Re: Readability Indexes

[Stephen Victor <svictor -at- LGC -dot- COM>]

> Sheryl Curtis asked whether thereadability index capability of various word
> processors could be used to measure the relative readability of French prose.
> Since these tools use word length (syllable count) and sentence length in
> making their calculations, they can be used with various languages. I'd be
> careful, though, to ensure that my word processor has a hyphenation algorithm
> for whatever language I was using to ensure that the syllable-based word
> length calculations are accurate.


As this respondent points out, these "readability indexes" make use of the
 (rather shaky) premise that syllable counts and sentence length bear some
 relation to "readability." To further extend this notion to the point of
 actually suggesting that these indexes can be used with "various languages"
 (i.e., plugging in any combinations of syllable count and sentence length) --
 without considering the obvious differences in vocabulary, syntax, and grammar
 between English and French -- is utterly absurd.

P.S. - No personal flames intended here; I simply have a high regard for the
 integrity of language and look on mechanical means of improving one's writing
 with a great deal of suspicion. What can these "grammar checkers" provide that
 a competent writer/editor cannot?

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Stephen P. Victor      svictor -at- lgc -dot- com       http://www.cda.ulpgc.es/steve.html
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