In this paper I will show how it is possible to compute the type/token ratio of a text by using the programming language Perl. First of all an overview about the topic will be given, including the definition of both the terms type and token and how they are used in the context of this program. Then I will explain how the program works and give further rationale for its shortcomings. Although the program is rather simple, some knowledge of the programming language Perl will be needed for the respective parts in this paper. Then I will proceed to do a short analysis of different texts and their respective type/token ratios. These texts were taken from the British National Corpus and Project Gutenberg. The results will show the need for a different measure of lexical density. One example of such a measure is the mean type/token ratio which I will go into shortly. In the Conclusion there will be a short critique of the expressiveness of type/token ratios as well as a short overview about current research on this topic.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Type/token ratios
- Types and tokens
- Type/token ratio
- The Program
- Computing the type/token ratio
- Demonstration
- Mean type/token ratios
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper explores the computation of type/token ratios in text analysis using the Perl programming language. It begins with a comprehensive explanation of types and tokens and their relevance in the context of this program. The paper then details the functionality of the program, highlighting its limitations and requiring some knowledge of the Perl language. Finally, the paper examines the type/token ratios of various texts from the British National Corpus and Project Gutenberg, revealing the need for a different measure of lexical density – the mean type/token ratio.
- Type/token ratio computation
- Lexical density analysis
- Mean type/token ratio as a measure of lexical density
- Limitations of the program and type/token ratios
- Current research on type/token ratios
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: Introduces the topic of type/token ratio calculation using Perl, providing an overview of the paper's structure and research objectives.
- Type/token ratios: Defines the terms "type" and "token" in the context of the program, emphasizing their practical application for text analysis. Discusses the concept of type/token ratio and its significance for measuring lexical diversity.
- The Program: Explains the functionality of the Perl program "type-token-ratio.pl" for calculating type/token ratios, detailing its code and execution process.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The paper centers on the analysis of type/token ratios in text analysis, utilizing the Perl programming language. Key concepts include type, token, lexical density, mean type/token ratio, text analysis, and computational linguistics.
- Quote paper
- Jörn Piontek (Author), 2008, (Mean) type/token ratios, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/168529
