  This article introduces the idea that "information compression by multiple
alignment, unification and search" (ICMAUS) provides a framework within which
natural language syntax may be represented in a simple format and the parsing
and production of natural language may be performed in a transparent manner.
  The ICMAUS concepts are embodied in a software model, SP61. The organisation
and operation of the model are described and a simple example is presented
showing how the model can achieve parsing of natural language.
  Notwithstanding the apparent paradox of 'decompression by compression', the
ICMAUS framework, without any modification, can produce a sentence by decoding
a compressed code for the sentence. This is illustrated with output from the
SP61 model.
  The article includes four other examples - one of the parsing of a sentence
in French and three from the domain of English auxiliary verbs. These examples
show how the ICMAUS framework and the SP61 model can accommodate 'context
sensitive' features of syntax in a relatively simple and direct manner.
