Operator-assisted translation system and method for unconstrained source text

Abstract

The computer-based translation system allows a person having full understanding and competency in a language of an original source text to confirm the meaning of the source text without requiring knowledge of any other language so that data concerning the meaning of the original language text may be used to translate automatically the original text into the other language or other languages.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A translation system for translating a meaning code into an output text, said meaning code comprising an identification code corresponding to a meaning for each word found in an input source text and sufficient grammatical information related to each said identification code and to a selected generic sentence structure, said system comprising: 
 a meaning code to destination language database providing a translated term corresponding to each said identification code in said meaning code;    a sentence structure database containing data defining a number of generic sentence structures acting as a model determining where grammatical components of a sentence are to be found and relationships between said grammatical components; and    a sentence builder compiling said output text using said sentence structure database data for those sentences having said selected generic sentence structure, each said translated term and said grammatical information for each sentence structure contained in said meaning code.    
     
     
         2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an output text editor displaying said output text to a user, displaying meaning information concerning at least some of words in said output text, and accepting user input to edit said output text.    
     
     
         3 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said output text editor further displays information concerning grammatical relationships of said words.  
     
     
         4 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said meaning code includes input language text information, said output text editor further displays information concerning said input language text to aid said user understand said output text in the case said user understands said language of said input text.  
     
     
         5 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said system is provided by plug-in software operating on a personal computer in conjunction with a browser or text editor program.  
     
     
         6 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said meaning code is a substantially numeric code.  
     
     
         7 . The system as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said meaning code includes text representing said words of said input text, and said sentence builder uses at least some of said text representing said words of said input text, whereby said meaning code can be converted more faithfully into said language of said input text.