"Every time I fire a linguist, the performance of our speech recognition system goes up."

[trochee]

Higgledy piggledy:
Frederick Jelinek,
speech recognition
director of note's

reputation for cranky
is likely deserving
at least among linguists
by anecdote.

the audience for this is probably very very small.

ETA: (15 Sep 2010): Frederick Jelinek has passed away; his curmudgeonry will be missed in our community.

Comments

[q-pheevr.livejournal.com]

Speed dreck ignition: burn shit faster!

[marnanel.livejournal.com]

I like it. Don't you have to have a six-syllable word as one of the lines, though?

[trochee.livejournal.com]

strictly speaking, yes, I discovered.

I think "speech recognition" could be treated as a single word but it's strictly five syllables. (the rhythm works because "director" begins with a weak syllable). Metrically, probably:

Higgledy piggledy:
Frederick Jelinek,
speech recognition di-
rector of note's 

(repu-)tation for cranky is
likely deserving at
least among linguists [-]
by anecdote.

[boobirdsfly.livejournal.com]

Um... Recognition is four syllables if I transcribe it in ipa....

[trochee.livejournal.com]

yes, and "speech recognition" is five syllables -- still not a six syllable word, so I'm technically not Doing Double Dactyl Right, even if you treat "speech-recognition" as a single word.