JH-Ranker: Enhancing Keigo Recognition in Japanese Sentences through Multi-Task Learning

In the realm of Japanese language processing, the correct use and understanding of Keigo (honorific language) presents unique challenges due to its complex nature and context-dependent usage. This study introduces JH-Ranker, a novel multitask learning framework designed to enhance the recognition and understanding of Keigo in Japanese sentences. We are employing a multi-task learning approach by integrating Keigo Level, Contextual Field, and the Classification of Keigo Forms. This integration aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of Keigo usage from small data, leveraging the synergy between multiple tasks to achieve a deeper understanding with limited resources. Utilizing the BERT-base-japanese pre-trained model, JH-Ranker takes into account various Keigo Forms and contextual scenarios, going beyond mere syntactic analysis. Our methodology also emphasizes the importance of considering both the form and context of Keigo, addressing challenges such as label imbalance and overfitting in multi-label classification tasks. The experimental results demonstrate a significant improvement in Keigo recognition capabilities over existing baseline models, particularly in discerning the subtle nuances of Keigo Levels and Forms. This study contributes to the realm of natural language processing by presenting a refined and contextually sensitive method for Japanese Keigo. It demonstrates the language model’s adaptability and understanding in dealing with intricate honorific language scenarios.