Generating profiles of words

1. A method of generating a profile of a word, the method comprising:

receiving the word including at least one phoneme;

determining the at least one phoneme in the word;

selecting at least one characteristic for each of the determined at least one phoneme in the word using a dictionary of sound symbolism rules;

generating the profile of the word by combining all of the selected at least one characteristic for the at least one phoneme;

receiving language information for the word;

evaluating the profile of the word and the language information to produce a first scale; and

generating an estimate of whether the word would be received negatively in various languages, countries, and cultures using the first scale.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting at least one characteristic for each of the determined at least one phoneme in the word comprises determining a position of said each phoneme within a scale of phonemes for said each characteristic.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein combining all of the selected at least one characteristic for the at least one phoneme comprises:

scaling each of the at least one characteristic into a value; and

averaging the value of all of the selected at least one characteristic for the at least one phoneme.

4. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the word is a string of text, and

wherein evaluating the profile of the word comprises determining a tone of the string of text.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein evaluating the profile of the word comprises providing a profile of portions of the word over time.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein providing a profile of portions of the word over time comprises providing which parts of the word address a topic using a second scale on a linear graph of the word.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each characteristic of the selected at least one characteristic includes a position of said each phoneme in an ordered list of phonemes for said each characteristic.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the word is a name for a character, creature, or item in a computer game.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the profile of the word is a characteristic that is suggestive of the name for the character, creature, or item in the computer game.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for generating a profile of a word, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

receive the word including at least one phoneme;

determine the at least one phoneme in the word;

select at least one characteristic for each of the determined at least one phoneme in the word using a dictionary of sound symbolism rules;

generate the profile of the word by combining all of the selected at least one characteristic for the at least one phoneme;

receive language information for the word;

evaluate the profile of the word and the language information to produce a first scale; and

generate an estimate of whether the word would be received negatively in various languages, countries, and cultures using the first scale.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the word is a name for a character, creature, or item in a computer game.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the profile of the word is a characteristic that is suggestive of the name for the character, creature, or item in the computer game.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein executable instructions that cause a computer to evaluate the profile of the word comprises executable instructions that cause a computer to provide a profile of portions of the word over time.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein executable instructions that cause a computer to provide a profile of portions of the word over time comprises executable instructions that cause a computer to provide which parts of the word address a topic using a second scale on a linear graph of the word.