1998-01-20 00:45:44 -04:00
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\section{Built-in Module \sectcode{soundex}}
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\label{module-soundex}
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\bimodindex{soundex}
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\renewcommand{\indexsubitem}{(in module soundex)}
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The soundex algorithm takes an English word, and returns an
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easily-computed hash of it; this hash is intended to be the same for
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words that sound alike. This module provides an interface to the
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soundex algorithm.
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Note that the soundex algorithm is quite simple-minded, and isn't
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perfect by any measure. Its main purpose is to help looking up names
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in databases, when the name may be misspelled --- soundex hashes common
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misspellings together.
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\begin{funcdesc}{get_soundex}{string}
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Return the soundex hash value for a word; it will always be a
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6-character string. \var{string} must contain the word to be hashed,
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with no leading whitespace; the case of the word is ignored.
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\end{funcdesc}
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\begin{funcdesc}{sound_similar}{string1, string2}
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Compare the word in \var{string1} with the word in \var{string2}; this
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is equivalent to
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\code{get_soundex(\var{string1})==get_soundex(\var{string2})}.
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\end{funcdesc}
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