Language is widely recognized as part of what makes us human, and we instinctively know its value in communication and in the development of ideas. However, transferring those skills to computers has been anything but easy.

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That is the challenge of Computational Linguistics, a dynamic discipline which joins Linguistics and Computer Science. This field takes elements of linguistics, software engineering, artificial intelligence and electrical engineering to help machines process human language and to help linguists understand language through computer models. Applications of research in Computational Linguistics include improved intuitive computer interfaces, machine translation, automated processing of information encoded in natural languages such as on the world wide web, and communication devices for persons with disabilities.