MySQL maintains stopword list (varies version to version) based upon common English words. So the words in the stopword list are excluded from the research results. However, this list can be changed as required. (A stopword is a word such as "the" or "some" or "here" that is so common that it is considered to have zero semantic value). So if your data is used for a different purpose, you will probably want to change the list. Unfortunately, doing so at present is not easy. You will need to edit the file myisam/ft_static.c. recompile MySQL and rebuild the indexes. Let's take an example for searching a common word that also exists MySQL stopword list:
SELECT * FROM fulltext_sample_table
WHERE MATCH(column_name) AGAINST ('here');
Unexpectedly this returns nothing. But, a more careful look at the stopword list shows this is listed. To save you hunting through the source, here is a list of stopwords. To be aboslutely sure, you will have to check the specific list for your MySQL version.
Stopword List in MySQL
The following table shows the default list of full-text stopwords.
a's |
able |
about |
above |
according |
accordingly |
across |
actually |
after |
afterwards |
again |
against |
ain't |
all |
allow |
allows |
almost |
alone |
along |
already |
also |
although |
always |
am |
among |
amongst |
an |
and |
another |
any |
anybody |
anyhow |
anyone |
anything |
anyway |
anyways |
anywhere |
apart |
appear |
appreciate |
appropriate |
are |
aren't |
around |
as |
aside |
ask |
asking |
associated |
at |
available |
away |
awfully |
be |
became |
because |
become |
becomes |
becoming |
been |
before |
beforehand |
behind |
being |
believe |
below |
beside |
besides |
best |
better |
between |
beyond |
both |
brief |
but |
by |
c'mon |
c's |
came |
can |
can't |
cannot |
cant |
cause |
causes |
certain |
certainly |
changes |
clearly |
co |
com |
come |
comes |
concerning |
consequently |
consider |
considering |
contain |
containing |
contains |
corresponding |
could |
couldn't |
course |
currently |
definitely |
described |
despite |
did |
didn't |
different |
do |
does |
doesn't |
doing |
don't |
done |
down |
downwards |
during |
each |
edu |
eg |
eight |
either |
else |
elsewhere |
enough |
entirely |
especially |
et |
etc |
even |
ever |
every |
everybody |
everyone |
everything |
everywhere |
ex |
exactly |
example |
except |
far |
few |
fifth |
first |
five |
followed |
following |
follows |
for |
former |
formerly |
forth |
four |
from |
further |
furthermore |
get |
gets |
getting |
given |
gives |
go |
goes |
going |
gone |
got |
gotten |
greetings |
had |
hadn't |
happens |
hardly |
has |
hasn't |
have |
haven't |
having |
he |
he's |
hello |
help |
hence |
her |
here |
here's |
hereafter |
hereby |
herein |
hereupon |
hers |
herself |
hi |
him |
himself |
his |
hither |
hopefully |
how |
howbeit |
however |
i'd |
i'll |
i'm |
i've |
ie |
if |
ignored |
immediate |
in |
inasmuch |
inc |
indeed |
indicate |
indicated |
indicates |
inner |
insofar |
instead |
into |
inward |
is |
isn't |
it |
it'd |
it'll |
it's |
its |
itself |
just |
keep |
keeps |
kept |
know |
knows |
known |
last |
lately |
later |
latter |
latterly |
least |
less |
lest |
let |
let's |
like |
liked |
likely |
little |
look |
looking |
looks |
ltd |
mainly |
many |
may |
maybe |
me |
mean |
meanwhile |
merely |
might |
more |
moreover |
most |
mostly |
much |
must |
my |
myself |
name |
namely |
nd |
near |
nearly |
necessary |
need |
needs |
neither |
never |
nevertheless |
new |
next |
nine |
no |
nobody |
non |
none |
noone |
nor |
normally |
not |
nothing |
novel |
now |
nowhere |
obviously |
of |
off |
often |
oh |
ok |
okay |
old |
on |
once |
one |
ones |
only |
onto |
or |
other |
others |
otherwise |
ought |
our |
ours |
ourselves |
out |
outside |
over |
overall |
own |
particular |
particularly |
per |
perhaps |
placed |
please |
plus |
possible |
presumably |
probably |
provides |
que |
quite |
qv |
rather |
rd |
re |
really |
reasonably |
regarding |
regardless |
regards |
relatively |
respectively |
right |
said |
same |
saw |
say |
saying |
says |
second |
secondly |
see |
seeing |
seem |
seemed |
seeming |
seems |
seen |
self |
selves |
sensible |
sent |
serious |
seriously |
seven |
several |
shall |
she |
should |
shouldn't |
since |
six |
so |
some |
somebody |
somehow |
someone |
something |
sometime |
sometimes |
somewhat |
somewhere |
soon |
sorry |
specified |
specify |
specifying |
still |
sub |
such |
sup |
sure |
t's |
take |
taken |
tell |
tends |
th |
than |
thank |
thanks |
thanx |
that |
that's |
thats |
the |
their |
theirs |
them |
themselves |
then |
thence |
there |
there's |
thereafter |
thereby |
therefore |
therein |
theres |
thereupon |
these |
they |
they'd |
they'll |
they're |
they've |
think |
third |
this |
thorough |
thoroughly |
those |
though |
three |
through |
throughout |
thru |
thus |
to |
together |
too |
took |
toward |
towards |
tried |
tries |
truly |
try |
trying |
twice |
two |
un |
under |
unfortunately |
unless |
unlikely |
until |
unto |
up |
upon |
us |
use |
used |
useful |
uses |
using |
usually |
value |
various |
very |
via |
viz |
vs |
want |
wants |
was |
wasn't |
way |
we |
we'd |
we'll |
we're |
we've |
welcome |
well |
went |
were |
weren't |
what |
what's |
whatever |
when |
whence |
whenever |
where |
where's |
whereafter |
whereas |
whereby |
wherein |
whereupon |
wherever |
whether |
which |
while |
whither |
who |
who's |
whoever |
whole |
whom |
whose |
why |
will |
willing |
wish |
with |
within |
without |
won't |
wonder |
would |
would |
wouldn't |
yes |
yet |
you |
you'd |
you'll |
you're |
you've |
your |
yours |
yourself |
yourselves |
zero |
|