System and method to provide query linguistic service

A system comprising:

• a processor of a machine;
• a query tool module to receive an initial query term set;
• a category identification module configured to:
• determine a list of item categories that each represents a category of items available on a network based on the initial query term set, and receive, from a user, a selection of an item category from the list of item categories determined based on the initial query term set, the selection being received via a user interface presenting the list of items to the user;
• a synonym lookup module configured to perform phrase recognition on the initial query term set to determine a recognized phrase and to determine a synonym for the recognized phrase based on the user selected item category, the synonym comprising a plurality of words;
• the query tool module being further configured to receive from the user a selection of the determined synonym along with a search option for the synonym, the search option comprising one of:
• a first search option requesting that the synonym to be matched whenever the plurality of words of the synonym are matched without regard to order,
• a second search option requesting that the synonym to be matched whenever at least one of the plurality of words of the synonym is matched, and
• a third search option requesting that the synonym to be matched whenever the plurality of words of the synonym are matched in order;
• and
• a listing finder module configured to determine, using the processor, results within the user selected item category that match the initial query term set and the synonym, the results being based on the search option for the synonym.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium in communication with at least one processor, the machine-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, perform operations comprising:

• receiving an initial query term set;
• based on the initial query term set, determining a list of item categories that each represent a category of items available on a network;
• causing the list of item categories to be presented in a user interface to a user;
• receiving, from the user, a selection of an item category from the list of item categories determined based on the initial query term set;
• performing phrase recognition on the initial query term set to determine recognized phrases;
• determining one or more synonyms for each of the recognized phrases based on the user selected item category, each of the one or more synonyms comprising a plurality of words;
• causing the determined synonyms to be presented in the user interface to the user along with corresponding first selectors and corresponding second selectors, each of the first selectors being operable to select the corresponding synonym, each of the second selectors being operable to select a search option for the corresponding synonym, each second selector including:
• a first search option operable to cause the corresponding synonym to be matched whenever the plurality of words of the synonym are matched without regard to order,
• a second search option operable to cause the corresponding synonym to be matched whenever at least one of the plurality of words of the synonym is matched, and
• a third search option operable to cause the corresponding synonym to be matched whenever the plurality of words of the synonym are matched in order;
• receiving, from the user, a selection of a subset of the presented synonyms selected by the user from the determined synonyms, the selection indicating corresponding search options selected by the user;
• and
• determining, using one or more processors, results within the user selected item category that match the initial query term set and the selected subset of synonyms, the results being based on the selected search options for the selected subset of synonyms.