1 files changed, 11 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/src/names/mod.rs b/src/names/mod.rs
index 719455f..9b5d9a6 100644
--- a/src/names/mod.rs
+++ b/src/names/mod.rs
@@ -21,10 +21,12 @@ use std::fmt::Write as _;
 
 use rand::RngExt;
 use rand::seq::IndexedRandom;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 use crate::seed::Rng;
 
-#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "lowercase")]
 pub enum Culture {
     Qaari,
     Cant,
@@ -198,7 +200,7 @@ impl Culture {
         self.expand(pick(self.phonology().places, rng), rng)
     }
 
-    fn expand(self, template: &str, rng: &mut Rng) -> String {
+    pub(crate) fn expand(self, template: &str, rng: &mut Rng) -> String {
         let mut out = String::new();
         let mut rest = template;
         while let Some(open) = rest.find('{') {
@@ -217,6 +219,13 @@ impl Culture {
     }
 }
 
+/// The phrase with "a" or "an" in front, by its first letter: "an ice
+/// world", "a desert world".
+pub fn a(phrase: &str) -> String {
+    let article = if phrase.starts_with(['a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u']) { "an" } else { "a" };
+    format!("{article} {phrase}")
+}
+
 pub(crate) fn pick(list: &'static [&'static str], rng: &mut Rng) -> &'static str {
     list.choose(rng).expect("name lists are never empty")
 }