                                                                                               		
                         DECtalk PC
             Proper Name Pronunciation Capabilities.

	One of the items most requested from previous versions of DECtalk has 
been an improved ability to pronounce proper names such as first names, last 
names and street names.  

DECtalk is now capable, for the first time, of pronouncing proper names with a 
high degree of accuracy and greater level of intelligence. 

The rules behind the name pronounciation routines were originally developed for 
large commercial telecom applications but have now been modified to run on the 
DECtalk PC.  This can be run in different modes and should be a great help to 
applications which require peoples names and addresses to be pronounced cor-
rectly.

Two commands can be used with the DECtalk PC which will allow the proper name 
pronunciation feature to take affect: 

1. The DECtalk Mode command, [:Mode Name], can be used when the application 
expects all words it encounters starting with a capital letter be a proper mame 
and handled accordingly. This would be effective in name listapplications.

2. The second command, [:Pronounce Name], is placed just prior to the proper 
name in the text and will cause the name to be pronounced accordingly. This 
would be useful in applications where a predetermined response would occur but 
the name would be the variable inserted prior to sending the text to DECtalk 
to speak.

The specifics of the commands are listed below. 


MODE COMMAND.

FUNCTION:	MODES.

COMMAND:	[:mode XX YY].

ESCAPE VALUE:	80

OPTIONS:

XX Parameter:

Math (4):	Change interpretation of selected symbols

Europe (8):	Select European monetary pronunciation

Spell (16):	Spell all words

Name (64):	Pronounce all proper names (see also [:pronounce name])

Homograph (128): Reserved for Future Use


YY Parameter:

On (0):		Absolute

Off (1):	Enable mode

Set: (2):	Disable mode 



DEFAULT:	Off

EXAMPLES:	[:mode spell on]

		ESC P 0 ; 80 ; 20 z

		 
Mode Name allows uppercase words which occur in non sentence initial position 
to be interpreted as special cases and pronounced as proper names.  

Note: Do not enable Mode Name except when pronouncing lists of names 
only. Mode Name will interpret any uppercase word as a name. When fin-
ished, make sure that this mode is set to OFF.  For the occasional use of this 
utility,  use the [:pronounce name] command (below). 

Mode commands are asynchronous. 

_____________________________________________________________________

PRONOUNCE NAME

FUNCTION:	PRONOUNCE NAMES

COMMAND:	[:pronounce name]

ESCAPE VALUE:

OPTIONS:	None

PARAMETERS:	None

DEFAULT:	Off

EXAMPLES:	[:pron name] (proper name)

DESCRIPTION:				

This command takes the immediately following word and pronounces it as if it 
were a proper name.  First names, last names, street names and place names are 
all examples of proper names. This command can be used when DECtalk PC mis-
pronounces a proper noun.  See Mode Name to set this automatically. 

Note: This command must be used each time a new name is encountered but 
is useful when the location of a name field is known.  

