Punjabi Language Interface to Database

Abstract

Database management systems (DBMS) have been widely used for storing and retrieving data. However, databases are often hard to use since their interface is quite rigid in cooperating with users. End user is required to issue SQL query to retrieve information from the database. General public can issue query on the database in their natural language The purpose of natural language interfaces is to allow users to compose question in natural language and receive responses. Here we have given introduction to natural language processing (NLP) and natural language interfaces to database (NLIDB) as an application of NLP. Advantages and disadvantages of natural language interface to database are discussed as compared to other GUI systems. In Punjab, natural language of people is Punjabi. Also Large number of e-governance applications use database. So, to use such database applications with ease, people who are more comfortable with Punjabi language, require these applications to accept a simple sentence in Punjabi, and process it to generate a SQL query, which is further executed on the database to produce the results. Therefore, any interface in Punjabi language will be an asset to these people. Here we present the design and implementation of natural language (Punjabi) interface to (agriculture) database. We have tested the system with different set of queries. This system provides an interface to the user to put query in Punjabi language, process that query, and provide output to the user in Punjabi language.