55

I need to turn a list of last names into alphanumeric usernames, however unfortunately some of them contain non-ascii characters:

Hernández
Quermançós 
Migueláñez

Now one way would just to use a regex to remove any non-alpha numeric characters such as a.replace(/[^a-z0-9]/gi,''). However a more intuitive solution (at least for the user) would be to replace accented characters with their "plain" equivalent, e.g. turn á, á into a, and ç into c, etc. Is there an easy way to do this in javascript?

Jeroen Ooms
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  • I think the easiest way is to store an array that represents mapping non-ascii to ascii and then substitute. – Alma Do Aug 08 '13 at 10:23
  • @Eugene a dictionary _Object_ would be a better choice for a string-to-string mapping – Paul S. Aug 08 '13 at 10:24
  • @PaulS. - what do you mean? I've just googled if there are some standard dictionary objects in javascript with no success. Could you please clarify? – Alma Do Aug 08 '13 at 10:28
  • see [this question](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/286921/efficiently-replace-all-accented-characters-in-a-string). – algoni Aug 08 '13 at 10:30
  • @Eugene it's a normal _Object_ which you use as a dictionary (because all keys are strings and properties of objects can be strings), for example the `translate` _Object_ in question linked by algoni, or, closure's answer – Paul S. Aug 08 '13 at 10:46
  • Ah, terminology. Got the point, thanks! – Alma Do Aug 08 '13 at 10:46

3 Answers3

141

The correct terminology for such accents is Diacritics. After Googling this term, I found this function which is part of backbone.paginator. It has a very complete collection of Diacritics and replaces them with their most intuitive ascii character. I found this to be the most complete Javascript solution available today.

The full function for future reference:

function removeDiacritics (str) {

  var defaultDiacriticsRemovalMap = [
    {'base':'A', 'letters':/[\u0041\u24B6\uFF21\u00C0\u00C1\u00C2\u1EA6\u1EA4\u1EAA\u1EA8\u00C3\u0100\u0102\u1EB0\u1EAE\u1EB4\u1EB2\u0226\u01E0\u00C4\u01DE\u1EA2\u00C5\u01FA\u01CD\u0200\u0202\u1EA0\u1EAC\u1EB6\u1E00\u0104\u023A\u2C6F]/g},
    {'base':'AA','letters':/[\uA732]/g},
    {'base':'AE','letters':/[\u00C6\u01FC\u01E2]/g},
    {'base':'AO','letters':/[\uA734]/g},
    {'base':'AU','letters':/[\uA736]/g},
    {'base':'AV','letters':/[\uA738\uA73A]/g},
    {'base':'AY','letters':/[\uA73C]/g},
    {'base':'B', 'letters':/[\u0042\u24B7\uFF22\u1E02\u1E04\u1E06\u0243\u0182\u0181]/g},
    {'base':'C', 'letters':/[\u0043\u24B8\uFF23\u0106\u0108\u010A\u010C\u00C7\u1E08\u0187\u023B\uA73E]/g},
    {'base':'D', 'letters':/[\u0044\u24B9\uFF24\u1E0A\u010E\u1E0C\u1E10\u1E12\u1E0E\u0110\u018B\u018A\u0189\uA779]/g},
    {'base':'DZ','letters':/[\u01F1\u01C4]/g},
    {'base':'Dz','letters':/[\u01F2\u01C5]/g},
    {'base':'E', 'letters':/[\u0045\u24BA\uFF25\u00C8\u00C9\u00CA\u1EC0\u1EBE\u1EC4\u1EC2\u1EBC\u0112\u1E14\u1E16\u0114\u0116\u00CB\u1EBA\u011A\u0204\u0206\u1EB8\u1EC6\u0228\u1E1C\u0118\u1E18\u1E1A\u0190\u018E]/g},
    {'base':'F', 'letters':/[\u0046\u24BB\uFF26\u1E1E\u0191\uA77B]/g},
    {'base':'G', 'letters':/[\u0047\u24BC\uFF27\u01F4\u011C\u1E20\u011E\u0120\u01E6\u0122\u01E4\u0193\uA7A0\uA77D\uA77E]/g},
    {'base':'H', 'letters':/[\u0048\u24BD\uFF28\u0124\u1E22\u1E26\u021E\u1E24\u1E28\u1E2A\u0126\u2C67\u2C75\uA78D]/g},
    {'base':'I', 'letters':/[\u0049\u24BE\uFF29\u00CC\u00CD\u00CE\u0128\u012A\u012C\u0130\u00CF\u1E2E\u1EC8\u01CF\u0208\u020A\u1ECA\u012E\u1E2C\u0197]/g},
    {'base':'J', 'letters':/[\u004A\u24BF\uFF2A\u0134\u0248]/g},
    {'base':'K', 'letters':/[\u004B\u24C0\uFF2B\u1E30\u01E8\u1E32\u0136\u1E34\u0198\u2C69\uA740\uA742\uA744\uA7A2]/g},
    {'base':'L', 'letters':/[\u004C\u24C1\uFF2C\u013F\u0139\u013D\u1E36\u1E38\u013B\u1E3C\u1E3A\u0141\u023D\u2C62\u2C60\uA748\uA746\uA780]/g},
    {'base':'LJ','letters':/[\u01C7]/g},
    {'base':'Lj','letters':/[\u01C8]/g},
    {'base':'M', 'letters':/[\u004D\u24C2\uFF2D\u1E3E\u1E40\u1E42\u2C6E\u019C]/g},
    {'base':'N', 'letters':/[\u004E\u24C3\uFF2E\u01F8\u0143\u00D1\u1E44\u0147\u1E46\u0145\u1E4A\u1E48\u0220\u019D\uA790\uA7A4]/g},
    {'base':'NJ','letters':/[\u01CA]/g},
    {'base':'Nj','letters':/[\u01CB]/g},
    {'base':'O', 'letters':/[\u004F\u24C4\uFF2F\u00D2\u00D3\u00D4\u1ED2\u1ED0\u1ED6\u1ED4\u00D5\u1E4C\u022C\u1E4E\u014C\u1E50\u1E52\u014E\u022E\u0230\u00D6\u022A\u1ECE\u0150\u01D1\u020C\u020E\u01A0\u1EDC\u1EDA\u1EE0\u1EDE\u1EE2\u1ECC\u1ED8\u01EA\u01EC\u00D8\u01FE\u0186\u019F\uA74A\uA74C]/g},
    {'base':'OI','letters':/[\u01A2]/g},
    {'base':'OO','letters':/[\uA74E]/g},
    {'base':'OU','letters':/[\u0222]/g},
    {'base':'P', 'letters':/[\u0050\u24C5\uFF30\u1E54\u1E56\u01A4\u2C63\uA750\uA752\uA754]/g},
    {'base':'Q', 'letters':/[\u0051\u24C6\uFF31\uA756\uA758\u024A]/g},
    {'base':'R', 'letters':/[\u0052\u24C7\uFF32\u0154\u1E58\u0158\u0210\u0212\u1E5A\u1E5C\u0156\u1E5E\u024C\u2C64\uA75A\uA7A6\uA782]/g},
    {'base':'S', 'letters':/[\u0053\u24C8\uFF33\u1E9E\u015A\u1E64\u015C\u1E60\u0160\u1E66\u1E62\u1E68\u0218\u015E\u2C7E\uA7A8\uA784]/g},
    {'base':'T', 'letters':/[\u0054\u24C9\uFF34\u1E6A\u0164\u1E6C\u021A\u0162\u1E70\u1E6E\u0166\u01AC\u01AE\u023E\uA786]/g},
    {'base':'TZ','letters':/[\uA728]/g},
    {'base':'U', 'letters':/[\u0055\u24CA\uFF35\u00D9\u00DA\u00DB\u0168\u1E78\u016A\u1E7A\u016C\u00DC\u01DB\u01D7\u01D5\u01D9\u1EE6\u016E\u0170\u01D3\u0214\u0216\u01AF\u1EEA\u1EE8\u1EEE\u1EEC\u1EF0\u1EE4\u1E72\u0172\u1E76\u1E74\u0244]/g},
    {'base':'V', 'letters':/[\u0056\u24CB\uFF36\u1E7C\u1E7E\u01B2\uA75E\u0245]/g},
    {'base':'VY','letters':/[\uA760]/g},
    {'base':'W', 'letters':/[\u0057\u24CC\uFF37\u1E80\u1E82\u0174\u1E86\u1E84\u1E88\u2C72]/g},
    {'base':'X', 'letters':/[\u0058\u24CD\uFF38\u1E8A\u1E8C]/g},
    {'base':'Y', 'letters':/[\u0059\u24CE\uFF39\u1EF2\u00DD\u0176\u1EF8\u0232\u1E8E\u0178\u1EF6\u1EF4\u01B3\u024E\u1EFE]/g},
    {'base':'Z', 'letters':/[\u005A\u24CF\uFF3A\u0179\u1E90\u017B\u017D\u1E92\u1E94\u01B5\u0224\u2C7F\u2C6B\uA762]/g},
    {'base':'a', 'letters':/[\u0061\u24D0\uFF41\u1E9A\u00E0\u00E1\u00E2\u1EA7\u1EA5\u1EAB\u1EA9\u00E3\u0101\u0103\u1EB1\u1EAF\u1EB5\u1EB3\u0227\u01E1\u00E4\u01DF\u1EA3\u00E5\u01FB\u01CE\u0201\u0203\u1EA1\u1EAD\u1EB7\u1E01\u0105\u2C65\u0250]/g},
    {'base':'aa','letters':/[\uA733]/g},
    {'base':'ae','letters':/[\u00E6\u01FD\u01E3]/g},
    {'base':'ao','letters':/[\uA735]/g},
    {'base':'au','letters':/[\uA737]/g},
    {'base':'av','letters':/[\uA739\uA73B]/g},
    {'base':'ay','letters':/[\uA73D]/g},
    {'base':'b', 'letters':/[\u0062\u24D1\uFF42\u1E03\u1E05\u1E07\u0180\u0183\u0253]/g},
    {'base':'c', 'letters':/[\u0063\u24D2\uFF43\u0107\u0109\u010B\u010D\u00E7\u1E09\u0188\u023C\uA73F\u2184]/g},
    {'base':'d', 'letters':/[\u0064\u24D3\uFF44\u1E0B\u010F\u1E0D\u1E11\u1E13\u1E0F\u0111\u018C\u0256\u0257\uA77A]/g},
    {'base':'dz','letters':/[\u01F3\u01C6]/g},
    {'base':'e', 'letters':/[\u0065\u24D4\uFF45\u00E8\u00E9\u00EA\u1EC1\u1EBF\u1EC5\u1EC3\u1EBD\u0113\u1E15\u1E17\u0115\u0117\u00EB\u1EBB\u011B\u0205\u0207\u1EB9\u1EC7\u0229\u1E1D\u0119\u1E19\u1E1B\u0247\u025B\u01DD]/g},
    {'base':'f', 'letters':/[\u0066\u24D5\uFF46\u1E1F\u0192\uA77C]/g},
    {'base':'g', 'letters':/[\u0067\u24D6\uFF47\u01F5\u011D\u1E21\u011F\u0121\u01E7\u0123\u01E5\u0260\uA7A1\u1D79\uA77F]/g},
    {'base':'h', 'letters':/[\u0068\u24D7\uFF48\u0125\u1E23\u1E27\u021F\u1E25\u1E29\u1E2B\u1E96\u0127\u2C68\u2C76\u0265]/g},
    {'base':'hv','letters':/[\u0195]/g},
    {'base':'i', 'letters':/[\u0069\u24D8\uFF49\u00EC\u00ED\u00EE\u0129\u012B\u012D\u00EF\u1E2F\u1EC9\u01D0\u0209\u020B\u1ECB\u012F\u1E2D\u0268\u0131]/g},
    {'base':'j', 'letters':/[\u006A\u24D9\uFF4A\u0135\u01F0\u0249]/g},
    {'base':'k', 'letters':/[\u006B\u24DA\uFF4B\u1E31\u01E9\u1E33\u0137\u1E35\u0199\u2C6A\uA741\uA743\uA745\uA7A3]/g},
    {'base':'l', 'letters':/[\u006C\u24DB\uFF4C\u0140\u013A\u013E\u1E37\u1E39\u013C\u1E3D\u1E3B\u017F\u0142\u019A\u026B\u2C61\uA749\uA781\uA747]/g},
    {'base':'lj','letters':/[\u01C9]/g},
    {'base':'m', 'letters':/[\u006D\u24DC\uFF4D\u1E3F\u1E41\u1E43\u0271\u026F]/g},
    {'base':'n', 'letters':/[\u006E\u24DD\uFF4E\u01F9\u0144\u00F1\u1E45\u0148\u1E47\u0146\u1E4B\u1E49\u019E\u0272\u0149\uA791\uA7A5]/g},
    {'base':'nj','letters':/[\u01CC]/g},
    {'base':'o', 'letters':/[\u006F\u24DE\uFF4F\u00F2\u00F3\u00F4\u1ED3\u1ED1\u1ED7\u1ED5\u00F5\u1E4D\u022D\u1E4F\u014D\u1E51\u1E53\u014F\u022F\u0231\u00F6\u022B\u1ECF\u0151\u01D2\u020D\u020F\u01A1\u1EDD\u1EDB\u1EE1\u1EDF\u1EE3\u1ECD\u1ED9\u01EB\u01ED\u00F8\u01FF\u0254\uA74B\uA74D\u0275]/g},
    {'base':'oi','letters':/[\u01A3]/g},
    {'base':'ou','letters':/[\u0223]/g},
    {'base':'oo','letters':/[\uA74F]/g},
    {'base':'p','letters':/[\u0070\u24DF\uFF50\u1E55\u1E57\u01A5\u1D7D\uA751\uA753\uA755]/g},
    {'base':'q','letters':/[\u0071\u24E0\uFF51\u024B\uA757\uA759]/g},
    {'base':'r','letters':/[\u0072\u24E1\uFF52\u0155\u1E59\u0159\u0211\u0213\u1E5B\u1E5D\u0157\u1E5F\u024D\u027D\uA75B\uA7A7\uA783]/g},
    {'base':'s','letters':/[\u0073\u24E2\uFF53\u00DF\u015B\u1E65\u015D\u1E61\u0161\u1E67\u1E63\u1E69\u0219\u015F\u023F\uA7A9\uA785\u1E9B]/g},
    {'base':'t','letters':/[\u0074\u24E3\uFF54\u1E6B\u1E97\u0165\u1E6D\u021B\u0163\u1E71\u1E6F\u0167\u01AD\u0288\u2C66\uA787]/g},
    {'base':'tz','letters':/[\uA729]/g},
    {'base':'u','letters':/[\u0075\u24E4\uFF55\u00F9\u00FA\u00FB\u0169\u1E79\u016B\u1E7B\u016D\u00FC\u01DC\u01D8\u01D6\u01DA\u1EE7\u016F\u0171\u01D4\u0215\u0217\u01B0\u1EEB\u1EE9\u1EEF\u1EED\u1EF1\u1EE5\u1E73\u0173\u1E77\u1E75\u0289]/g},
    {'base':'v','letters':/[\u0076\u24E5\uFF56\u1E7D\u1E7F\u028B\uA75F\u028C]/g},
    {'base':'vy','letters':/[\uA761]/g},
    {'base':'w','letters':/[\u0077\u24E6\uFF57\u1E81\u1E83\u0175\u1E87\u1E85\u1E98\u1E89\u2C73]/g},
    {'base':'x','letters':/[\u0078\u24E7\uFF58\u1E8B\u1E8D]/g},
    {'base':'y','letters':/[\u0079\u24E8\uFF59\u1EF3\u00FD\u0177\u1EF9\u0233\u1E8F\u00FF\u1EF7\u1E99\u1EF5\u01B4\u024F\u1EFF]/g},
    {'base':'z','letters':/[\u007A\u24E9\uFF5A\u017A\u1E91\u017C\u017E\u1E93\u1E95\u01B6\u0225\u0240\u2C6C\uA763]/g}
  ];

  for(var i=0; i<defaultDiacriticsRemovalMap.length; i++) {
    str = str.replace(defaultDiacriticsRemovalMap[i].letters, defaultDiacriticsRemovalMap[i].base);
  }

  return str;

}
Jeroen Ooms
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    I see a lot of possible improvement in this solution. First, I don't understand why all those 'base' and 'letters'. Just use the 'base' as the key and the 'letters' as the value. Then, writing all chars by their unicode number seems pretty hard to maintain, would not be better to just write the real char? – NLemay Nov 14 '13 at 16:28
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    @Jeon I guess backbone found their solution on http://stackoverflow.com/a/18391901/759452 or even here http://web.archive.org/web/20120918093154/http://lehelk.com/2011/05/06/script-to-remove-diacritics/ – Adriano Sep 16 '14 at 14:49
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    @NLemay To your first point, some people prefer to keep data out of code structure -- there are benefits when iterating and validating structure. – RobW Jun 19 '18 at 14:35
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    I found this NPM Package: https://www.npmjs.com/package/diacritics – poldixd Oct 11 '18 at 08:19
  • I suggest adding œ and Œ to the list for French support. (They seem to be in http://stackoverflow.com/a/18391901/759452 by the way.) – Alice M. May 02 '23 at 08:32
52

Since those characters have no mathematical relation to their 'plain equivalents' in the unicode table you will have to replace them manually using something like this:

function cleanUpSpecialChars(str)
{
    return str
        .replace(/[ÀÁÂÃÄÅ]/g,"A")
        .replace(/[àáâãäå]/g,"a")
        .replace(/[ÈÉÊË]/g,"E")
        //.... all the rest
        .replace(/[^a-z0-9]/gi,''); // final clean up
}

The case-insensitve option doesn't work on those characters, so you have to do it for the lower and upper case variants of them.

x4rf41
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21

Say you have a dictionary like:

var dict = {"á":"a", "á":"a", "ç":"c"}

then do a function like:

a.replace(/[^\w ]/g, function(char) {
  return dict[char] || char;
});
closure
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