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Finding Japanese flatmates with Ruby

Andrew Grimm25 March 2015アンドリューグリム２０１５年３月２５日

About me❖ Andrew Grimm

❖ Previously worked as a bioinformatician (analysing biological data using IT)

Background

❖ Learning Japanese since 2011

❖ Want to find Japanese flatmates

Alternative approaches

❖ Japanese-language classifieds (Nichigo press, JAMS TV)

❖ Just searching for “Japanese” in flatshare ads

Main approach

❖ Download flatshare ads on Gumtree for Sydney area

❖ Check if any words match Japanese names

name.japanese?

Wikipedia

❖ Tried using the names of articles in Japan-related categories

❖ Results were too messy

ENAMDICT❖ Dictionary of Japanese and non-Japanese names in

Japanese

Kanji漢字

Hiraganaひらがな

English translation英語

No kanji Katakanaカタカナ

English translation英語

ENAMDICT XML

Difficulties

❖ No frequency data

❖ How often is a word used as a Japanese name?

❖ How often is a word used as a non-Japanese name?

❖ How often is it used as an ordinary word in English?

Example messy results

❖ “Large modern bathroom with japanese bathtub and shower in the apartment.”

❖ Indian, Bangladeshi, Italian people with Japanese-looking names

❖ People looking for Japanese flatmates

❖ “Machine” is a Japanese name

Medline❖ Database of scientific papers

Advantages of Medline

❖ Should help with frequency data

❖ Can look at which names co-occur

❖ Look at author affiliation

Medline XML