Using an on-line dictionary to find rhyming words and pronunciations for unknown words

Abstract

Humans know a great deal about relationships among words. This paper discusses relationships among word pronunciations. We describe a computer system which models human judgment of rhyme by assigning specific roles to the location of primary stress, the similarity of phonetic segments, and other factors. By using the model as an experimental tool, we expect to improve our understanding of rhyme. A related computer model will attempt to generate pronunciations for unknown words by analogy with those for known words. The analogical processes involve techniques for segmenting and matching word spellings, and for mapping spelling to sound in known words. As in the case of rhyme, the computer model will be an important tool for improving our understanding of these processes. Both models serve as the basis for functions in the Wordsmith automated dictionary system.