[BC] Speech Synthesizers

[DHultsman5@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/7/05 11:51:59 P.M. Central Daylight Time,  
WFIFeng at aol.com writes:

The  beauty of a phonetic speech synthesizer is that by phonetically spelling 
 
your words, you can make it speak any English word, and almost any  language, 
as long as the phonemes are similar. (You may have trouble with  rolling r's 
or 
Middle Eastern consonant sounds, Asian vowels, etc.) Yes,  you could even 
make 
it cuss someone out.

A phonetic speech synth is  a fun "toy". :)

Willie...




Computers and digital learning devices have had a great influence on the  
youth of today.  My kids have always had access to digital learning  devices.  My 
youngest at four was already spelling pretty well by using the  TI "Speak & 
Spell"  Later on we had a TI/99 computer on our TV   with the voice synthesizer 
module.   The kids were using some word  usage educational modules with the 
99 and its software.  Later on a typing  module was added.  They simply typed 
words and hit enter and the computer  would say the word thru the TV.  Or 
course you all can guess what  happened,  one day as came up out of my basement 
office,  I heard  several "slang" and "dirty"  words.  Listening for a minute or  
so,  I finally walked into the room and turn the system off.  I  explained 
that they are plenty of dirty words,  more than enough and that  profanity was 
not allowed in my house.
 
Later on late at night I was amazed at what you could make the synthesizer  
say outside the "phonems"  by adding the extra vowels or letters  to the word.  
Oh yes I did do some dirty words.  
 
Our modern world  has evolved from "Perfect Paul" and  his expensive 
imperfections to "Dan CHurchill's" weather computer which  sounds great.  Churchill 
should have got the NOAA radio audio  contract.
 
Dave Hultsman