http://attempto.ifi.uzh.ch/site/cnl2009/

Marettimo Island, Sicily (Italy) 8-10 June 2009
*********************************************************************

Controlled natural languages (CNLs) are subsets of natural languages,
obtained by restricting the grammar and vocabulary in order to reduce
or eliminate ambiguity and complexity. Traditionally, controlled
languages fall into two major types: those that improve readability
for human readers, and those that enable reliable automatic semantic
analysis of the language. [...] The second type of languages has a
formal logical basis, i.e. they have a formal syntax and semantics,
and can be mapped to an existing formal language, such as first-order
logic. Thus, those languages can be used as knowledge representation
languages, and writing of those languages is supported by fully
automatic consistency and redundancy checks, query answering, etc.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_natural_language)

Various controlled natural languages of the second type have been
developed by a number of organisations, and have been used in many
different application domains, most recently within the semantic web.

This workshop is dedicated to discussing the similarities and
differences of existing controlled natural languages of the second
type, possible improvements to these languages, relations to other
knowledge representation languages, tool support, existing and future
applications, and further topics of interest.


Topics
---------
CNL 2009 will address the following aspects of controlled natural
languages (CNLs):

- design of CNLs
- parsing of CNLs
- CNLs for knowledge representation
- CNLs for specifications
- CNLs and the semantic web
- CNLs as user interface
- CNLs for interaction and communication
- tool support for CNLs
- reasoning in CNLs
- comparisons of CNLs
- applications of CNLs
- business rules
- user studies
- theoretical results
- etc.

The workshop will be informal with lots of time for presentations and
discussions in the fashion of the seminars organised at Dagstuhl in
Germany (http://www.dagstuhl.de/programm/dagstuhl-seminare). To ensure
the informal atmosphere the number of participants will be limited.


Submission Details
-------------------------
We invite researchers to submit extended abstracts of exactly 4 pages
(inclusive references). These extended abstracts will be intensively
reviewed by several members of the programme committee. Authors of
accepted extended abstracts will be invited to present their research
at the workshop. Revised versions of the accepted abstracts will be
published before the workshop as a technical report of the Department
of Informatics of the University of Zurich. During the workshop
authors will have one full hour to present their work and to have it
discussed by the participants. All authors are then invited to submit
a full paper of up to 20 pages (inclusive references) that takes the
discussions during the workshop into account.  Full papers will again
be reviewed by the programme committee. Revised versions of the full
papers will be published by Springer in their LNCS/LNAI series.

Extended abstracts and full papers should use the Springer LNCS
format. Extended abstracts must be submitted electronically in PDF
format. For submissions we use EasyChair
(http://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=cnl2009).


Venue
--------
The workshop will take place on the Italian island Marettimo at the
Marettimo Residence
(http://www.marettimoresidence.com/inglese/home.php) that consists of
a set of two-storey houses within a beautiful garden. On top of the
garden of the residence there is a large lecture hall with wireless
internet.

Marettimo is the outermost of the Egadian Islands to the west of
Sicily, and is easily reached from the airports of Palermo and
Trapani. Marettimo offers the simple and relaxed life of southern
Italy, unspoilt landscape, stupendous views, hiking, swimming, diving,
boat trips, and excursions on donkeys.  There are several restaurants
and bars, and some shops. What the island does not offer: traffic -
there are practically no roads - fancy shops and restaurants, night
life, and sandy beaches.


Accommodation
----------------------
The Marettimo Residence
(http://www.marettimoresidence.com/inglese/home.php) offers one- and
two-bedroom apartments with fully equipped kitchens. A number of
apartments for the participants of CNL 2009 will be reserved until
early 2009 at a price 10% below the regular price. Participants should
get into direct contact with the Marettimo Residence to organise their
accommodation. Alternative accommodations on Marettimo can be found
via the internet.


Conference Dinner
-------------------------
A conference dinner will be arranged during the workshop, and will be
paid individually by the participants.


Important Dates
----------------------
Deadline for submissions of extended abstracts: 14 November 2008

Notification of acceptance of extended abstracts: 9 January 2009

Participants contact Marettimo Residence concerning accommodation: end
of January 2009

Revised versions of extended abstracts: 13 March 2009

Workshop: 8-10 June 2009

Deadline of submission of full papers: 4 August 2009

Feedback on full papers: 2 October 2009

Revised versions of full papers: 6 November 2009


Program Committee
---------------------------
Piero Bonatti (University of Naples, Italy)
Johan Bos (University of Rome "La Sapienza", Italy)
Peter E. Clark (Boeing, Seattle, USA)
Hamish Cunningham (University of Sheffield, UK)
Enrico Franconi (University of Bolzano, Italy)
Norbert E. Fuchs (University of Zurich, Switzerland) (chair)
Glen Hart (Ordnance Survey, Southampton, UK)
Jerry R. Hobbs (USC/ISI, USA)
Kaarel Kaljurand (University of Zurich, Switzerland)
Peter Koepke (University of Bonn, Germany)
Tobias Kuhn (University of Zurich, Switzerland)
Ian Pratt-Hartmann (University of Manchester, UK)
Stephen Pulman (University of Oxford, UK)
Mike Rosner (University of Malta, Malta)
Rolf Schwitter (Macquarie University, Australia)
John Sowa (VivoMind, USA)
Silvie Spreeuwenberg (LibRT, Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Uta Schwertel (imc, Germany)
Yorick Wilks (University of Sheffield, UK)


Further Information
--------------------------
http://attempto.ifi.uzh.ch/site/cnl2009/


Organisation
-----------------
Norbert E. Fuchs (University of Zurich, Switzerland)
fuchs <at> ifi.uzh.ch