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From: jon@HP-UX.ucsd.edu (Jon Matousek)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Spanish Grammar Checker ???
Keywords: spanish nisus
Message-ID: <2016@network.ucsd.edu>
Date: 19 Oct 89 10:12:41 GMT
References: <4568@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>
Sender: news@network.ucsd.edu
Reply-To: jon@weber.ucsd.edu (Jon Matousek)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Paragon Concepts, Inc.
Lines: 60

>
>From article <4568@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>,
> by ar4@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Piper Keairnes)
>
>	Does anyone know where one might go to obtain a Spanish Grammar or
>Spelling checker? Even a Spanish version of a word processor.
>
>	Plan to use the programs for writing Spanish composition papers.
>

In addition to a Spanish dictionary, there are several other foreign 
and specialty dictionaries that can be purchased for Nisus.

They are the following: 

	-Spanish
	-French
	-Italian
	-German
	-US Medical
	-US Legal
	-British Medical
	-British Legal

	Each dictionary currently (10/19/89) cost $30 dollars (US).

I have been told by someone who has used the French dictionary that the
spelling checker will catch most words that are missing accents
and offer the correctly accented word as a replacement. I
have found this to be true for the Spanish dictionary as well.

Paragon Concepts, Inc. licenses Proximity / Merriam-Webster Linguibase
for the dictionary technology used in Nisus.  The spelling checker
incorporates a phonetically based algorithm that
will find more appropriate and a greater number of alternatives than an
algorithm that does not do phonetic matches. (Can you tell I'm a
programmer yet?) In practice I have observed that the correct spelling 
of a word will almost always be in the top three alternate spellings.
The spelling checker also flags other minor gramatical errors,
like forgetting to capitalize the first word of a sentence or entering the
same word twice in a row.

The interface for the spelling checker is also pretty nice.
When a misspelled word is found the alternate spellings are immediately
fetched. In addition to the common options for handling misspelled words
there are replace all and skip all buttons. And finally, command key
equivalents appear as soon as you press the command (clover) modifier,
allowing you to select the dialog buttons or check boxes
directly from the keyboard. (Most all dialogs in Nisus have such command
key equivalents for their buttons and check boxes.)

If you have any questions give Paragon's tech. support a call.  619-481-1477.

-jOn

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The preceding posting, with all of its truths or otherwise, is do
entirely to my mischievous undertakings and has nothing whatsoever to do with
Paragon Concepts, Inc.
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