Apple reads slected paragraphs in Mandarin even when set to speak Cantonese.

Thank you for your response. Unfortunately, I regret to inform you that it did not work. I checked System Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content and ensured that the system speech language was set to Cantonese, with the system voice set to Sinji (Premium). I tested it, and it did indeed speak in Cantonese. I also verified that Pronunciations was enabled, Speak Selection was turned on, and then I rebooted the system.

Next, I confirmed that my Mac is running macOS Sequoia 15.3 (23D60). I then opened Notes, selected a small paragraph, chose Speech > Start Speaking, but to my disappointment, it read the text in Mandarin instead of Cantonese.

I am deeply disappointed. But until Apple returns to the USA, all I can do is hope and pray that they will make Apple great again.

Eddie

Thank you very much.

I really don’t want to change the preferred language of my macOS because it would switch System Preferences, Finder, and built-in apps like Mail and Safari to Cantonese. I prefer to keep using English for all these functions.

All I want is for my iMacs (both i9 and M3) to read paragraphs aloud in Cantonese. I can understand spoken Cantonese, but I struggle to read the text.

I’ve been doing this without any issues for years, but the problem started with macOS Sequoia. I’ve already sent feedback to Apple, but as you mentioned, nothing has come of it. I’ve submitted the bug report again and can only hope for a resolution.

With the decline of Hong Kong, perhaps Apple has let go of their Cantonese-speaking developers? I don’t know, but it’s deeply disappointing.

I don’t use Google Translate because I can handle the translation myself.

Often, after writing something in Chinese, I like to have the computer read it aloud to me. This helps me gauge how it will sound to a listener and understand their potential reaction.

Since the piece is already written in Chinese, there’s no need for Google Translate.

Thank you for the example—it’s very interesting. I’ve been speaking Cantonese for more than three-quarters of a century and can express anything in perfect Cantonese. I can even sing Cantonese opera in a way that ensures the audience understands the lyrics without needing subtitles.

What I need now is for my two iMacs to replicate that ability when I highlight a paragraph. They used to do this perfectly for the past decade, but it seems the programmer responsible for that feature either retired or became a billionaire and left the company.

Unfortunately, there’s a broader issue at play. The Communist Party despises Cantonese because Hong Kong was the one group of people brave enough to challenge them. Once they gain control of any organization, their first move is often to suppress anything related to Cantonese, quietly replacing experienced individuals with untrained employees. As a result, the quality deteriorates without most people even noticing.

This reminds me of how the quality of Apple products, like the iMacs made in China, pales in comparison to earlier models like the Apple IIe or Apple IIC. The lost quality often lies in subtle, hidden areas that only a few know how to spot. It’s a shame to see Apple’s standards decline this way, and I feel genuinely sorry for the company.

I genuinely appreciate how you’ve acknowledged this as a legitimate issue and provided multiple thoughtful solutions—thank you for that.

However, I would like to clarify that I’m using an Apple computer. My journey with Apple started years ago with the TRS-80, then the Apple IIe, followed by the Apple Iic, which was like a laptop at the time. I later switched to the IBM PC until 2006, when I returned to Apple with a MacBook Pro. Since then, I’ve continued to stay loyal to Apple, upgrading through five more systems.

To me, adding Sonoma to Sequoia feels somewhat like buying a BMW but needing to tow a Honda to get certain tasks done. As someone who deeply admires Steve Jobs and the innovative legacy he left behind, I hope Apple will continue to uphold its standards. Perhaps one day, Apple will reconsider its reliance on China and once again embody the excellence and independence that make it truly remarkable.