Class: Lafcadio::English

Inherits:
Object
  • Object
show all
Defined in:
lib/lafcadio/util/English.rb

Overview

A collection of English-language specific utility methods.

Class Method Summary collapse

Class Method Details

.camelCaseToEnglish(camelCaseStr) ⇒ Object

Turns a camel-case string (“camelCaseToEnglish”) to plain English (“camel case to english”). Each word is decapitalized.



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# File 'lib/lafcadio/util/English.rb', line 6

def English.camelCaseToEnglish(camelCaseStr)
	words = []
	nextCapIndex =(camelCaseStr =~ /[A-Z]/)
	while nextCapIndex != nil
		words << $` if $`.size > 0
		camelCaseStr = $& + $'
		camelCaseStr[0] = camelCaseStr[0..0].downcase
		nextCapIndex =(camelCaseStr =~ /[A-Z]/)
	end
	words << camelCaseStr
	words.join ' '
end

.englishToCamelCase(englishStr) ⇒ Object

Turns an English language string into camel case.



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# File 'lib/lafcadio/util/English.rb', line 108

def English.englishToCamelCase(englishStr)
	cc = ""
	englishStr.split.each { |word|
		word = word.capitalize unless cc == ''
		cc = cc += word
	}
	cc
end

.plural(singular) ⇒ Object

Given a singular noun, returns the plural form.



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# File 'lib/lafcadio/util/English.rb', line 60

def English.plural(singular)
	consonantYPattern = Regexp.new("([^aeiou])y$", Regexp::IGNORECASE)
	if singular =~ consonantYPattern
		singular.gsub consonantYPattern, '\1ies'
	elsif singular =~ /[xs]$/
		singular + "es"
	else
		singular + "s"
	end
end

.properNoun(string) ⇒ Object

Returns the proper noun form of a string by capitalizing most of the words.

Examples:

English.properNoun("bosnia and herzegovina") ->
  "Bosnia and Herzegovina"
English.properNoun("macedonia, the former yugoslav republic of") ->
  "Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of"
English.properNoun("virgin islands, u.s.") ->
  "Virgin Islands, U.S."



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# File 'lib/lafcadio/util/English.rb', line 81

def English.properNoun(string)
	properNoun = ""
	while(matchIndex = string =~ /[\. ]/)
		word = string[0..matchIndex-1]
		word = word.capitalize unless [ 'and', 'the', 'of' ].index(word) != nil
		properNoun += word + $&
		string = string[matchIndex+1..string.length]
	end
	word = string
	word = word.capitalize unless [ 'and', 'the', 'of' ].index(word) != nil
	properNoun += word
	properNoun
end

.sentence(format, name, number = 1) ⇒ Object

Given a format for a template sentence, generates the sentence while accounting for details such as pluralization and whether to use “a” or “an”.

format

The format string. Format codes are:

  • %num: Number

  • %is: Transitive verb. This will be turned into “is” or “are”, depending on number.

  • %nam: Name. This will be rendered as either singular or plural, depending on number.

  • %a: Indefinite article. This will be turned into “a” or “an”, depending on name.

name

The name of the object being described.

number

The number of the objects being describes.

Examples:

English.sentence("There %is currently %num %nam", "product category",
                     0) -> "There are currently 0 product categories"
English.sentence("There %is currently %num %nam", "product category",
                     1) -> "There is currently 1 product category"
English.sentence("Add %a %nam", "invoice") -> "Add an invoice"



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# File 'lib/lafcadio/util/English.rb', line 39

def English.sentence(format, name, number = 1)
	sentence = format
	sentence.gsub!( /%num/, number.to_s )
	isVerb = number == 1 ? "is" : "are"
	sentence.gsub!( /%is/, isVerb )
	name = English.plural name if number != 1
	sentence.gsub!( /%nam/, name )
	article = startsWithVowelSound(name) ? 'an' : 'a'
	sentence.gsub!( /%a/, article )
	sentence
end

.singular(plural) ⇒ Object

Given a noun in plural form, returns its singular version.



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# File 'lib/lafcadio/util/English.rb', line 96

def English.singular(plural)
	if plural =~ /(.*)ies/
		$1 + 'y'
	elsif plural =~ /(.*s)es/
		$1
	else
		plural =~ /(.*)s/
		$1
	end
end

.startsWithVowelSound(word) ⇒ Object

Does this word start with a vowel sound? “User” and “usury” don’t, but “ugly” does.



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# File 'lib/lafcadio/util/English.rb', line 53

def English.startsWithVowelSound(word)
	uSomethingUMatch = word =~ /^u[^aeiuo][aeiou]/
			# 'user' and 'usury' don't start with a vowel sound
	word =~ /^[aeiou]/ && !uSomethingUMatch
end