Advice for all Katas:
- Try not to read ahead.
- Do one task at a time (the trick is to learn to work incrementally).
- Always use TDD if the Kata is suitable for.
Diphthong and Hiatus
Base data and Definitions
- Strong (open): a, e, o
- Weak (close): i, u
E1: Create a DiphthongFinder class with a method boolean analyseWord(string word); use the DF-1 to test your code. If you pass the word “caotico” and “aurora” it must output true.
- Two different vowels of the same type (refer to this type as homogeneous)
- One weak (close) vowel and one open (strong) vowel (refer to this type as heterogeneous)
- Falling: Strong first Weak second
- Raising: Weak first Strong second
E2: Modify your code to distinguish between Homogeneous and Heterogeneous diphthongs; extract words fromDF-1, DF-2, and DF-3 to conform your test cases. If you pass the words “triunfo” and “coagular” it must output Homogeneous. If you pass the word “hielo” it must output Heterogeneous.
E3: Modify your code to distinguish between Heterogeneous diphthongs (Falling and Raising); extract words from DF-1, DF-2, and DF-3 to conform your test cases. If you pass the word “harapiento” it must output Raising. If you pass the word “país” it must output Falling.
Extended Definition and the Acute Accent ( ´ )
E4: Now the DiphthongFinder.analyseWord(string word) must indicate that the word “caotico” is not a Diphthong (because ‘a’ and ‘o’ are both Strong or Open). The word “aurora” is a truly Diphthong but not and Homogeneous one. The word “triunfo” is an Homogeneous Diphthong because it has two weak vowels.
E5: Now if you pass the word “país” instead of returning Falling, it must indicates that this word is not a Diphthong because the weak vowel (i) has the acute (í), becoming a strong one; so we have two strong vowels.
Hiatus: Any word containing two consecutive vowels, but that can’t be considered a Diphthong is an Hiatus. In other words: any word with two consecutive strong vowels, or an strong vowel with a weak one with an acute accent is an Hiatus. According to the RAE (Real Academia Española), two adjacent strong vowels do not conform a Diphthong as they are part of two different syllable.
E6: Extend your code to also identify Hiatuses. Pick words from DF-4 to add more tests.
Do you want some more?
- As the “h” in-between vowels does not produce sound, it does not block Diphthongs formation. The word “ahilar” is an example.
- In Spanish, the “y” at the end of a word has the same sound as the “i”, so it can conform Diphthongs. The words “hoy” and “muy” are two examples. However the “y” at the beginning or middle of a word remains as a consonant and can’t conform a Diphthong.
- An Hiatus Simple is one formed of two different strong vowels.
- An Accentual Hiatus is one formed of one strong vowel and one weak, but accented, one.
