[DECtalk] Adding words to Dectalk dictionary
Jayson Smith
ratguy at insightbb.com
Mon Jan 24 23:27:44 EST 2011
Hi,
I've found my old copy of the DECtalk PC reference manual, and pasted in the
appendix on homographs, which is what we're after here. I think in some
cases the software is smarter than what is indicated in this text, but not
always. The DECtalk 4.0 denotation for the alternate pronunciation of a
homograph is a / in front of the word, which obviously would appear in
printed text. At any rate, here goes, hope it helps.
Jayson
APPENDIX C
Homographs
Homographs are pairs of words which are spelled exactly the same
but are pronounced differently. These are often different in
terms of which syllable is accented. For example, if permit is a
noun, the accent is on the first syllable (permit); if, however,
the word is used as a verb, then the accent is on the second
syllable (permit). This often makes a great deal of difference
in understanding DECtalk when it is speaking such words in
connected discourse.
In earlier versions of DECtalk, the default form was always the
noun. In later versions of DECtalk, the default form is the more
frequent form of the two. In the event the alternate
pronunciation is needed, you may insert the correct phonetics
from the list below. You may also obtain the alternate
pronunciation bypreceding the word with a slash ("/"). For
example, the word sow 'to mend or make clothing' will be the
default pronunciation. The pronunciation of the same word sow
"female pig' is done by placing a slant immediately before the
word, e.g, /sow. DECtalk PC handles more homographs than any
previous version of DECtalk.
The Table below is a new and expanded list of the common
homographs of English with alternative pronunciations in
phonetic transcription. In those cases where DECtalk PC does not
chose the correct pronunciation, you can simply use slants or
else insert the correct one phonetically from the list below.
SPELLING PRIMARY ALTERNATE
abstract 'aebstraekt aebstr'aekt
abuse axby'uz axby'us
addict axd'ihkt 'aedihkt
advocate 'aedvaxkeyt 'aedvaxkaxt
affix 'aefihks axf'ihks
ally 'aelay axl'ay
alternate 'aoltrrnaxt 'aoltrrneyt
animate 'aenihmeyt 'aenihmaxt
annex 'aenehks axn'ehks
appropriate axpr'owpriyaxt axpr'owpriyeyt
arithmetic axr'ihthmaxtixk aerixthm'ehtixk
articulate aart'ihkyeleyt aart'ihkyelaxt
associate axs'owshiyeyt axs'owshiyaxt
attribute axtr'ihbyuwt 'aetrixbyuwt
august 'aogaxst aog'ahst
bass b'eys b'aes
111
baton baxt'aon b'aetaxn
close kl'owz kl'ows
combat kaxmb'aet k'aambaet
combine kaxmb'ayn k'aambayn
compact kaxmp'aekt k'aampaekt
complex k'aamplehks kaxmpl'ehks
compound k'aampawnd kaxmp'awnd
compress kaxmpr'ehs k'aamprehs
concert k'aansrrt kaxns'rrt
conduct kaxnd'ahkt k'aandahkt
confederate kaxnf'ehdrrixt kaxnf'ehdrreyt
confine kaxnf'ayn k'aanfayn
conflict k'aanflihkt kaxnfl'ihkt
conglomerate kaxnxgl'aamrixt kaxnxgl'aamrreyt
console k'aansowl kaxns'owl
construct kaxnstr'ahkt k'aanstraxkt
content k'aantehnt kaxnt'ehnt
contest k'aantehst kaxnt'ehst
contract k'aantraekt kaxntr'aekt
contrast k'aantraest kaxntr'aest
converse k'aanvrrs kaxnv'rrs
convert kaxnv'rrt k'aanvrrt
convict kaxnv'ihkt k'aanvihkt
coordinate kow'aordeneyt kow'aordixnaxt
decrease diykr'iys d'iykriys
defect daxf'ehkt d'iyfehkt
delegate d'ehlixgaxt d'ehlixg`eyt
deliberate daxl'ihbrraxt daxl'ihbrreyt
desert d'ehzrrt dixz'rrt
desolate d'ehselixt d'ehseleyt
diffuse dixf'yuws dixf'yuwz
digest d'ayjhehst dayjh'ehst
discharge dixsch'arjh d'ihscharjh
discount d'ihskawnt dihsk'awnt
dove d'owv d'ahv
duplicate d'uwplixkeyt d'uwplixkaxt
elaborate axl'aebrraxt axl'aebrreyt
estimate 'ehstixmeyt 'ehstixmaxt
excerpt 'ehksrrpt ehks'rrpt
excuse ixksky'uz ehksky'us
expatriate ehksp'eytriyaxt ehksp'eytriieyt
exploit ixkspl'oyt 'ehksployt
export ehksp'ort 'ehksport
extract ehkstr'aekt 'ehkstraekt
ferment frrm'ehnt f'rrmehnt
frequent fr'iykwixnt friykw'eynt
geminate jh'ehmixnaxt jh'ehmixneyt
graduate gr'aejhuweyt gr'aejhuwaxt
impact 'ihmpaekt ixmp'aekt
implant ihmpl'aent 'ihmplaent
import 'ihmport ihmp'ort
imprint 'ihmprihnt ihmpr'ihnt
incense ixns'ehns 'ihnsehns
112
incline ixnkl'ayn 'ihnklayn
increase ihnkr'iys 'ihnkriys
insert ihns'rrt 'ihnsrrt
insult ihns'ahlt 'ihnsaxlt
interchange 'ihntrrcheynjh ihntrrch'eynjh
intimate 'ihntaxmaxt 'ihntaxmeyt
invalid ixnv'aelixd 'ihnvaxlixd
just jhixst jh'ahst
lead l'iyd l'ehd
live l'ihv l'ayv
minute m'ihnixt mayn'uwt
miscount m'ihskawnt mihsk'awnt
misprint m'IsprInt m|spr'Int
misuse mixs'yuz mixs'yus
moderate m'aadrraxt m'aadrreyt
object 'aabjheht axbjh'ehkt
overrun 'owvrrrahn owvrrr'ahn
perfect p'rrfixkt prrf'ehkt
permit prrm'iht p'rrmiht
pervert prrv'rrt p'rrvrrt
polish p'aalihsh p'owlixsh
postulate p'aascheleyt p'aaschelaxt
predicate pr'ehdixkeyt pr'ehdixkaxt
predominate prixd'aamixneyt prixd'aamixnaxt
present priyz'ehnt pr'ehzaxnt
proceed praxs'iyd pr'owsiyd
produce praxd'uws pr'aaduws
progress pr'aagrehs praxgr'ehs
project pr'aajhehkt praxjh'ehkt
protest pr'owtehst prowt'ehst
read r'iyd r'ehd
reading r'iydixnx r'ehdixnx
rebel r'ehbel rixb'ehl
recall rixk'aol r'iykaol
recap riyk'aep r'iykaep
recess r'iysehs riys'ehs
record r'ehkrrd rixk'ord
recount riyk'awnt r'iykawnt
refill r'iyfihl riyf'ihl
refresh riyfr'ehsh r'iyfrehsh
refund riyf'ahnd r'iyfahnd
refuse rixf'yuz r'ehfyus
reject rixjh'ehkt r'iyjhehkt
relapse r'iylaeps rixl'aeps
relay r'iyley rixl'ey
remake r'iymeyk riym'eyk
rerun r'iy*rahn riy*r'ahn
research r'iysrrch riys'rrch
resume riy|z'uwm r'ehzaxmey
retake riyt'eyk r'iyteyk
rewrite riyr'ayt r'iy*rayt
segment s'ehgmixnt sehgm'ehnt
separate s'ehpaxreyt s'ehpaxraxt
113
sow s'ow s'aw
subject s'ahbjhehkt saxbjh'ehkt
sublet saxbl'eht saxbl'eht
subordinate saxb'ordenaxt saxb'ordeneyt
survey s'rrvey srrv'ey
suspect s'ahspehkt saxsp'ehkt
syndicate s'ihndixkixt s'ihndixkeyt
tear t'er t'ir
torment torm'ehnt t'ormehnt
transform traensf'orm tr'aensform
transplant traenspl'aent tr'aensplaent
transport traensp'ort tr'aensport
upset axps'eht 'ahpseht
use y'uwz y'uws
wind w'ihnd w'aynd
wound w'awnd w'uwnd
----- Original Message -----
From: <Dectalk at aol.com>
To: <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2011 10:33 PM
Subject: Re: [DECtalk] Adding words to Dectalk dictionary
> Hi guys! I'll be in charge of the Dectalk dictionary, but I don't have
> anything yet. If it will do phrases, this won't be a problem. But, I'm
> thinking that the dictionary is single word only. So I have no clue how
> to
> handle double pronunciations.
>
> One question I have is, is there a control character that appears as a
> space, that I could use as a command for an alternative pronunciation? I
> know
> in one Dectalk version it was control something, but I can't remember
> what
> it was.
>
> I would live to stay away from a visible command so it won't show up in a
> document. I have no clue how.
>
> I have another question. If E-voice still existed, I could let everyone
> know about the Dectalk SAPI 5 within hours. I miss E-voice to no end!
> So
> on the internet, what is the best way to get the word out about this SAPI
> 5?
>
>
> SNOOPI BOTTEN
>
>
> In a message dated 1/24/2011 9:37:25 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> musicalman1 at comcast.net writes:
>
> Well, I am not familiar with the Dectalk dictionary in any way, but those
> kinds of rules would not be easy to implement even if such a dictionary
> existed. I believe most synths that can pronounce words two different
> ways
> use context clues to figure out which pronunciation to use. For instance,
> read has two pronunciations, as you know. For example:
> you should read the book by Thursday.
> or
> The book should be read by Thursday.
> You could probably just put phrases in the dictionary, and changing their
> pronunciations accordingly. That is, if the Dectalk dictionary supports
> phrases, which it should although i'm just guessing here. This might work
> in
> the example you mentioned, as putting words in front of record would
> determine how it is pronounced. For example, you would never say, the
> re-cord. So it is safe to change this in the dictionary. you could
> probably
> do that for a lot of different word combinations and it would be pretty
> accurate. Adding all these rules would take a lot of time, and you would
> have to be careful with it. If the Dectalk dictionary supports context
> clues
> though, I wouldn't know how you would help it determine which
> pronunciation
> is correct.
> These are just my thoughts. I don't know how accurate this is, but I am
> pretty sure it is a good work-around if no other can be found.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Blake Roberts" <beroberts at hughes.net>
> To: "'DECtalk Discussions'" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
> Sent: Monday, January 24, 2011 8:31 PM
> Subject: [DECtalk] Adding words to Dectalk dictionary
>
>
>> Hi all,
>> Snoopi and I have been involved with the Dectalk SAPI project for
>> several
>> months now. I am happy to report that a SAPI Dectalk is nearing reality.
>>
>> The project leader gave Snoopi the task of adding words to the Dectalk
>> dictionary. Specifically, enabling Dectalk to say the same word two
>> different ways, such as record. Does anyone have ideas on how the
>> Dectalk
>> dictionary can be modified so that Dectalk will know when to use
> different
>> pronunciations for the same word?
>>
>> I know Snoopi is on this list. I am writing on his behalf because Snoopi
>> asked me to inquire of people familiar with Dectalk. Any advice would be
>> appreciated.
>> Blake
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>
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