33. A method as in claim 28 comprising the further step of: combining the values for the successive .PHI..sub.n 's to derive a match value for the phonetic element corresponding thereto.
33. A method as in claim 28 comprising the further step of: combining the values for the successive .PHI..sub.n 's to derive a match value for the phonetic element corresponding thereto. 38. A method as in claim 33 comprising the further step of: selecting the specific replacement values so that the match value for each phonetic element is an overestimate of a match value generated if the actual probabilities were not replaced with the replacement values.