A Finite-Sate approach to Arabic verbal inflection

Abstract

This paper introduces a finite-state computational approach to Arabic verbal inflection. This approach handles the non-concatenative discontinuous nature of Arabic verbal inflection, and captures generalizations, sub-generalizations, and syncretisms governing Arabic verbal inflection. It also handles phonological and orthographic variations in Arabic. These variations are caused by phonological and orthographic processes which are applied to inflected verbs. This application yields surface inflected verb forms which are different than the abstract lexical forms. The approach has been implemented using Xerox Finite-State System.