Corpus search systems and methods

A method, performed by a computing system, of searching a corpus of texts relating to a domain of knowledge, the method comprising:

• populating a word-pair feature data structure with word-pair proximity scores, wherein the populating comprises, by the computer:
• determining a multiplicity of word-pair proximity scores measuring associations between pairs of words that appear in the corpus of texts, wherein the determining comprises, for each given text of the corpus of texts:
• parsing the given text to identify a text vector;
• selecting, within the text vector, a word pair including a first word and a second word;
• determining a measure of intra-clause proximity based at least in part on the first word's relationship to the second word within the text vector;
• and
• updating a word-pair-score data structure corresponding to the first word and the second word with the determined measure of intra-clause proximity;
• and
• for each word pair:
• populating an entry in the word-pair feature data structure with the corresponding word-pair-score data structure;
• obtaining, for at least one word pair in the word-pair feature data structure, attribute data related to the word pair;
• and
• updating the entry for the word pair in the word-pair feature data structure with the attribute data related to the word pair.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to:

• populate a word-pair feature data structure with word-pair proximity scores, wherein the populating comprises:
• determining a multiplicity of word-pair proximity scores measuring associations between pairs of words that appear in the corpus of texts, wherein the determining comprises, for each given text of the corpus of texts:
• parsing the given text to identify a text vector;
• selecting, within the text vector, a word pair including a first word and a second word;
• determining a measure of intra-clause proximity based at least in part on the first word's relationship to the second word within the text vector;
• and
• updating a word-pair-score data structure corresponding to the first word and the second word with the determined measure of intra-clause proximity;
• and
• for each word pair:
• populating an entry in the word-pair feature data structure with the corresponding word-pair-score data structure;
• obtain, for at least one word pair in the word-pair feature data structure, attribute data related to the word pair;
• and
• update the entry for the word pair in the word-pair feature data structure with the attribute data related to the word pair.