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The aim of this paper is to propose a new approach for the automatic treatment of linguistic vagueness. Our motivation is the feeling that most existing approaches dealing with linguistic information are based on converting vague meaning into crisp meaning using some conversions to precise measurements. As a result, existing approaches are adequate and easy to implement, but do not closely model the human thought process. To help alleviate this deficiency, we propose the use of linguistic relations to provide a natural language interface to an end user. We show a possible linguistic Prolog model based on an extension of the syntactic unification algorithm using synonymy and antonymy, as well as the extension of the resolution principle. Our approach does not aim to provide a well-founded formal semantics for such a linguistic Prolog, but a simple model supported by two experiments focused on the use of vague language, both of them executed in Spanish (an analysis of the data of the first experiment it is also available in that language at [1]). Thus, the purpose of this paper is to contribute to the mechanization of approximate reasoning by being respectful of the semantics of the vague terms involved in it; i.e., by paying attention to how they are evaluated by linguistic users under experimentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on how the increase in Hispanic population creates a boom in Spanish-language newspapers in the U.S. in 2004. The Hispanic population have seen an increase between 1990 and 2000. In the same period, advertising revenues for Spanish-language and Hispanic papers increased, as well. As such, many chain-owned newspapers have turned to into Spanish-language print and are beginning to compete not just with established Latino newspapers, but each other.

The article deals with the move of U.S. newspaper publishers to turn to Hispanic American consumers in line with the declining newspaper readership among the general market. In presentations to financial analysts in December 2003, Tribune Co., Knight Ridder Co., Pulitzer and E.W. Scripps Co. all noted they have Spanish-language publications out or in development. In one of the most ambitious efforts, Tribune Co. is trying to build a national Spanish-language brand by launching dailies under the name "Hoy" (Spanish for "today") in major Hispanic cities. Los Angeles, California is expected to be next, with the West Coast's "Hoy" starting as early as this month. And Dow Jones & Co. is likely to decide this year whether to go ahead with a U.S. Spanish-language edition of "The Wall Street Journal," probably modeled after the company's "Wall Street Journal Americas," a Spanish-language insert that reaches 1.7 million readers as an insert in 18 newspapers in 16 Latin countries. Separately, Pulitzer launched its second bilingual weekly last month in northern Santa Barbara County, an area that is 60% Hispanic, said Mark Contreras, senior vice president of Pulitzer Newspapers. The paper,"El Tiempo, Semanario Latino de la Costa Central," is bilingual because research shows locals are as likely to read Spanish as English, he said. Because most of the county's Hispanic population hails from the Mexican state of Oxaca, the free weekly is a joint venture with Oxaca paper "El Imparcial."

Focuses on the change in the perception of magazine publishers regarding the treatment of advertisements to target the Hispanic market in the U.S. Demographic differences that publishers have to consider in targeting the different segments of the Hispanic market; Benefits of the expansion and diversity in ethnic media; Actions that will be taken by Spanish-language magazine publisher Editorial Televisa to increase its circulation. INSET: PAPER CHASE.