[extropy-chat] The Gender Genie - analyzing writing styles

[Damien Broderick]

Stupid goddamned emailer jumped the gun; try again:


----- Original Message -----
From: "Amara Graps" <amara at amara.com>
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2003 8:42 AM

> I ran across this online program that tries to analyze the gender
> of the writer of a writing selection. I am writing quite a lot these
> days, and I was curious about what the "gender genie" would
> calculate for my gender.
>
> http://www.bookblog.net/gender/genie.html
>
> "According to Koppel and Argamon, the algorithm should predict the
> gender of the author approximately 80% of the time."


I ran the first 5000 words of my and Rory Barnes's
female-first-person-narrated novel THE HUNGER OF TIME through the algorithm:

Female Score: 5925
Male Score: 5036

The Gender Genie thinks the author of this passage is: female!

==========

Cool!

So I tried the first 6500 words of THE JUDAS MANDALA, a novel by me alone,
also first-person-female (but one tough cookie):

Female Score: 7519
Male Score: 7679

The Gender Genie thinks the author of this passage is: male!

====

Well... close enough.

Then I tried the opening of THE WHITE ABACUS, much of it narrated by a
purportedly androgynous ai:

Female Score: 4581
Male Score: 5318

The Gender Genie thinks the author of this passage is: male!


======

Hmmm. Fair enough.

So I tried the opening 1700 words of THE BLACK GRAIL, where the narrator is
a tough but reflective sword-wielding hero:

Female Score: 2354
Male Score: 1643

The Gender Genie thinks the author of this passage is: female!

========

Whaaaa--?!

Damien Broderick
www.thespike.us