Graduate programs in computational linguistics provide students with the most robust beneficial training that leads to robust careers in scientific research and teaching. In the recent past, computer systems have been integrated into several aspects of life and work, a trend likely to rise in future. It is, however, worth noting that the efficiency and effectiveness of the computer systems depend on the people operating them and who may error. Computational linguistics is useful in learning new languages. As born and raised in Korean, I grew up with a desire to learn English yet experienced great challenge because of lack of learning materials or technology. While watching American TV shows, I found myself wishing for subtitles, lyrics, and scripts to accompany the videos. Later, I found that technology could aid in automatically generating subtitles and scripts out of listening to people’s voices. The experience and discovery are what impassioned me to forge an academic and career path in computational linguistics.My investigation will be based on the stagnation of language modeling and its failure to advance; despite being yet rudimentary and based on basic nominal syntax. I intend to focus my research on solving semantic problems associated with current programming languages. My objective is to enhance the accuracy and correctness of programming languages; particularly those used for the automated transformation of text into executable code. My interest is to use the linguistic semantics in the programming of languages design, type theory, logic and denotational semantics.
Previous research in linguistics has linked the interface between syntax and semantics using lambda calculus. Mainly, the work of de~Groote and Muskens founded on lambda grammars and Abstract Categorial Grammars evidenced that most syntax models could also be represented through lambda calculus. I seek to focus on exemplifying this research area by using lambda-calculus concepts to provide a unifying view of numerous aspects of natural models of language, thus giving a chance to nurture correctness in programming languages.
I am confident I will be able to push through with this endeavor because I already understand the increased complexity in computer systems; knowledge I obtained from my undergraduate program in Applied Computational Mathematical Science. Language programming designers make programs that translate subject to a machine comprehensible language which enables correct translation to the low-level language of machines. Contemporary programming languages hypothesize the implementation of multi-user and multi-task system standardization based on the fundamental properties of lambda calculus.
My research will fundamentally fill in an information gap that exists on the issue of lambda grammars and Abstract Categorial Grammars. The positive contributions of previous researchers, scholars and experts in this field are noble but inconclusive. Musken’s and de-Groote’s work, for example, failed to explore the fundamental properties of lambda calculus. The need to fill in this glaring research gap has fostered my interest and research desire to analyze equational semantics.
Chung-Chieh Shan (2006), one of the leading faculty members in Computational Linguistics program in Indiana University explored the impact of left-to-right evaluation on crossover and superiority violations. He posited that it is possible to use continuations to eliminate crossover and superiority violations when processing natural language. This research endeavor will grant me the opportunity to test out similar theories while developing some of my own.
I believe that Indiana University would be a great destination to combine both my personal and academic experience into a fruitful research in lambda calculus. The program offers expertise in mathematical language modeling as well as computational linguistics. The program will grant me with the opportunity to further investigate relevant issues in Semantics. I seek to make a prolific and distinguished, research-based career by pursuing my master’s degree in your institution.