LINGUIST List 2.779

Tue 12 Nov 1991

Disc: Grammar Checkers

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Henry Kucera, Re: 2.765 Queries: Text-to-Speech, Grammar Checkers

Message 1: Re: 2.765 Queries: Text-to-Speech, Grammar Checkers

Date: Thu, 07 Nov 91 10:37:39 EST
From: Henry Kucera <HENRYbrownvm.brown.edu>
Subject: Re: 2.765 Queries: Text-to-Speech, Grammar Checkers
This is some information re query about grammar checkers. There are at least three such products available for personal computers (aside from one program that runs on Digital's VAX software). All three are sold both for the DOS and the Macintosh platforms. I have tested them all but since I am primarily a Mac person, I will reproduce here for you the ranking that they have received from MacUser, a leading magazine in the US. The highest ranking by a whole "grade" (4 and a half "mouse" rating) is for Correct Grammar (Lifetree Software, 33 New Montgomery St. San Francisco, CA 94105) Official cost is $99.- but I have seen it for less in the discount outlets. Next is Grammatik Mac, 3 and half mouse rating (Reference Sotware, 330 Townsend St., San Francisco, CA 94107.) Listed at $99.- but definitely greatly discounted lately. Last is RightWriter, 3 mouse ranking (QUE Software, 11711 N. College Ave., Carmel, IN 46032); I have seen it advertized for as little as $49.. All of them are for English (American Englihs primarily although Correct Grammar is said to have a British version; I haven't seen it). All highlight errors, supposedly both grammatical (syntactic) and "stylistic", and all make an attempt to suggest a correction, although it is sometimes vague ("rewrite this sentence"). One major difference is how many truly syntactic errors they can catch and correct (which requires a sophisticatd parser) and how much they focus on "style" (which is usually little more than a list of cliches and easy to implement). In my view, a product that is predominatly a "style" checker can be rather annoying since it tends to send inappropriate messages. All work with major word processors, although only Correct Grammar is reasonably integrated with most of them. Genrally, the MacUser's ranking reflects the degree of the parser's sophistication as well as the friendliness of the interface. I hesitate to give you my personal ranking because I was direclty involved in the development of a prototype that eventually became part of Correct Grammar and it would be unfair to criticize the other products. That's why I am giving you the MacUser ranking. I can assure you, however, of three experiences in response to your query: A grammar checker MUST include a good effort to suggest corrections. If it does not or is not specific enough, the average user (not a linguist) gets terribly frustrated. Second: Keep the "style" feature reasonable and allow some supposed "style sins" (e.g. passive voice) to be turned off by the user; overflagging here is VERY annoying. And third: A Grammar checker should have, as its first routine, a very good spelling checker. Only the highest ranked of the above three does. Hope this helps. One final bit of information: Microsoft has announced two weeks ago a new version of WORD for Windows which will include a more advanced version of the product underlying Correct Grammar. The Mac version is on the way, I am told. Please keep me posted about your progress. Regards, Henry Kucera

Message 2: Grammar checkers

Date: Thu, 7 Nov 1991 15:50 EST
From: Herb Stahlke <00HFSTAHLKELEO.BSUVC.BSU.EDU>
Subject: Grammar checkers
A recent, i.e., sometime in the last month, issue of _PC Magazine_ had an extensive survey and product comparison of a number of PC and Mac grammar checkers. They included information on their testing protocols as well as on approaches to grammar checking. Herb Stahlke Ball State University

Message 3: GRAMMAR CHECKER

Date: Tue, 12 Nov 91 07:06 EST
From: CHARLES LAUGHLIN <CHARLES_LAUGHLINcarleton.ca>
Subject: GRAMMAR CHECKER
RE: GRAMMAR CHECKER I just purchased an English grammar checker, but have yet to use it, so I can't evaluate it yet. But it is the KEY GRAMMAR CHECKER put out by Softkey Software Products, Inc., 21602 North Third Avenue, Phoenix, AR 85027, Ph: (416)602-5500, Fax: (416)602-0239. This one is for IBM PC, XT, AT, PS/1, PS/2 and compatibles. It requires a minimum of 512K, DOS 2.0 or higher. One advantage of this program is that it is kind of "no name" and cheap. Hope this helps. Charles Laughlin Charles Laughlin <CHARLESLCARLETON.CA>