Context free grammar and its application in natural language processing

The Context-Free Grammar (CFG) is a fundamental concept in computational linguistics, particularly within the realm of Natural Language Processing (NLP). This paper examines how CFG is utilized in essential NLP domains such as question answering, machine translation, speech recognition, and dialogue systems, including chatbots. By employing recursive rules that define valid sentence structures, CFG enables computers to interpret and analyze natural language more effectively. For instance, in question answering, it assists in mapping user queries to structured formats. Regarding chatbots, CFG contributes to identifying user intent and managing conversations. While CFG excels in rule-based systems, it does have limitations concerning ambiguity and context, which are prevalent in natural language. To mitigate this, modern systems often integrate CFG with statistical or neural methods. This paper underscores how CFG remains relevant in these hybrid NLP models.
Keywords: Context Free Grammar, Context Free Language, Grammar, Natural Language Processing