Incremental Generation of Self-corrections Using Underspecification

The focus of the present paper is on the interface between the first two components of a language production model, i.e. conceptualiser and formulator. We propose a method of how the incremental input for the formulator can be represented within an underspecification formalism. The proposed method can be used in dynamically changing environments, e.g. an airport supervision and information system, to produce descriptions of ongoing events. Because such a highly dynamic setting requires a real time production, an incremental conceptualiser that produces increments piece by piece is used in order to speed up the production process. Moreover, changes in the environment have to be recognised and quickly reported to the user. For this reason an underspecified representation for the increments is crucial. Underspecification allows information to be added monotonically as soon as a change in the environment has been noticed, e.g. ‘CK-314 is on time . . . uh . . . is delayed.’