STDEMO.BAS Instructions

             Introduction:

             STDEMO.BAS is a GWBASIC program that can be used to
             demonstrate how to use the older versions of the
             SmoothTalker text-to-speech programs, SPEECHV2.EXE &
             SPEECHV3.EXE.  If you are interested in hacking phonetic
             sounds in GWBASIC, then you will find the following
             information useful.

             STDEMO.BAS has several functions.  It may be used to say
             words or sentences either in English or in phonetic
             transcription with synthetic speech.  It will also convert
             standard English to phonetics.

             With SPEECHVx and STALK in memory, load GWBASIC and STDEMO
             in the usual manner.  When STDEMO runs, the menu will guide
             you in making the correct choice.

             Menu choice 1 will say a word or sentence in synthetic
             speech.  Press "Q" and Enter to return to the Menu.  Menu
             choice 2 will say a word or sentence written in phonetics.
             Press "Q" to Quit.

             If you need help with phonetic transcription, choose 4,
             English to Phonetics.  Type in the English word or phrase
             which is giving you trouble;  the program will convert it to
             phonetics.  Of course, if SmoothTalker mispronounced the
             word, the phonetics won't be exactly correct.  You will have
             to do a bit of editing to get troublesome sounding words
             correct.  For example, the word "iceberg" will be translated
             to "IHs4EHb3ERg" which is not the proper pronunciation;  If
             the word is entered as "ice berg," it will translate to
             "AYsb3ERg' which is correct.

                  NOTE:   Be careful.  The phonetics must be exactly
                  correct.  Upper case characters are different from
                  lower case.  For example, "AY" is a legal phoneme,
                  "ay"  is  not.   If  STDEMO encounters  an invalid
                  phoneme, it will not speak any part of the phrase.

             After you have found the correct phonetic transcription, the
             word may be saved in a dictionary.  If the dictionary has
             been loaded, SmoothTalker will "look up" the word and
             pronounce it correctly.  Choose 5 to enter words, 6 to
             delete old ones, and 7 to display the words already entered.
             Be careful with 8, which clears the entire dictionary from
             memory.

             Using Embedded Phonetics in Text Files

             Trouble words--those not pronounced correctly by
             SmoothTalker--should be included in a dictionary file.  The












             the correct pronunciation will be available for all future
             reading.

             An alternative is to include the correct phonetic
             transcription in the text itself.  For rare words, this may
             be preferable to a permanent entry into a dictionary.

             To include a phonetic transcription in ASCII text, mark the
             phonetics with double "less than" and "greater than"
             characters and begin the phonetics with the tilde "~"
             character <<~like this>>.  You may also include commands to
             control speed and pitch.  "Sx", with "x" a number between 0
             and 9.  S5 is the normal speed.  to change pitch, include a
             number between 0 and 9.  For example, S25 yields a speed of
             2 (very slow) at a pitch of 5 (normal).  To control volume,
             use "Vx" with "x" a number between 0 and 9.

                  NOTE:  Phonetic characters separated by only one
                  space will be spoken together.  To force a word
                  bread, use two spaces.  For a longer break,
                  include more spaces.

             You may include the same controls with normal ASCII text by
             using the same format without the tilde.  (The tilde tells
             SmoothTalker phonetic symbols follow.)

             Some examples:

             "Have a <<7nice>> day!" -- the word "nice" will be spoken at
             a higher pitch.

             "Some things can be spoken <<S0very slowly>> or <<S9very
             fast>> if desired."