SPELL(1)                COMMAND REFERENCE                SPELL(1)



NAME
     spell - find spelling errors

SYNOPSIS
     spell [ -v ] [ -b ] [ -x ] [ filename... ]

DESCRIPTION
     Spell collects words from the named files, and looks them up
     in a spelling list.  Words that neither occur among nor are
     derivable (by applying certain inflections, prefixes, or
     suffixes) from words in the spelling list are printed on the
     standard output.  If no files are named, words are collected
     from the standard input.

     Spell ignores most tbl(1), neqn(1) constructions.

     Under the -v option, all words not literally in the spelling
     list are printed, and plausible derivations from spelling
     list words are indicated.

     Under the -b option, British spelling is checked.  Besides
     preferring centre, colour, speciality, travelled, and so
     forth, this option insists upon -ise in words like
     standardise, with Fowler and the OED to the contrary
     notwithstanding.

     Under the -x option, every plausible stem is printed with an
     equal sign (=) for each word.

     The spelling list is based on many sources, and while more
     haphazard than an ordinary dictionary, is also more
     effective in respect to proper names and popular technical
     words.  Coverage of the specialized vocabularies of biology,
     medicine, and chemistry is light.

     The stop list filters out misspellings (for example,
     thier=thy-y+ier) that would otherwise pass.

OPTIONS
     -b British spelling is checked.

     -v All words not literally in the spelling list are printed,
        and plausible derivations from spelling list words are
        indicated.

     -x Every plausible stem is printed with an equal sign (=)
        for each word.

EXAMPLES
     The following example will print any words in the file
     report not found (or derivable from) the spelling list:




Printed 4/6/89                                                  1

SPELL(1)                COMMAND REFERENCE                SPELL(1)



          spell report

FILES
     /usr/dict/hlista
                  Hashed spelling, American

     /usr/dict/hlistb
                  Hashed spelling, British

     /usr/dict/hstop
                  Hashed stop list

     /usr/dict/words
                  Unhashed spelling list

     /usr/lib/spell
                  Hashed list search program

RETURN VALUE
     [NO_ERRS]      Command completed without error.

     [P_ERR]        A system error occurred. Execution
                    terminated.  See intro(2) for more
                    information on system errors.

CAVEATS
     The spelling list's coverage is uneven; new installations
     will probably wish to monitor the output for several months
     to gather local additions.

     British spelling was done by an American.

SEE ALSO
     spellin(1), spellout(1), deroff(1), sort(1), tee(1), sed(1),
     and tbl(1).




















Printed 4/6/89                                                  2

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op:2333,412;
ex:2745,223;3304,24;
fi:3328,497;
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ca:4175,287;
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