On the use of framed knowledge in language comprehension

摘要

Notions like “frames”, “scripts” etc. are now being used in programs to understand connected discourse. We will describe a program in this vein which understands simple stories about painting. (Jack was painting a chair. He dipped a brush into some paint. Q: Why?) In particular, problems of matching, read time inference, and undoing false conclusions will be stressed. The program makes heavy use of real world knowledge, and there is an extensive discussion of various issues in knowledge representation and how they affect frame representations: modularity, the need for problem solving, worldly vs control knowledge, and cleanliness. The paper concludes with an extensive discussion of the program's shortcomings.