home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Share Gallery 1
/
share_gal_1.zip
/
share_gal_1
/
WP
/
WP084A.ZIP
/
README.DOC
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1990-08-27
|
10KB
|
227 lines
FONETIC SPELING
Distributed by the American Literacy Council
106 Morningside Drive, Suite 79, New York, NY 10027
A non-profit organization promoting simplified
spelling through electronic text translation.
Word lists Copyright 1989 by The American Literacy Council.
If you like FS, a contribution (registration fee: $15 for single
computer use, $45 for institutional license) will be appreciated.
WHAT "Fonetic Speling" is a system of word lists and programs that
IT IS enables users to explore a corpus of 44,000 English words. Each
word in the corpus is accompanied by a proposed simplified spelling
that uses the 26 letters of the alphabet to consistently describe
the 42 sounds we use when speaking English.
The word pairs are held in 128 files which are indexed for use with
the accompanying programs. The words are in common text form and
can be viewed with common word processors on IBM compatible personal
computers. Each word pair is also accompanied with its frequency of
use, described later. The corpus is protected by copyright and should
not be changed.
SERVICES The programs provide two specific services. First: the ability to
translate common word processing documents from normal spelling
standards to a phonetic spelling standard is provided.
Documents such as memos, press releases, newsletters, chapters of books,
etc. can be translated to the phonetic style. They can then be printed
or published both ways. There is no need for writers to learn to
write according to a new spelling standard. The computer translates
normal spelling in a mechanical, lookup-and-replace process that is
quite effortless.
WORD The second purpose of the system is to assist researchers who wish
RESEARCH to study the words of the English language.
Using tallies compiled at Russell Sage College and other sources also,
a number follows each word pair stating how often each word is used
throughout a corpus of one million words.
Powerful text searching programs are provided here to enable researchers
to sift through this base of 44,000 most-used words to find all words
(for example) that contain the letters "ER" or "AR" but not if they are
preceeded by "C" or "M" and not if they are in the first position.
page 2
The flexibility provided by the two text searching programs is significant.
The results from each corpus scan are placed in an output file which
the user can view or print. The output file can also be the subject of
a secondary text search. The results of each search are counted, totalled
and reported.
Searches within the corpus can scan the English words only, or the
phonetic words only, or both concurrently.
SCHOLARLY The corpus of words was published under the title "DICTIONARY
RESEARCH OF SIMPLIFIED AMERICAN SPELLING" by Edward Rondthaler
MATERIAL and Edward Lias. Published by the American Literacy Council,
106 Morning Side Drive, Suite 79, New York. 10027. The word lists are
copyrighted in the dictionary as well as in this computer-based corpus.
These programs distributed under the title "Fonetic Speling" are placed
in the public domain. The programs may be copied and distributed freely
provided that no credit lines are removed and that this documentation
(README.DOC file) remains with the system.
Scholarly research related to simplified spelling, literacy and spelling
reform is presented in the Dictionary (above). It is an important
companion to the services of these computer programs. Fifteen years of
research and experimentation are reflected in the Dictionary corpus.
INSTALLATION ····Follow the instructions on the label of disk one. Insert disk
one in drive A or B and type INSTALL. Do not attempt to copy
the files to hard disk with the copy command. The install program
places the programs in one directory and the corpus of words in another
directory. The install program lets you install on any hard drive
from C to G.
To run the system on hard disk, type C: (for example).
Then type CD\FONETIC
Then type FONETIC to start the system.
page 3
MENU The front menu selection screen is shown here.
FONETIC SPELING SISTEM (Esc to exit)
5 General description
10 View blocks of words
* 52 Translate any "xxx.DOC" file
* 55 Word search & analysis (Generalized but medium speed)
* 57 High speed word search (Powerful masking patterns)
* 58 High speed word search (With NOT FOLLOWED BY options)
70 Print any "xxxxx.OUT" file
73 Print any "LISTnnnn.LST" file
91 Recreate master index
92 View or print index of word groups
96 Refresh BASE 0 or 1. Overlays one base with the other.
98 References and rules
99 Other related products
* Asterisk items are primary tasks.
Enter Task Number >
The user enters a number to call any service. Tasks 52, 55 and
57 provide the primary services. The other tasks provide various
maintenance or convenience services.
page 4
TRANSLATING Users can pass any existing document to the translator provided
DOCUMENTS it is in common text or document form, containing normal text
characters. The translator program assumes that all such
documents have names that end in .DOC . A few simple text
documents are provided on disk one.
Output from the translator resides in a file of the same name as
the input file, but ending with .OUT. The translation of
MEMO1.DOC can be found in the output file called MEMO1.OUT .
SUPPORT The scholars who created the corpus and who tested the effects
AND of the simplified standard can be reached at the American
CONSULTATION Literacy Council, telephone 212 662-0650.
.SK.5
Contacts there include Joseph Little, Dr. Edward Rondthaler,
Grace Wood and others.
OBJECTIVE The Council aims to make available for English spelling an
alternative notation as consistent and logical as that of other
alphabetic languages. No other single factor contributes to American
illiteracy so much as the inconsistencies of English spelling.
Programs in this public domain system were prepared by Video-PC,
Inc., telephone 313 855-5122. Contact Dr. Edward Lias.
page 5
OTHER The public domain programs provide a demonstration of the
PRODUCTS corpus and the idea of simplified spelling. They are an
introductory research tool. Three other professional products
may be obtained from the Council. (Telephone 212 662-0650)
SOUND SOUND SPELER is for parents and children, enabling a child
SPELER to type on a computer keyboard using phonetic spellings. As the child
types each word in phonetic form, the English equivalent word appears
exactly above the phonic word. This reverse translation occurs
in real time as the child types, providing absolutely immediate
feedback for each word. The system runs on IBM(tm) compatible
computers.
A reduced corpus of 24,000 words is held in computer memory
to provide instant translations. SOUND SPELER is a tool for
learning, useful to children ages 6 to 14, and their parents. Available
at low cost from the American Literacy Council. 212 662-0650.
FONETIC FONETIC SPELER is for adult use as a real-time translator
SPELER from English spelling to phonetic spelling. (For IBM(tm) compatibles)
It is a full screen word processing editor that holds the corpus
of word pairs in memory for real-time translation.
As the user types a memo or letter or book into the word processor,
the phonetic spelling appears exactly below the English word. When
the user saves the text to disk, it is saved in two files - one
containing the normal English text and the other containing the
phonetic translation.
The files can be brought back into the editor for corrections
and further editing. This is a major production tool, appropriate
for any office or home environment.
FONETIC This handy starter kit lets you get started with simplified
SPELING spelling using the manual approach. One hundred words
STARTER that ought to be simplified first are listed for handy reference.
KIT You'll enjoy the rubber stamp. It states that your simplified
spellings are approved, standardized and promoted by the
American Literacy Council! Call 212 662-0650 to purchase it.
COMPUTER Persons interested in obtaining a personal computer customized
HARDWARE for specific uses and equipped with any of the above products
AND should contact Video-PC, Inc. 313-855-5122. Video-PC produced
OTHER the software systems. They provide consulting services related
SOFTWARE to the technical aspects of word translation and related hardware
issues.