Pre-edit support method and apparatus

In a machine translation system translating a source language into a target language, an automatic translation method comprising the steps of:

• reading a source language text;
• dividing said text into words;
• extracting, from sequential said words, at least one sequential word group occurring a predetermined number of times throughout said text as a complex word candidate to be presented to a user for possible selection as a complex word;
• and
• translating a selected said complex word as an integrated complex word, into said target language.

In a machine translation system translating a source language into a target language, a translation support apparatus comprising:

• a reading means for reading a source language text;
• a dividing means for dividing said text into words;
• an extracting means for extracting, from sequential said words from said dividing means, sequential word groups occurring a plurality of times throughout said text;
• a candidate means for displaying extracted said sequential word groups satisfying a predetermined occurrence frequency as complex word candidates;
• and
• a selecting means for user selecting, from displayed said sequential word groups from said candidate means, a complex word which is to be translated as an integral complex word.

In a machine translation system translating a source language into a target language, an automatic translation apparatus comprising:

• reading means for reading a source language text;
• a dividing means for dividing said text into words;
• an extracting means for extracting, from sequential said words from said dividing means, sequential word groups occurring a predetermined number of times throughout said text as complex word candidates to be presented to a user for possible selection as a complex word;
• and
• a translating means for translating a selected said complex word as an integrated complex word, into said target language.

In a machine translation system translating a source language into a target language, a translation support method comprising the steps of:

• reading a source language text;
• dividing said text into words;
• setting predetermined inclusion relations defining conditions required for designation of sequential word groups as complex word candidates;
• extracting sequential word groups, from sequential said words from said dividing step, which satisfy said predetermined inclusion relations and which occur a plurality of times throughout said text as said complex word candidates;
• storing an occurrence position of each extracted complex word candidate of said complex word candidates in said text;
• comparing each occurrence position of each of said extracted complex word candidates with occurrence positions of parent complex word candidates of said complex word candidates, to thereby extract a complex word candidate having an occurrence position at which no parent complex word candidate occurs;
• displaying any said complex word candidate of said complex word candidates satisfying a predetermined occurrence frequency;
• and
• selecting at least one complex word candidate from displayed said complex word candidates which is to be treated as a complex word.

In a machine translation system translating a source language into a target language, a translation support method comprising the steps of:

• reading a source language text;
• dividing said text into words;
• extracting, from sequential said words from said dividing step, sequential word groups which occur a plurality of times throughout said text, wherein said step of extracting word sequences takes into consideration, in a determination of whether a word sequence is to be extracted, at least one of:
• (a) whether said word sequence includes words which can be categorized into alternative parts of speech, and (b) a ratio of words which can be categorized into alternative parts of speech to a total number of words on said word sequence;
• displaying ones of extracted said sequential word groups satisfying a predetermined occurrence frequency, as complex word candidates;
• and
• allowing user selection of at least one complex word candidate of said complex word candidates, to be treated as a complex word which is to be translated as an integral complex word.