[DECtalk] Adding words to Dectalk dictionary

Fri Jan 28 14:21:58 EST 2011

Hi Alex,
I'm sorry I've taken so long to reply.
I haven't tried singing with the new version yet (only accessing it thru a
screen reader) but we do hope to have it able to sing. If it doesn't work
right now, we'll fix it so it does sing.
The version of DT SAPI to be available from Enable Rehab is DT 4.6.4.
We are still considering the cost. Our goal is to make the release easily
available to all who are interested, and yet generate a little bit of income
to keep going with changes that users point out. My first thought was $19.95
as a download. Snail-mailed CDs would be a little more to cover the cost of
mailing and the CD.
What do you think?
corine bickley

On Wed, Jan 26, 2011 at 2:26 PM, Alex H. <linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> DECtalk mailing  list
> >> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
> >> http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> DECtalk mailing list
> >> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
> >> http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
> >>
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > DECtalk mailing list
> > DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
> > http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
> >
> _______________________________________________
> DECtalk mailing list
> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
> http://jaybird.no-ip.info/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://bluegrasspals.com/pipermail/dectalk/attachments/20110128/f5ddb23a/attachment.html>