This computerized study of the homonyms of elementary words (roughly equivalent to monosyllabic words) has allowed the compilation of exhaustive lists of homonym sets, using phonetic transcriptions from five different dictionaries. Of the 5,757 elementary words, 2,966 were involved in at least one homonym set, indicating that homonyms will pre-sent a significant problem in mechanized word recognition. The effects on the homonym sets of changing from the phonetic transcription of one dictionary to another were tabulated, as were the effects of removing dialectal pronunciations. Since the effects of dialectal variations turned out to be relatively small, it was possible to categorize and list for study the actual words whose dialectal pronunciations caused homonym-type confusion with other words.

The economics of storing, organizing, and interrogating the ever-increasing data bases that computer users have to deal with dictates the use of large computers located alongside tape libraries that store the data. Such computers and libraries will necessarily serve a large population of widely scattered users. Moreover, many of the users may not be trained as computer programmers and their interests may not lie in the area of techniques of man-machine communications. Such an increase in the number of users, in the diversity of the users' backgrounds, and in the physical separation between the users and computers introduces severe inconveniences. Several methods interrogating computers from remote locations, such as teletype installations, video displays, or other “remote consoles” are now available for reducing the adverse effects of physical separation between the users and their computers.