Function _count_syllables

pattern/text/en/inflect.py:755–764

Returns the estimated number of syllables in the word by counting vowel-groups.

(word)

SUPERLATIVE = "est"

def _count_syllables(word):
    """ Returns the estimated number of syllables in the word by counting vowel-groups.
    """
    n = 0
    p = False # True if the previous character was a vowel.
    for ch in word.endswith("e") and word[:-1] or word:
        v = ch in VOWELS
        n += int(v and not p)
        p = v
    return n

def grade(adjective, suffix=COMPARATIVE):
    """ Returns the comparative or superlative form of the given adjective.