Dwarf Fortress Bug Tracker - Dwarf Fortress
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IDProjectCategoryView StatusDate SubmittedLast Update
0001759Dwarf FortressTypos/Grammarpublic2010-05-05 07:322011-02-24 10:16
Reportercrossmr 
Assigned To 
PrioritylowSeveritytrivialReproducibilityalways
StatusnewResolutionopen 
PlatformOSOS Version
Product Version 
Target VersionFixed in Version 
Summary0001759: Dwarf has created Taron Merig, a ashen crossbow (should be "an")
Descriptionnothing major, just a text bug. When artifacts are created the string doesn't check to see if what has been created starts with a vowel or not. So it always uses "a" whatever instead of properly using "an" in some situations.
Steps To Reproduce
Additional Information
Tagslanguage
Relationships
related to 0000295new  <Dwarf> has created <Artifact>, *a marble mechanisms* 
Attached Files
Issue History
Date ModifiedUsernameFieldChange
2010-05-05 07:32crossmrNew Issue
2010-05-05 08:47jfsNote Added: 0006170
2010-05-05 08:49jfsTag Attached: language
2010-05-05 09:04FootkerchiefCategoryDwarf Mode -- Artifacts => Typos/Grammar
2011-02-23 13:50Granite26Note Added: 0015433
2011-02-23 16:31FootkerchiefRelationship addedrelated to 0000295
2011-02-23 16:32FootkerchiefSummaryDwarf has created xxx a yyy => Dwarf has created Taron Merig, a ashen crossbow (should be "an")
2011-02-24 10:16InfiltratorNote Added: 0015450

Notes
(0006170)
jfs   
2010-05-05 08:47   
This has been a general minor issue always, I believe.
The difficulty is that "a"/"an" doesn't depend on spelling but on pronunciation, so pronunciation data have to be either generated or supplied for every language the game displays to be able to fix this.
(0015433)
Granite26   
2011-02-23 13:50   
"Taron Merig a ashen crossbow."

I can see how 'h' or 'y' might be problematic but you'd think aeiou could be fixed.
(0015450)
Infiltrator   
2011-02-24 10:16   
Well, 'h' and 'y' depends on your pronunciation. In most cases, I think I'd pronounce them, so I'd take 'a', but I know some people like to ignore initial 'h's and 'y's and throw 'an's in front. Perhaps that could be an option you can set, then.

As for on vowels, I think it's actually checking against the item (crossbow) rather than the entire phrase. Just speculation, though.