focusing on how technology can be used to recognize and create language systems through various technologies. -Josh w

Anonymous said...

Communication with an Artificial intelligence system is another form of liguistics? I guess I can understand that as when you communicate you are using a different language.

Elaine christopher

Amou Riing said...

Computational linguistics' complexity and range of research are highlighted by its acceptance as an interdisciplinary area that combines computer science with anthropology, mathematics, neurology, education, and artificial intelligence. By incorporating information from several areas, this interdisciplinary method enhances research and progress in the subject. Internet search engines, interactive voice response systems, text-to-speech software, and voice recognition software are just a few of the technologies for which the essay skillfully describes the real-world uses of computational linguistics. This shows the real-world benefits of computational linguistics for enhancing accessibility and communication in daily life.