| \section{Built-in Module \module{soundex}} |
| \label{module-soundex} |
| \bimodindex{soundex} |
| |
| |
| The soundex algorithm takes an English word, and returns an |
| easily-computed hash of it; this hash is intended to be the same for |
| words that sound alike. This module provides an interface to the |
| soundex algorithm. |
| |
| Note that the soundex algorithm is quite simple-minded, and isn't |
| perfect by any measure. Its main purpose is to help looking up names |
| in databases, when the name may be misspelled --- soundex hashes common |
| misspellings together. |
| |
| \begin{funcdesc}{get_soundex}{string} |
| Return the soundex hash value for a word; it will always be a |
| 6-character string. \var{string} must contain the word to be hashed, |
| with no leading whitespace; the case of the word is ignored. (Note |
| that the original algorithm produces a 4-character result.) |
| \end{funcdesc} |
| |
| \begin{funcdesc}{sound_similar}{string1, string2} |
| Compare the word in \var{string1} with the word in \var{string2}; this |
| is equivalent to |
| \code{get_soundex(\var{string1})} \code{==} |
| \code{get_soundex(\var{string2})}. |
| \end{funcdesc} |
| |
| |
| \begin{seealso} |
| |
| \seetext{Donald E. Knuth, \emph{Sorting and Searching,} vol. 3 in |
| ``The Art of Computer Programming.'' Addison-Wesley Publishing |
| Company: Reading, MA: 1973. pp.\ 391-392. Discusses the origin and |
| usefulness of the algorithm, as well as the algorithm itself. Knuth |
| gives his sources as \emph{U.S. Patents 1261167} (1918) and |
| \emph{1435663} (1922), attributing the algorithm to Margaret K. Odell |
| and Robert C. Russel. Additional references are provided.} |
| |
| \end{seealso} |