--- Forwarded Message from "John Robin ALLEN" <[log in to unmask]> ---

>From: "John Robin ALLEN" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: "Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum"    <[log in to unmask]>
>Cc: <[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Language analysis software
>Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 06:32:13 -0600
>Importance: Normal

------------------
Jennifer Gates and others have written to the LLTI list about language
analysis software such as TACT.

I too am interested in such software but from a different perspective: I
want to write a series of public domain programs to run under Windows to
handle some of the more important tasks of literary or linguistic analysis
of literature. That will be done in connection with an undergraduate course
I will co-teach starting in September 2002, a course devoted to "Mathematics
and Literature".

I'll handle most of the literature part of the course (my field is medieval
French literature, but the course will be restricted to things written in or
available in English). A math professor will handle most of the math part.
Part of the course will deal with the application of statistical methods to
literary and linguistic works. I could well call the series of programs I'll
write "SALT" as in "Statistical Analysis of Literary Texts". If readers can
think of a better acronym, that would be great, but I'll call it SALT in
this letter.

I would think it appropriate to have SALT include a concordance generator, a
word indexer such as my "ERIK" (Extra-Rapid Index Kit), my jraPlay program
(that creates spreadsheets showing how words in a text are used by different
characters or in different milieus, or in different locations in a text; one
can use it to track themes since the program can automatically track
isolated groups of words). Unfortunately I wrote ERIK and jraPlay years ago
to run under DOS, but it should not be too hard to convert them to Windows.

Perhaps SALT should also contain a multivariant style analyser such as one
Robert Wachal wrote in PL/I years ago for his PhD dissertation to analyse
"The Federalist Papers". (I too am interested in measuring stylistic traits
of different authors for author identification.)

Two queries to readers of LLTI:
1. Can you think of other programs you would like to see written for
analysing or manipulating literary and linguistic texts, programs that
should be put in SALT? If, for example, SALT should duplicate TACT, what
features of the latter would be the most important to include?
2. Can anyone suggest literary or linguistic texts that might be worthwhile
to study in a "Math and Literature" course? We (some math professors and I)
already have several ideas on the matter but are open to other suggestions.

If you write to LLTI on any of the above matters, would you please send a
copy directly to me (addresses below), since sometimes I miss reading each
LLTI posting.
          john robin

John Robin Allen
St. John's College
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2M5
Canada

Home phone: (204) 889-3561
Voice mail: (204) 474-9122
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]

--- Forwarded Message from Jennifer Gates <[log in to unmask]> ---


I am looking for information about a language retrieval and analysis
application similar to TACT.  TACT will not work on our Windows NT
systems, so we are looking for an equivalent program.  If anyone is
aware of an application that will work on Windows NT, please email to
Jennifer Gates at Rochester Institute of Technology.  My address is
[log in to unmask]

Thank you for your assistance.

--
Jennifer Gates
(716) 475-2419
DSS-Liberal Arts Desktop Support
Information and Technology Services
Rochester Institute of Technology

[log in to unmask] / AIM JennGates
http://www.rit.edu/~jlgdss