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# Table of contents |
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# Mbrola Voices |
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* [Mbrola voices](#mbrola-voices) |
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* [Voice Names](#voice-names) |
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* [Windows Installation](#windows-installation) |
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* [Linux Installation](#linux-installation) |
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* [Mbrola Voice Files](#mbrola-voice-files) |
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* [Mbrola Phoneme Translation Data](#mbrola-phoneme-translation-data) |
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- [Voice Names](#voice-names) |
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- [Windows Installation](#windows-installation) |
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- [Linux Installation](#linux-installation) |
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- [Udage](#usage) |
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- [Mbrola Voice Files](#mbrola-voice-files) |
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- [Mbrola Phoneme Translation Data](#mbrola-phoneme-translation-data) |
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# Mbrola voices |
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---------- |
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The Mbrola project is a collection of diphone voices for speech |
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synthesis. They do not include any text-to-phoneme translation, so this |
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must be done by another program. The Mbrola voices are cost-free but are |
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not open source. They are available from the Mbrola website at: |
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[http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/mbrcopybin.html](http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/mbrcopybin.html) |
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eSpeak NG can be used as a front-end to Mbrola. It provides the |
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@@ -26,11 +25,12 @@ To use a Mbrola voice, eSpeak NG needs information to translate from its |
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own phonemes to the equivalent Mbrola phonemes. This has been set up for |
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only some voices so far. |
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The eSpeak NG voices which use Mbrola are named as:\ |
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**mb-**xxx |
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The eSpeak NG voices which use Mbrola are named as: |
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mb-xxx |
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where xxx is the name of a Mbrola voice (eg. **mb-en1** for the Mbrola |
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"**en1**" English voice). These voice files are in eSpeak NG's directory |
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where `xxx` is the name of a Mbrola voice (e.g. `mb-en1` for the Mbrola |
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`en1` English voice). These voice files are in eSpeak NG's directory |
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`espeak-data/voices/mbrola`. |
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The installation instructions below use the Mbrola voice "en1" as an |
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@@ -39,55 +39,73 @@ equivalent eSpeak NG voice in `espeak-data/voices/mbrola`. |
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There are some additional eSpeak NG Mbrola voices which speak English text |
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using a Mbrola voice for a different language. These contain the name of |
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the Mbrola voice with a suffix **-en**. For example, the voice |
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**mb-de4-en** will speak English text with a German accent by using the |
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Mbrola **de4** voice. |
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the Mbrola voice with a suffix `-en`. For example, the voice |
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`mb-de4-en` will speak English text with a German accent by using the |
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Mbrola `de4` voice. |
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## Windows Installation |
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The SAPI5 version of eSpeak NG uses the mbrola.dll. |
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1. Install eSpeak. Include the voice **mb-en1** in the list of voices during the eSpeak installation. |
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2. Install the PC/Windows version of Mbrola (MbrolaTools35.exe) from: [http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/bin/pcwin/MbrolaTools35.exe](http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/bin/pcwin/MbrolaTools35.exe). |
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3. Get the **en1** voice from: [http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/mbrcopybin.html](http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/mbrcopybin.html) unpack the archive, and copy the "**en1**" data file (not the whole "en1" directory) into `C:/Program Files/eSpeak/espeak-data/mbrola`. |
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4. Use the voice **espeak-MB-EN1** from the list of SAPI5 voices. |
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1. Install eSpeak. Include the voice `mb-en1` in the list of voices during |
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the eSpeak installation. |
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2. Install the PC/Windows version of Mbrola (MbrolaTools35.exe) from: |
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[http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/bin/pcwin/MbrolaTools35.exe](http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/bin/pcwin/MbrolaTools35.exe). |
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3. Get the `en1` voice from: |
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[http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/mbrcopybin.html](http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/mbrcopybin.html). |
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4. Unpack the archive, and copy the `en1` data file (not the whole "en1" directory) into |
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`C:/Program Files/eSpeak/espeak-data/mbrola`. |
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4. Use the voice `espeak-MB-EN1` from the list of SAPI5 voices. |
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## Linux Installation |
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From eSpeak NG version 44 onwards, eSpeak NG calls the mbrola program |
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directly, rather than passing phoneme data to it using a pipe. |
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1. To install the Linux Mbrola binary, download: [http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/bin/pclinux/mbr301h.zip](http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/bin/pclinux/mbr301h.zip). Unpack the archive, and copy and rename the file from: `mbrola-linux-i386` to `mbrola` somewhere in your executable path (eg. `/usr/bin/mbrola` ). |
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2. Get the en1 voice from: [http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/mbrcopybin.html](http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/mbrcopybin.html). Unpack the archive, and copy the "**en1**" data file (not the whole "en1" directory) to `/usr/share/mbrola/en1`. |
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1. To install the Linux Mbrola binary, download: |
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[http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/bin/pclinux/mbr301h.zip](http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/bin/pclinux/mbr301h.zip). |
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2. Unpack the archive, and copy and rename the file from: `mbrola-linux-i386` to `mbrola` somewhere in your executable path (eg. `/usr/bin/mbrola`). |
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3. Get the `en1` voice from: |
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[http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/mbrcopybin.html](http://www.tcts.fpms.ac.be/synthesis/mbrola/mbrcopybin.html). |
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4. Unpack the archive, and copy the `en1` data file (not the whole "en1" directory) to `/usr/share/mbrola/en1`. |
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__NOTE:__ eSpeak will look for mbrola voices firstly in `espeak-data/mbrola` and then in `/usr/share/mbrola`. |
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## Usage |
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If you use the eSpeak NG voice such as `mb-en1` then eSpeak NG will use the mbrola "en1" voice, e.g.: |
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eSpeak will look for mbrola voices firstly in `espeak-data/mbrola` and then in `/usr/share/mbrola` |
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espeak-ng -v mb-en1 "Hello world" |
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3. If you use the eSpeak voice such as "**mb-en1**" then eSpeak will use the mbrola "en1" voice, eg: |
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`espeak-ng -v mb-en1 "Hello world"` |
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To generate mbrola phoneme data (.pho file) you can use: |
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To generate mbrola phoneme data (.pho file) you can use: |
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`espeak-ng -v mb-en1 -q --pho "Hello world"` |
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or |
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`espeak-ng -v mb-en1 -q --pho --phonout=out.pho "Hello world"` |
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espeak-ng -v mb-en1 -q --pho "Hello world" |
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or |
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espeak-ng -v mb-en1 -q --pho --phonout=out.pho "Hello world" |
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## Mbrola Voice Files |
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eSpeak NG's voice files for Mbrola voices are in directory `espeak-data/voices/mbrola`. |
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They contain a line: `mbrola <voice> <translation>` |
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eg. |
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`mbrola en1 en1_phtrans` |
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e.g. |
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mbrola en1 en1_phtrans |
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* **\<voice\>** |
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is the name of the Mbrola voice. |
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* **\<translation\>** |
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is a translation file to convert between eSpeak phonemes and the equivalent Mbrola phonemes. |
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These are kept in: `espeak-data/mbrola_ph` |
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* \<voice\> is the name of the Mbrola voice. |
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* \<translation\> is a translation file to convert between eSpeak phonemes and |
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the equivalent Mbrola phonemes. |
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They are binary files which are compiled, using espeakedit, from source files in `phsource/mbrola`, see below. |
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These are kept in: `espeak-data/mbrola_ph` |
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## Mbrola Phoneme Translation Data |
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@@ -95,42 +113,48 @@ Mbrola phoneme translation files specify translations from eSpeak NG |
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phoneme names to mbrola phoneme names. They are referenced from voice |
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files. |
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The source files are in `phsource/mbrola`. These are compiled |
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using the `espeakedit` program |
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(`Compile->Compile mbrola phonemes list`) to produce data |
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files in `espeak-data/mbrola_ph` which are used by eSpeak NG. |
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The source files are in `phsource/mbrola`. These are compiled using: |
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espeak-ng --compile-mbrola=<mbrola voice> |
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Each line in the mbrola phoneme translation file contains: |
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`<control> <espeak ph1> <espeak ph2> <percent> <mbrola ph1> [<mbrola ph2>] ` |
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<control> <espeak ph1> <espeak ph2> <percent> <mbrola ph1> [<mbrola ph2>] |
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**\<control\>** |
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bit 0 skip the next phoneme |
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bit 1 match this and Previous phoneme |
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bit 2 only at the start of a word |
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bit 3 don't match two phonemes across a word boundary |
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* **\<control\>** |
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bit 0 skip the next phoneme |
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bit 1 match this and Previous phoneme |
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bit 2 only at the start of a word |
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bit 3 don't match two phonemes across a word boundary |
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**\<espeak ph1\>** |
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* **\<espeak ph1\>** |
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The eSpeak NG phoneme which is to be translated to an mbrola phoneme. |
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The eSpeak NG phoneme which is to be translated to an mbrola phoneme. |
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* **\<espeak ph2\>** |
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If this field is not `NULL`, then the match only occurs if |
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**\<espeak ph2\>** |
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If this field is not `NULL`, then the match only occurs if |
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this field matches the next phoneme. If control bit 1 is set, then the |
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*previous* rather than the *next* phoneme is matched. This field may |
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also have the following values: |
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`VWL` matches any Vowel phoneme. |
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* **\<percent\>** |
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If this field is zero then only one mbrola phoneme is used. If this |
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* `VWL` matches any Vowel phoneme. |
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**\<percent\>** |
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If this field is zero then only one mbrola phoneme is used. If this |
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field is non-zero, then two mbrola phonemes are used, and this value |
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gives the percentage length of the first mbrola phoneme. |
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* **\<mbrola ph1\>** |
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The mbrola phoneme to which the eSpeak NG phoneme is translated. This |
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**\<mbrola ph1\>** |
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The mbrola phoneme to which the eSpeak NG phoneme is translated. This |
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field may be `NULL`. |
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* **\<mbrola ph2\>** |
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The second mbrola phoneme. This field is only used if the \<percent\> |
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**\<mbrola ph2\>** |
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The second mbrola phoneme. This field is only used if the \<percent\> |
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field is not zero. |
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The list is searched from start to finish, until a match is found. |
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@@ -141,16 +165,16 @@ general condition. |
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The file `dictsource/dict_phonemes` lists the eSpeak NG phonemes |
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which are used for each language. Translations for all these should be |
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given in the mbrola phoneme translation file. In addition, some phonemes |
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which are referenced from phoneme files (eg. |
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which are referenced from phoneme files (e.g. |
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`phsource/ph_language, phsource/phonemes`) in lines such as: |
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beforenotvowel l/ |
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reduceto a# 0 |
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beforenotvowel l/ |
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reduceto a# 0 |
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should also be included, even though they don't appear in |
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`dictsource/dict_phonemes`. |
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If the language's \*\_list or \*\_rules files includes rules to speak |
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If the language's `*_list` or `*_rules` files includes rules to speak |
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words "as English" the mbrola phoneme translation file should include |
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rules which translate English phonemes into near equivalents, so that |
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they can spoken by the mbrola voice. |
Reece H. Dunn
9 years ago