WordNet::Similarity 1.04

WordNet::Similarity is a collection of Perl modules for computing measures of semantic relatedness.

SYNOPSIS

Basic Usage Example

use WordNet::QueryData;

use WordNet::Similarity::path;

my $wn = WordNet::QueryData->new;

my $measure = WordNet::Similarity::path->new ($wn);

my $value = $measure->getRelatedness("car#n#1", "bus#n#2");

my ($error, $errorString) = $measure->getError();

die $errorString if $error;

print "car (sense 1) <-> bus (sense 2) = $valuen";

Using a configuration file to initialize the measure

use WordNet::Similarity::path;

my $sim = WordNet::Similarity::path->new($wn, "mypath.cfg");

my $value = $sim->getRelatedness("dog#n#1", "cat#n#1");

($error, $errorString) = $sim->getError();

die $errorString if $error;

print "dog (sense 1) <-> cat (sense 1) = $valuen";

Printing traces

print "Trace String -> ".($sim->getTraceString())."n";

Introduction

We observe that humans find it extremely easy to say if two words are related and if one word is more related to a given word than another. For example, if we come across two words, car and bicycle, we know they are related as both are means of transport. Also, we easily observe that bicycle is more related to car than fork is. But is there some way to assign a quantitative value to this relatedness? Some ideas have been put forth by researchers to quantify the concept of relatedness of words, with encouraging results.

Eight of these different measures of relatedness have been implemented in this software package. A simple edge counting measure and a random measure have also been provided. These measures rely heavily on the vast store of knowledge available in the online electronic dictionary -- WordNet. So, we use a Perl interface for WordNet called WordNet::QueryData to make it easier for us to access WordNet. The modules in this package REQUIRE that the WordNet::QueryData module be installed on the system before these modules are installed.