Query-aware routing for Cross-lingual performance gains in Encoders
Quick summary
arXiv:2610.02875v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Multilingual encoders can exhibit reduced retrieval effectiveness when queries and relevant documents differ in language, despite strong same-language performance. We investigate whether Finnish and Swedish cross-lingual retrieval can improve while preserving an encoder's existing same-language performance and document index. We combine a query-only low-rank adapter, trained against frozen document embeddings, with deterministic routing based on query and index languages. Cross-language queries use the adapter, while same-language queries use t
Key takeaways
- arXiv:2610.02875v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Multilingual encoders can exhibit reduced retrieval effectiveness when queries and relevant documents differ in language, despite strong same-language performance.
- We investigate whether Finnish and Swedish cross-lingual retrieval can improve while preserving an encoder's existing same-language performance and document index.
- We combine a query-only low-rank adapter, trained against frozen document embeddings, with deterministic routing based on query and index languages.
Why it matters
The importance of “Query-aware routing for Cross-lingual performance gains in Encoders” will be measured by what changes in practice. User behavior, access conditions, verifiable performance and responsible-use outcomes are the signals worth following.

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