"""Split Latin words into a list of syllables, based on a set of Latin
language syllable specifications and the original work of Father Matthew
Spencer in C# and Javascript. Original documentation from Fr. Spencer
is preserved where applicable.
"""
import re
__author__ = ["Luke Hollis <lukehollis@gmail.com>"]
__license__ = "MIT License. See LICENSE."
# nota bene: ui is only a diphthong in the exceptional
# cases below (according to Wheelock's Latin)
LATIN = {
"diphthongs": ["ae", "au", "ei", "eu", "oe"],
"exceptions": {
"huius": ["hui", "us"],
"cuius": ["cui", "us"],
"huic": ["huic"],
"cui": ["cui"],
"hui": ["hui"],
},
# y is treated as a vowel; not native to Latin but useful
# for words borrowed from Greek
"vowels": [
"a",
"e",
"i",
"o",
"u",
"á",
"é",
"í",
"ó",
"ú",
"ā",
"ē",
"ī",
"ō",
"ū",
"æ",
"œ",
"ǽ", # no accented œ in unicode?
"y",
],
"mute_consonants_and_f": ["b", "c", "d", "g", "p", "t", "f"],
"liquid_consonants": ["l", "r"],
"prefixes": [
"a",
"ab",
"abs",
"ad",
"ac",
"amb",
"ambi",
"ante",
"circum",
"co",
"con",
"com",
"contra",
"counter",
"de",
"dis",
"di",
"dif",
"e",
"ex",
"ef",
"extra",
"extro",
"in",
"en",
"infra",
"inter",
"intro",
"juxta",
"ne",
"non",
"ob",
"per",
"post",
"prae",
"pre",
"preter",
"pro",
"quasi",
"re",
"red",
"retro",
"se",
"sed",
"sin",
"sine",
"sub",
"subter",
"super",
"sur",
"supra",
"trans",
"tra",
"tran",
"ultra",
"outr",
],
"single_syllable_prefixes": ["in", "ex", "ob"],
}
[docs]def _is_consonant(char: str) -> bool:
"""Checks if char is in the list of vowels in the language"""
return char not in LATIN["vowels"]
[docs]def _is_vowel(char: str) -> bool:
"""Checks if char is in the list of vowels in the language"""
return char in LATIN["vowels"]
[docs]def _is_diphthong(char_1: str, char_2: str) -> bool:
"""Checks if two sequential characters compose a diphthong"""
return char_1 + char_2 in LATIN["diphthongs"]
[docs]def _is_mute_consonant_or_f(char: str) -> bool:
"""Checks if char is in the mute_consonants_and_f list"""
return char in LATIN["mute_consonants_and_f"]
[docs]def _is_liquid_consonant(char: str) -> bool:
"""Checks if char is in the mute_consonants_and_f list"""
return char in LATIN["liquid_consonants"]
[docs]def syllabify(word: str) -> list[str]:
"""
Splits input Latin word into a list of syllables
>>> syllabify('sidere')
['si', 'de', 're']
"""
prefixes = LATIN["single_syllable_prefixes"]
prefixes.sort(key=len, reverse=True)
# Check if word is in exception dictionary
if word in LATIN["exceptions"]:
syllables = LATIN["exceptions"][word]
# Else, break down syllables for word
else:
syllables = []
# Remove prefixes
for prefix in prefixes:
if word.startswith(prefix):
syllables.append(prefix)
word = re.sub("^%s" % prefix, "", word)
break
# Initialize syllable to build by iterating through over characters
syllable = ""
# Get word length for determining character position in word
word_len = len(word)
# Iterate over characters to build syllables
for i, char in enumerate(word):
# Build syllable
syllable = syllable + char
syllable_complete = False
# Checks to process syllable logic
char_is_vowel = _is_vowel(char)
has_next_char = i < word_len - 1
has_prev_char = i > 0
# If it's the end of the word, the syllable is complete
if not has_next_char:
syllable_complete = True
else:
next_char = word[i + 1]
if has_prev_char:
prev_char = word[i - 1]
# 'i' is a special case for a vowel. when i is at the
# beginning of the word (Iesu) or i is between
# vowels (alleluia), then the i is treated as a
# consonant (y) Note: what about compounds like 'adiungere'
if char == "i" and has_next_char and _is_vowel(next_char):
if i == 0:
char_is_vowel = False
elif _is_vowel(prev_char):
char_is_vowel = False
# Determine if the syllable is complete
if char_is_vowel:
if ( # If the next character's a vowel
_is_vowel(
next_char
) # And it doesn't compose a dipthong with the current character
and not _is_diphthong(
char, next_char
) # And the current character isn't preceded by a q, unless followed by a u
and not (
has_prev_char
and prev_char == "q"
and char == "u"
and next_char != "u"
)
) or (
# If the next character's a consonant
# but not a double consonant,
# unless it's a mute consonant followed
# by a liquid consonant
i < word_len - 2
and (
(
(
has_prev_char
and prev_char != "q"
and char == "u"
and _is_vowel(word[i + 2])
)
or (
not has_prev_char
and char == "u"
and _is_vowel(word[i + 2])
)
)
or (
char != "u"
and _is_vowel(word[i + 2])
and not _is_diphthong(char, next_char)
)
or (
_is_mute_consonant_or_f(next_char)
and _is_liquid_consonant(word[i + 2])
)
)
):
syllable_complete = True
# Otherwise, it's a consonant
else:
if ( # If the next character's also a consonant (but it's not the last in the word)
(
not _is_vowel(next_char) and i < word_len - 2
) # If the char's not a mute consonant followed by a liquid consonant
and not (
_is_mute_consonant_or_f(char)
and _is_liquid_consonant(next_char)
) # If the char's not a c, p, or t followed by an h
and not (
(
has_prev_char
and not _is_vowel(prev_char)
and char in ["c", "p", "t"]
and next_char == "h"
)
or (
not has_prev_char
and char in ["c", "p", "t"]
and next_char == "h"
)
) # And it's not the only letter in the syllable
and not len(syllable) == 1
):
syllable_complete = True
# If it's a complete syllable, append it to syllables list and reset syllable
if syllable_complete:
syllables.append(syllable)
syllable = ""
return syllables