Textual database system using skeletonization and phonetic replacement to retrieve words matching or similar to query words

摘要

An electronic database search system can identify database records having textual expressions that match, or are similar to, an operator- designated search expression. The system features a mechanism for transforming linguistic expressions, e.g., words, into linguistically salient word skeletons. Skeletal modification and suffix stripping features are employed to enhance expression-matching qualities of the word skeletons and to reduce data storage requirements.