DICTIONARY RETRIEVAL DEVICE

PURPOSE:To obtain an efficient dictionary retrieval device by fetching from a storage means a retrieval order and a retrieval range which a retrieval control means has extracted from a topic extraction means and which corresponds to the change of a topic and using them for the retrieval of dictionaries. CONSTITUTION:If an inputted sentence is analyzed in a natural language analysis device 1, the device 1 transmits information 100 to the topic extraction device 2 for extracting the topic. The device 2 extracts a topic 101 (is set to a subject C) in accordance with the function of a system based on the information. If the topic C which the dictionary retrieval device uses for deciding the retrieval order and the retrieval range differs with the subject 101, the topic 101 is transmitted from the device 2 to the retrieval control device 4. Said device 4 sets the topic 101, namely, the topic C as the new subject, and simultaneously fetches the retrieval order and the retrieval range with respect to the topic 101, namely the order of dictionaries D2 and D4 from a storage device 3. The retrieval order and the retrieval range is used hereafter in the retrieval of the dictionaries.