Work

Use Wolfram Alpha As A Writing Tool

By Kevin Purdy on July 30, 2009 at 11:00 PM

Wolfram Alpha, the “computational knowledge engine” that’s steadily updating, has a good but hidden use as a word and language tool for use while writing. In other words, it can be a smart and snappy thesaurus/dictionary/translator/anagram tool.

Wolfram Alpha’s own blog toots its own language skills horn a bit, but for good reason. If you’ve ever been stuck trying to fill out a trio of words ending in “ation,” looking for the transliteration of a foreign script, finding proper pronunciation or hyphenation, or other nerdy word tasks, Wolfram Alpha can often pull off the job with a few key words. Enter word before your term to get an overview of what Wolfram knows about a phrase, or words starting with or words ending with to fit a certain phrase into your text.

Hit the link for a full read on what Wolfram can do with words, and tell us your own web word tools and tricks in the comments.

Wolfram|Alpha’s Got the “Write” Stuff [Wolfram|Alpha Blog via ResourceShelf]

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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)

  • johnlgalt
    July 31, 2009 at 4:44 AM

    @josdigital:

    SO *that's* how "Weird Al" Yankovic made "White&Nerdy"....

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_&_Nerdy

  • Akevitt
    July 31, 2009 at 3:03 AM

    @JLobo: Apparently "lozenge" is a rhyme for "orange": http://www88.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=word+orange

  • se7a7n7
    July 31, 2009 at 2:31 AM

    @JLobo:

  • jplank
    July 31, 2009 at 2:14 AM

    http://www91.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=words+ending+in+gry

    I guess there really are only two

    jplank

  • AtomFury
    July 31, 2009 at 1:07 AM

    @JLobo:
    http://www08.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=words+ending+in+orange

    Disappointment. RIGHT THERE!!!! :*(

    AtomFury

  • josdigital
    July 31, 2009 at 1:01 AM

    wow, now i can write all my 16 bars nerdcore rhymes with ease, thanks wolfram
    /s

  • Intelext
    July 31, 2009 at 12:56 AM

    About time wolfram alpha was "advertised", its helped me a shitload in my calc classes and shows step by step how to do stuff.

    Intelext

  • KaliAcrisius
    July 31, 2009 at 12:41 AM

    The query in the article's picture can be accomplished quite easily on a unix-y system:
    grep "ation$" /usr/share/dict/words

    KaliAcrisius

  • JLobo
    July 31, 2009 at 12:11 AM

    "words that rhyme with orange"

    JLobo

  • jetRink
    July 30, 2009 at 11:59 PM

    Wolfram is the only way I can complete a cryptic crossword. How people do those without cheating is beyond me.

    jetRink

  • daddydave
    July 30, 2009 at 11:57 PM

    @daddydave:

    Sorry the crosswords link there doesn't work. Forget that one.

  • daddydave
    July 30, 2009 at 11:28 PM

    Internet Anagram Server ftw. It's been around forever and hasn't aged a bit. Hey, links are working now! Thank you.Spoke too soon. Editing the comment killed the link.http://www.wordsmith.org/anagram/

    For dictionary, dictionary.com

    For crosswords if I needed it. http://www.itools.com/lang/

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