Controlled natural languages (CNLs) are subsets of
natural languages that are 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 (e.g. non-native speakers),
and those that enable reliable automatic
semantic analysis of the language.[1][2]
The first type of languages (often called "simplified" or "technical" languages), for example
ASD Simplified Technical English, Caterpillar Technical English,
IBM's Easy English, are used in the industry to increase the quality of technical documentation, and possibly simplify the
semi-automatic translation of the documentation. These languages restrict the writer by general rules such as "Keep sentences short", "Avoid the use of
pronouns", "Only use dictionary-approved words", and "Use only the
active voice".[3]
^Kowalski, R., Dávila, J., Sartor, G. and Calejo, M., 2023. Logical English for law and education. In Prolog: The Next 50 Years (pp. 287-299). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.