Microsoft Word Autocorrect Database

Question

Hi everyone, 

This isn't a technical question, I am just looking for some information. I am working on a research project that investigates the databases used for autocorrect functions and was wondering if there is any publicly available list of the database used for Microsoft Word. I would like to find out where Microsoft gets the words that they use in autocorrect from, how they select the scope of the autocorrect function, and what names are recognized within autocorrect. 

Please let me know if you have any insight as to any of these questions, I'd greatly appreciate it!

Answer 1

The AutoCorrect2007 utility just lets you create a document containing all the entries currently in your AutoCorrect list -- both those that come with the program at installation and those you add later. It won't tell you much about where Microsoft's entries come from.

During development and beta testing, employees and volunteers type a lot of text, and testing software examines the results for common errors such as transposed letters and exchanges of nearby letters on the keyboard. The most common such errors are added to the standard AutoCorrect list. I don't know whether Microsoft maintains or consults any "database" other than that list.

I don't know what you mean by the "scope of the AutoCorrect function". Every time you type a space or punctuation character in an Office program, the code examines the "word" to its left. If that equals an entry in the AutoCorrect list, the replacement is made.

The recognition of names is not part of the AutoCorrect feature. Instead, a selection of common names are included in the main dictionary of the Spelling feature. You can add other names to your Custom dictionary.

Answer 2

Autocorrect is a LOT MORE than "merely a correction of a word you are trying to write but forget the spelling or never knew how to spell it to even begin with. "  In fact, it is probably NOT what you suggest at all.