Text To Speech with SAPI: Custom Language

Question

I'm from Greece and I want to make an application which will use SAPI to interact with the user, but I can't find a way to change the language of SAPI from English to Greek.

My OS is by default Greek & English, and I have SAPI SDK installed; the Greek Language is supported by SAPI.

The problem is that SAPI doesn't automatically recognise the language passed to it, and reverts to saying the individual letters one-by-one.

Here is the code I'm using, with English text:

using SpeechLib; SpVoice voice = new SpVoice(); voice.Speak("Pdf File Successfully Installed", SpeechVoiceSpeakFlags.SVSFlagsAsync); voice.WaitUntilDone(30000);

This works, but when I pass Greek text to the function (eg "Να ενα κειμενο"), I see the problem occur.

So you're having trouble with the Text To Speech side, rather than the recognition side? — James Thorpe
– James Thorpe, Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 12:28
Alternatively you may want to set the Voice to a greek voice. — Ben
– Ben, Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 14:56
@Ben Thanks for answering Ben.. Can you explain in more depth how can I do that? — Captain Lemon
– Captain Lemon, Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 16:07

Ben · Accepted Answer · 2015-04-21 18:18:22Z

You can set a language by passing SSML to the Speak API, and including the xml:lang attribute.

For example this should work:

SpVoice voice = new SpVoice(); voice.Speak( "<speak version='1.0' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2001/10/synthesis' xml:lang='el-GR'>" + "Να ενα κειμενο" + "</speak>", SpeechVoiceSpeakFlags.SVSFlagsAsync|SpeechVoiceSpeakFlags.SVSFIsXML); voice.WaitUntilDone(30000);

You can also switch language mid-speech. The documentation has this example:

<speak version="1.0" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2001/10/synthesis" xml:lang="en-US"> For English, press 1. <voice xml:lang="fr-FR" gender="female"> Pour le français, appuyez sur 2 </voice> </speak>

For more, see here:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj127898.aspx

Thanks so much Ben.Solution 1 seems to be pretty nice, but im getting an error while trying to run it
As I have seen in Microsoft's site , can I use Lang ID in the SSML? Is this changing, the xml:lang="el-GR" tag. For example, instead of "el-GR", I shall use 408 (Greek Id lang) ?
Sorry yes, it should be "el" or maybe "el-GR" not "gr-GR". I don't know if you can use 408, sorry.

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