How to remove accents from text?

Question

I would like to know how I can remove accents from a string. For example, how can I transform "string test áéíóú" into "string test aeiou"? I have to normalize some text to make comparisons, and this would be very helpful.

Answer 1

To remove accents from a string I use this function:

removeAccent[string_] := Module[{accentMap,l1,l2},
    l1 = Characters["ŠŽšžŸÀÁÂÃÄÅÇÈÉÊËÌÍÎÏÐÑÒÓÔÕÖÙÚÛÜÝàáâãäåçèéêëìíîïðñòóôõöùúûüýÿ"];
    l2 = Characters["SZszYAAAAAACEEEEIIIIDNOOOOOUUUUYaaaaaaceeeeiiiidnooooouuuuyy"];
    accentMap = Thread[l1 -> l2];
    StringReplace[string, accentMap]
]  

So, if you apply it as removeAccent["string test áéíóú"]you get: "string test aeiou"

Answer 2

Your own method without extraneous reevaluation:

With[{accentMap =
  Characters /@
    Rule["ŠŽšžŸÀÁÂÃÄÅÇÈÉÊËÌÍÎÏÐÑÒÓÔÕÖÙÚÛÜÝàáâãäåçèéêëìíîïðñòóôõöùúûüýÿ", 
         "SZszYAAAAAACEEEEIIIIDNOOOOOUUUUYaaaaaaceeeeiiiidnooooouuuuyy"] // Thread},

 removeAccent[string_] := StringReplace[string, accentMap]

]

Answer 3

Works nicely:

removeAccent[s_String] := Module[{patt = "(Capital)?([A-Z]{1})([A-Z]\\w*)*", del}, 
 del = Select[Characters[s], StringMatchQ[ToString[FullForm[#]],
                                          RegularExpression[".*\\[" <> patt <> "\\].*"]] &];
 StringReplace[s, Thread[del -> Map[First, StringCases[ToString[FullForm[#]] & /@ del, 
               RegularExpression[patt] :> If["$1" === "", ToLowerCase, Identity]["$2"]]]]]]

Test:

removeAccent["string test áéíóú"]
   "string test aeiou"

removeAccent["Çärîñő Ð Štùrm"]
   "Carino Ð Sturm"