Automatic text grade level analyzer for a text processing system

• US 4,456,973 A
• Filed: 04/30/1982
• Issued: 06/26/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Tannenbaum, Alan R., Rosenbaum, Walter S., Carlgren, Richard G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zache, Raulfe B.
• Application Number:
  US06/373,544
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/300
• US Class Current: 704/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/247 Thesauruses; Synonyms

Abstract

A system for proofreading a text document and automatically detecting and replacing text words in the document which exceed a predetermined understandability level for the documents intended audience. Text words and synonyms are stored in a dictionary which includes an understandability code for each word based statistically on textbook grade levels. The operator enters a grade level code into the system for the intended document audience. The system scans the document for words which exceed the desired grade level, highlights those words on the system display and prompts the operator with synonyms which can be used to replace the highlighted word. The operator may select a desired replacement synonym by placing the system cursor underneath the word and depressing and enter key from the system keyboard.

Claims

1. A method for detecting and correcting linguistic expressions which exceed a predetermined understandability level in a list of linguistic expressions using a programmable digital computer system comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a first section of the memory of said programmable digital computer system a dictionary of linguistic expressions including an understandability code for each linguistic expression;

(b) storing in a second section of the memory of said programmable digital computer system a list of synonymic expressions for said dictionary of linguistic expressions including an understandability code for each synonymic expression;

(c) storing a code representing a predetermined desired understandability level;

(d) comparing each member of an input set of linguistic expressions to said dictionary of linguistic expressions;

(e) comparing the understandability code of the dictionary linguistic expression which compares equal to the input member linguistic expression to the stored desired understandability level code;

(f) highlighting the member of the input set of linguistic expressions when the understandability code of the dictionary linguistic expression is greater than the stored desired understandability level code;

(g) displaying a set of synonymic expressions for the highlighted linguistic expression; and

(h) replacing the highlighted linguistic expression with a member of the displayed set of synonymic expressions.

2. The method for detecting and correcting linguistic expressions of claim 1 wherein said step of displaying a set of synonymic expressions includes displaying in highlighted format any synonymic expressions whose understandability code exceeds the predetermined desired understandability code.

3. The method for detecting and correcting linguistic expressions of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the step of displaying a set of synonymic expressions includes displaying an indication when no synonymic expression stored for the highlighted linguistic expression has an understandability code less than or equal to the predetermined desired understandability level.

4. The method for detecting and correcting linguistic expressions of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the step of comparing each member of an input set of linguistic expressions to said dictionary includes displaying an indication when no equal compare occurs.

5. The method for detecting and correcting linguistic expressions of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said step of highlighting includes displaying said linguistic expressions in boldface.

6. A system for detecting and correcting the understandability level of linguistic expressions in a set of linguistic expressions using an information processor comprising:

means for storing a dictionary of linguistic expressions including an understandability code associated with each linguistic expression;

means for storing a list of synonymic expressions for said dictionary of linguistic expressions including an understandability code associated with each synonymic expression;

means for storing a code representing a predetermined understandability level;

first compare means for comparing each member of an input set of linguistic expressions to said dictionary of linguistic expressions;

second compare means responsive to said first compare means for comparing the understandability code of the dictionary linguistic expression which compares equal to the member of the input set of linguistic expressions to said code representing a predetermined understandability level;

means for highlighting the member of the input set when the understandability code of the dictionary linguistic expression compares greater than the predetermined understandability level;

means for displaying the set of synonymic expressions for the highlighted member of the input set of linguistic expressions; and

means for replacing the highlighted linguistic expression with a member of the displayed set of synonymic expressions.

7. The system for detecting and correcting the understandability level of claim 6 wherein said means for displaying the set of synonymic expressions includes means for highlighting the synonymic expressions whose understandability code exceeds the code representing a predetermined understandability level.

8. The system for detecting and correcting the understandability level of claim 6 or claim 7 wherein said means for displaying the set of synonymic expressions includes means for displaying an indication when no synonymic expression stored for the highlighted linguistic expression has an understandability level less than or equal to the predetermined desired understandability level.

9. The system for detecting and correcting the understandability level of claim 6 or claim 7 wherein said first compare means includes means for displaying an indication when the input linguistic expression does not compare equal to one of the dictionary linguistic expressions.

10. The system for detecting and correcting the understandability level of claim 7 wherein said means for highlighting includes displaying said linguistic expressions in boldface.

11. The system for detecting and correcting the understandability level of claim 6 or claim 10 wherein said means for replacing the highlighted linguistic expression with a member of the displayed set of synonymic expressions includes a keyboard, and means in said keyboard for signalling said information processor to selectively replace the highlighted linguistic expression with a member of the displayed set of synonymic expressions.

12. A method for detecting and correcting linguistic expressions with exceed a predetermined understandability level in a list of linguistic expressions using a programmable digital computer system comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in the memory of said programmable digital computer system a dictionary of linguistic expressions including an understandability code and a synonymic code associated with each linguistic expression;

(b) storing a code representing a predetermined desired understandability level;

(c) comparing each member of an input set of linguistic expressions to said dictionary of linguistic expressions;

(d) comparing the understandability code of the dictionary linguistic expression which compares equal to the input linguistic expression to the stored desired understandability level code;

(e) highlighting the member of the input set of linguistic expressions when the understandability code of the dictionary linguistic expression is greater than the stored desired understandability code;

(f) comparing the remainder of the dictionary linguistic expressions'"'"' synonymic codes to the synonymic code of the dictionary expression which matches the input linguistic expression;

(g) displaying each dictionary linguistic expression whose synonymic code matches the synonymic code of the dictionary linguistic expression equal to the input linguistic expressions; and

(h) replacing the highlighted linguistic expression with a member of the displayed set of synonymic expressions.

13. The method for detecting and correcting linguistic expressions of claim 12 wherein said step of displaying each dictionary linguistic expression whose synonymic code matches the synonymic code of the dictionary linguistic expression equal to the input linguistic expression includes displaying in highlighted format any dictionary linguistic expression whose understandability code exceeds the predetermined desired understandability code.

14. The method for detecting and correcting linguistic expressions of claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the step of displaying each dictionary linguistic expression whose synonymic code matches the synonymic code of the dictionary linguistic expression equal to the input linguistic expression further includes displaying an indication when no synonymic expression stored for the highlighted member of the input set of linguistic expressions has an understandability code less than or equal to the predetermined desired understandability level.

15. The method for detecting and correcting linguistic expressions of claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the step of comparing each member of an input set of linguistic expressions to said dictionary of linguistic expressions further includes displaying an indication when no equal compare occurs.