Literotica Analysed

[Haulover]

...The book is all about computer counting of word frequency of various authors and then the author's comments on what HE THINKS that reveals. It is a populist book, not a scientific study.
...

Incidentally - it was exactly this technology that "outed" J.K. Rowling as being "Robert Galbraith".

The technology suggested that Galbraith was actually Rowling, and when faced with it, she confessed...

 

[oggbashan]

Incidentally - it was exactly this technology that "outed" J.K. Rowling as being "Robert Galbraith".

The technology suggested that Galbraith was actually Rowling, and when faced with it, she confessed...

For me the frequency of certain words e.g. 'realise', 'then' and 'but' would show that oggbashan and jeanne_d_artois are the same even though I know I overuse them and try to avoid them.

 

[OliviaM]

Incidentally - it was exactly this technology that "outed" J.K. Rowling as being "Robert Galbraith".

The technology suggested that Galbraith was actually Rowling, and when faced with it, she confessed...

I thought it was a leaked by a solicitor who couldn't keep his mouth shut?

 

[YDB95]

Given how many of us don't list our locations, I wonder how could he even tell what was from where?

 

[Bramblethorn]

I thought it was a leaked by a solicitor who couldn't keep his mouth shut?

Bit of both. Per this article, Juola applied text analysis after a tipoff that JKR and Galbraith were the same person, and apparently after somebody pointed out that they had the same agent and editor.

On its own, it's not water-tight evidence. If you took a million different writers and compared them this way, you'd probably find some who had very similar styles, just by chance or because one influenced the other.

But if you already have a good idea who it might be, it certainly can strengthen that evidence.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Given how many of us don't list our locations, I wonder how could he even tell what was from where?

I presume the analysis was only based on those who did list their location. For example, you're apparently in California

 

[HandsInTheDark]

Given how many of us don't list our locations, I wonder how could he even tell what was from where?

By our word choices. Duh.

At a guess he probably discarded any writer where he couldn't figure it out; and the book has been castigated for being fluffy on math, so I wouldn't read too much into his conclusions.

 

[legerdemer]

Given how many of us don't list our locations, I wonder how could he even tell what was from where?

I imagine another way to get an indication is by the spelling of certain words, such as color vs colour (although British/ Canadian/Australian/NZ spelling may often overlap). Still not perfect.

Me, I'm a sea creature.

 

[oggbashan]

JBJ/NOIRTRASH - You've stopped taking your medication, haven't you?

 

[YDB95]

I presume the analysis was only based on those who did list their location. For example, you're apparently in California

Nope. If you don't get the allusion, Google it.

 

[Handley_Page]

Unless you're coming off a steamer from Lake Erie, in which case it would be shorter to hang a left from Cleveland.

If you hang a left after Cleveland, you'll be heading towards Scotland.

 

[Hypoxia]

If you hang a left after Cleveland, you'll be heading towards Scotland.

"I want to be rich enough to buy Scotland."

"Huh? Scotland? Why the fuck do you want to own Scotland? What would you do with it?"

"Oh, I don't really want to *own* the lousy place. I'd just like to have that much money. It should be more than enough to buy Bermuda."

 

[sr71plt]

If you hang a left after Cleveland, you'll be heading towards Scotland.

Not from here. Hanging a left would get me to West Virginia and a right would get me to Spain (which isn't a bad idea). However, I'd certainly take the Scotland turn--I've been to both Cleveland and Scotland.

 

[The_Fool]

Not from here. Hanging a left would get me to West Virginia and a right would get me to Spain (which isn't a bad idea). However, I'd certainly take the Scotland turn--I've been to both Cleveland and Scotland.

Other than going to "Lola's," drawing a blank on anything fun to do in Cleveland.

 

[Desiremakesmeweak]

Seriously, this is why the world of the past is already dead but the undertakers haven't taken the carcass out yet.

This idiot, has supposedly 'written' a big data 'book' where kiddie maths is being used to arrive at conclusions no one gives a fuck about. 'word' + 'data' = 'conclusion.'

Meanwhile, without advertising ANYWHERE, and without rude and arrogant push-marketing through over-priced rental shopping malls - somehow, half a million people have read my stories, and come back to read more, and I'm one of the LEAST popular writers here.