[DECtalk] Adding words to Dectalk dictionary

Wed Jan 26 14:44:00 EST 2011

?Yep, when the Sapi Dectalk comes out, I'll be sure to buy it.
And it would be cool to use it with JFW or NVDA.
I think a lot of people on the NVDA mailing list will be happy when the Sapi 
version of Dectalk comes out, since a lot of people in there don't like 
ESpeak.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alex H." <linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com>
To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 11:26 AM
Subject: Re: [DECtalk] Adding words to Dectalk dictionary


> Hi,
>
> I think that list is a pretty complete, i don't know a lot about how
> the dictionary actually works but know hponemes pretty well. Hopefully
> this can be implimented.
>
> I have afew questions.
>
> Will a users be able to sing with the Sapi dectalk
> What version is this based on of dectalk?
> Wht will be the cost of this synth?
>
> thanks!
> Alex
>
> On 1/25/11, Jayson Smith <ratguy at insightbb.com> wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> As for getting the word out, here's one thought. As many of you probably
>> know, RSGames is a free service offering Internet multi-player Monopoly,
>> Uno, Yahtzee and Blackjack games which are totally accessible to the 
>> blind
>> using a special client. This client runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It
>> works directly with most popular screen readers. Recently RSGames started
>> running text advertisements in order to defray the costs of running the
>> service. Ads cost $15 per month and reach a targeted audience of blind
>> gamers. Anyone interested in an ad can hit a single keystroke to have a 
>> copy
>> of that ad Emailed to them, along with a web link to obtain more 
>> information
>> about the product or service. Payments should be made via Paypal. For 
>> more
>> info about RSGames, go to www.rsgames.co.nr, and to ask about ads, write 
>> to
>> rsgames at gmail.com. When constructing your ad, you should provide a 
>> website
>> where potential customers can get more info.
>>
>> Other ways of reaching out would be Twitter, Facebook, etc. Obviously 
>> this
>> list. Fred's Head, Top Tech Tidbits on Thursday, etc.
>>
>> Now, a few questions. Is this going to be a Fonix product? Any estimate 
>> on a
>> release date? Price? Will it have an exceptions dictionary? Imho it 
>> should.
>> Also imho novice users should be able to use standard misspelling 
>> techniques
>> to adjust the pronunciation, but advanced DECtalk geeks should be able to
>> get down to the phoneme level if they wish.
>>
>> Another thing that always bugged me about DECtalk is that the end user
>> didn't have access to the d phoneme used in regular speech. Thus, when 
>> using
>> a custom pronunciation dictionary or making DECtalk sing, the d sounds
>> always sounded a bit weird. Is this going to be fixed?
>> Thanks, and I look forward to playing with this!
>> Jayson
>>
>>
>> ----- 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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>>>
>>>
>>
>>
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