[DECtalk] Adding words to Dectalk dictionary

Thu Jan 27 20:14:13 EST 2011

I don't know if this will get through, but I'm working on a way to interface my copy of dectalk access 
32 to nvda. So far, the voices show up as phantoms, but one time I managed to get Dennis 
talking. Then my computer turned off because of low battery.
On Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:44:00 -0800,  wrote:

>?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
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>>DECtalk mailing  list
>>>>>DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>>>>http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>>
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>>>>
>>>
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>>>
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