Readability testing

Mike Bonner bonnmike at gmail.com
Mon Dec 31 10:23:01 EST 2012


Interestingly enough, I just looked a few words up in the dictionary on my
mac (the built in dict) and it has syllable breaks indicated in all but 1
case so far.  Also was curious and did some googling. A good answer would
probably be to find a dictionary that has most words done, snip the info,
and build a lookup table.


On Mon, Dec 31, 2012 at 8:16 AM, Richmond <richmondmathewson at gmail.com>wrote:

> On 12/31/2012 03:51 PM, Mike Bonner wrote:
>
>> http://www.howmanysyllables.**com/howtocountsyllables.html<http://www.howmanysyllables.com/howtocountsyllables.html> A starting point
>> for syllable counting perhaps.
>>
>
> Certainly a start . . .
>
> But how a computer would:
>
> "Usually divide before a single consonant.
> o/pen, i/tem, e/vil, re/port.
> The only exceptions are those times when the first syllable has an obvious
> short sound, as in "cab/in"."
>
> be able to work out when a vowel is pronounced as "an obvious short sound"
> or not escapes me.
>
> The "problem" about all languages is that they are never written
> phonetically (with the possible exception of
> language written in the IPA, which bravely attempts to represent each
> sound with a single symbol - of course
> once one gets into supra-segmentalism one is in a hell only enjoyed by
> really 'kinky' linguists) and, as such,
> a computer cannot do that sort of thing as it is incapable of making a
> subjective judgement call . . .
>
> . . . arguably what will always prevent computers being able to imitate
> human reasoning completely is
> just that; a computer cannot ascribe subjective value (good, bad) to
> something.
>
> It would be interesting to know how the Java mages worked out how to count
> syllables, and how accurate that is.
>
>
>>
>> On Mon, Dec 31, 2012 at 5:16 AM, Richmond <richmondmathewson at gmail.com>**
>> wrote:
>>
>>  Here's a whole new can of worms:
>>>
>>> http://www.editcentral.com/****gwt1/EditCentral.html<http://www.editcentral.com/**gwt1/EditCentral.html>
>>> <http://**www.editcentral.com/gwt1/**EditCentral.html<http://www.editcentral.com/gwt1/EditCentral.html>
>>> >
>>>
>>> "wordCount is the number of words in the text.
>>> sentenceCount is the number of sentences in the text.
>>> syllableCount is the number of syllables in the text.
>>> letterNumberCount is the number of letters and numbers in the text.
>>> complexCount is the number of words of three or more syllables in the
>>> text."
>>>
>>> the necessary formula for all the different readibility methods are
>>> given,
>>> in Java, on the webpage,
>>> but they presuppose wordCount, snetenceCount and so on.
>>>
>>> Now, while one can effect a wordCount with no problem at all in Livecode,
>>>
>>> and one can effect a sentenceCount by looking at strings ending in . ! ?
>>>
>>> and one can effect letterCount.
>>>
>>> I am completely unsure how one would manage a syllableCount.
>>>
>>> Something to chew over as we go into the New Year!
>>>
>>> Richmond.
>>>
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