dev0
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Q: OS X: Speech and VoiceOver donʻt respect the pronunciation when the text is in a different language

Iʻm using VoiceOver and Speech options across all my OS and devices, and languages.

So, OS X and iOS in English, usually Alex, AND one old iPod Touch with VoiceOver in Italian.

 

And some things work on iPhone, or iPad, then the next time they donʻt.

And while on OS X, Iʻm fiddling around to get VoiceOver to work with the correct verbosity - itʻs always something too little or too much.

 

Iʻve got recently a problem with OS X and Speech.

When I select the text, EVEN when Iʻve had the Speech/voices in the language the text to be read is in, the reader reads it in English.

Or sometimes with a weird fusion of English and whatever language the source is - with regular language, not misspelled words or any made up language.

Itʻs really frustrating.

 

VoiceOver sort of has the same problem, which is why Iʻm using Speech to be able to get things read in multiple languages. Also, as (at least in iOS) VO just happens to be in the same language the system is, AND I donʻt really fancy the idea to change the system language every time I need something read... doesnʻt work.

 

In OS X, I donʻt  get to select in Speech dialog the language of the source, so it gets guess-read.

On iPhone, Iʻve sometimes been able to select the language.

 

So a simple question: how do I get Speech AND VoiceOver and all the possible voice options I get with OS X and iOS to respect the pronunciation of the language the text is in? Itʻs REALLY annoying when e.g. Italian text gets read with a bad American accent - or when VoiceOver in Italian reads any text in English - itʻs torture to ears. Since Iʻm continuously working with several issues, this is very annoying.

Mac mini, Yosemite/ Mac Mini/ VO/Braille

Posted on Jan 13, 2015 1:04 PM

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Q: OS X: Speech and VoiceOver donʻt respect the pronunciation when the text is in a different language

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Tom Gewecke,

    Tom Gewecke Tom Gewecke Jan 13, 2015 3:24 PM in response to dev0
    Level 9 (78,998 points)
    Jan 13, 2015 3:24 PM in response to dev0

    Are you saying that text to speech does not obey the language set in system prefs/speech/text to speech/system voice?

  • by dev0,

    dev0 dev0 Jan 13, 2015 3:32 PM in response to Tom Gewecke
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jan 13, 2015 3:32 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

    It obeys the language the OS is set in - which is a problem since I work in multiple languages.

     

    Iʻll need either the system to automatically recognize what language the text is in (preferred), or manually be able to tell it to read/pronounce AS X LANGUAGE.

    Not system language!

    Thatʻs why only ONE language for speech = a problem.

    Iʻm not expecting it to read all the exotic ones, BUT when itʻs a language thereʻs Speech AND VoiceOver built-in or downloadable capability, thereʻs no reason why I would have to pick between hearing everything with an American accent vs a terrible Italian accent.

  • by Tom Gewecke,

    Tom Gewecke Tom Gewecke Jan 13, 2015 3:40 PM in response to dev0
    Level 9 (78,998 points)
    Jan 13, 2015 3:40 PM in response to dev0

    As far as I know, the only way to switch reading languages is manually via the "system language" menu in the speech preferences. 

     

    To ask Apple for something better, you can go to

     

    http://www.apple.com/feedback

  • by dev0,

    dev0 dev0 Jan 13, 2015 8:16 PM in response to Tom Gewecke
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jan 13, 2015 8:16 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

    Itʻs weird but today I found on my iPhone more options for language in VoiceOver in Instagram and in Twitter; the left top corner button had an option for language that would switch between US English (comfortable fast) AND Italian (really really fast but I donʻt mind).

     

    But itʻs weird when either the options in iOS and OS X donʻt match - or Iʻm finding VoiceOver and Braille capacities way beyond what I can understand so far.

    (Like managing to configure an on-screen Perkins layout for typing in both tabletop and vertical mode, AND then having an option for contracted Braille input set up - I donʻt master contracted US English Braille yet, dʻoh... now how do I make the keyboard then guess if Iʻm broiling in Italian, English, or some other Braille language?

  • by dev0,

    dev0 dev0 Jan 14, 2015 7:50 AM in response to dev0
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jan 14, 2015 7:50 AM in response to dev0

    Sigh. I can get to the rotary to select language (e.g. in Twitter app) in iPhone/iOS, BUT I then donʻt know what gestures to do actually change or switch it.

    It does have at least those English and Italian for me, but if itʻs in a rotary, Iʻm clueless.

     

    If itʻs in a button... well, try, try again and one of the tries probably sounds better, and then you can go to the button to change it again.

    It would be nice if the language option was somewhere I could find it easier, and not have to look for a button, or try to see if the rotary has it.

  • by dev0,

    dev0 dev0 Jan 15, 2015 8:11 AM in response to dev0
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jan 15, 2015 8:11 AM in response to dev0

    I got it working better; I simply added more languages, and US English after that in speech and rotary.

    Then it depends on where the language option is hidden (button, rotary etc) how to access it.

    Other languages really do help; yesterday the options for watching a movie were a bit confusing when the Italian suggested "fussking" and repeated it for a button. Oh; with English now as also a later option, that got fixed - it was trying to say full screen.