anify

template.py

import re
from django import template
from django.utils.encoding import force_unicode
from django.template.defaultfilters import stringfilter

CONSONANT_SOUND = re.compile(r'''
one(![ir])
''', re.IGNORECASE | re.VERBOSE)
VOWEL_SOUND = re.compile(r'''
[aeio]|
u([aeiou]|[^n][^aeiou]|ni[^dmnl]|nil[^l])|
h(ier|onest|onou?r|ors\b|our(!i))|
[fhlmnrsx]\b
''', re.IGNORECASE | re.VERBOSE)

register = template.Library()


@register.filter
@stringfilter
def anify(text):
    """
    Guess "a" vs "an" based on the phonetic value of the text.
    "An" is used for the following words / derivatives with an unsounded "h":
    heir, honest, hono[u]r, hors (d'oeuvre), hour
    "An" is used for single consonant letters which start with a vowel sound.
    "A" is used for appropriate words starting with "one".
    An attempt is made to guess whether "u" makes the same sound as "y" in
    "you".
    """
    text = str(text.encode('utf-8'))
    text = force_unicode(text)
    if not CONSONANT_SOUND.match(text) and VOWEL_SOUND.match(text):
        return 'n'
    return ''