Improving the Efficiency of a Generation Algorithm for Shake and Bake Machine Translation Using Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar

A Shake and Bake machine translation algorithm for Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar is introduced based on the algorithm proposed by Whitelock for unification categorial grammar. The translation process is then analysed to determine where the potential sources of inefficiency reside, and some proposals are introduced which greatly improve the efficiency of the generation algorithm. Preliminary empirical results from tests involving a small grammar are presented, and suggestions for greater improvement to the algorithm are provided.