Formal and Computational Linguistics (ComForT)
ComForT conducts theoretical and descriptive research in the fields of formal and computational linguistics, a.o. with a view to its application in language and speech technology. The central aim is to acquire insight into the complexity of linguistic knowledge by studying the formal properties of the structures and rules that constitute the architecture of language and grammar. The formal modelling of this knowledge is mainly carried out by means of structural and/or logical-mathematical representations. The group strives towards interdisciplinary collaboration with researchers from computer science/AI and analytical philosophy/logic.
Over the years, the group has developed an expertise in the theoretical study of dialect syntax on the one hand and in the creation of large-scale annotated corpora and treebanks for Dutch on the other. From that perspective, it brings together two of the three main focal points of the REEDS-network: formal linguistic and computational-quantitative research.