A controlled language for the french national Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service Coast Pilot Books instructions nautiques ; Un langage contrôlé pour les instructions nautiques du Service Hydographique et Océanographique de la Marine

Controlled Natural Languages (CNL) are artificial languages that use a subset of the vocabulary, morphological forms and syntactical constructions of a natural language while eliminating its polysemy. In a way, they constitute the bridge between formal languages and natural languages. Therefore, they perform the communicative function of the textual mode while being precise and computable by the machine without any ambiguity. In particular, they can be used to facilitate the population or update of knowledge bases within the framework of a human-machine interface.Since 1971, the French Marine Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOM) issues the French Coast Pilot Books Instructions nautiques , collections of general, nautical and statutory information, intended for use by sailors. These publications aim to supplement charts, in the sense that they provide the mariner with supplemental information not in the chart. They are mandatory for fishing and commercial ships. On the other hand, the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) issued standards providing information about navigational data exchange. Among these standards, one of a particular interest is the universal model of hydrographic data (S-100 standard, January, 2010).This thesis analyses the use of a CNL to represent knowledge contained in the Instructions nautiques. This CNL purpose is to act as a pivot between the writing of the text by the dedicated operator, the production of the printed or online publication, and the interaction with knowledge bases and navigational aid tools. We will focus especially on the interaction between the Instructions nautiques Controlled Natural Language and the corresponding Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC).More generally, this thesis asks the question of the evolution of a CNL and the underlying ontologies involved in the Instructions nautiques project. Instructions nautiques have the particularity of combining both strictness (numerical data, electronic charts, legislation) and a certain amount of ...