Voice recognition systems

[abcdefz]

....so I'm wondering: any idea of how voice recognition systems do with foreign accents?

I'm also wondering if there are some languages in which the systems just don't work, period. I mean, presumably Xhosa is a bitch....

[Waus]

I imagine they don't do too well. I mean, if you pronounce something wrong or weird, how is it supposed to recognize it when it's based on correct pronunciation?

I'm sure they just have a certain breadth of acceptance for different sounds - and once your accent gets too far out of control it can't recognize it anymore.

[abcdefz]

The guy I share an office with is French, and I just heard him repeating an Asian engineer's name repeatedly, trying to enunciate it more
clearly each time. I don't know if that's more about our guy's accent or their engineer's difficult name.

What sucks are voice recognition systems that won't just kick you to a human operator eventually.

[na§tee]

oooh. i can feel my historic rage already.

the main cinema here has a telephone booking line. back in the days before i had internetz at home, i used it quite a bit. at first, it was all "press 1 for film x.. press 2 for film y" etc etc. then you would punch your card details in, pick your tickets up at the cinema and you were on your way.

they changed it to voice recognition a few years back.

oh my god.

the days spent, first calmly, then increasingly irritatingly, trying to say GLASGOW. the ugc in GLASGOW. when would you like to see the film? TODAY. TWO. DAYYYYY. what film would you like to see? MYSTERIOUS SKIN. MEEESTEEEYREEUSSSS SKIN. wtf wtfffff FUCCKKKK! MYST.. HEY CAN YOU COME AND FUCKING SAY THIS IN A NEUTRAL ACCENT PLEASE?

and it's not that i have a very strong accent. i have quite a non-offensive and blah scottish/english hybrid and i sure as hell can put on the queen's english if needed for the voice recognition. but it just hates me. hates.

[abcdefz]

That's the kind of anecdote I'm looking for.

See, I would assume that the systems are programmed (?) for a range of national dialect for wherever.

I wonder what voice recognition systems in, say, New Orleans are like...

[jabumbo]

and it's not that i have a very strong accent. i have quite a non-offensive and blah scottish/english hybrid and i sure as hell can put on the queen's english if needed for the voice recognition. but it just hates me. hates.


don't you all talk like that up there?


i mean, it makes sense, shouldnt the recognition system be tailored towards its local citizens presuming its a local number

[na§tee]

don't you all talk like that up there?


i mean, it makes sense, shouldnt the recognition system be tailored towards its local citizens presuming its a local number
well no.

most people speak with a glasgow accent. my scottish is more highlands and islands.

and it's not a local number - that's why they ask for your location. it's a national number and they have to cater for EVERYONE! ugh. i bet the liverpudlians/geordies of this world are fucked when it comes to booking their cinema tickets.