[Asterisk-Users] English vs American voice files

[Peter Corlett]

Mark Phillips <kc2eni at nyc-ares.org> wrote:
[...]
> Could some clever wag that deals with the language bits of * create
> some other "languages" like British, Aussie, SouthAfrican. I'd also
> be looking for Welsh too (anyone here speak Taff?)

I don't, but I know people who do. I get the distinct impression that
Plaid Cymru could put up a candidate in Birmingham and win a seat.

> How about Georgie (I'm kidding about that one).

You may be kidding, but at least when I was calling Newcastle in
1998-ish, Digital Dot (as we affectionately call BT's spoken
announcements) had a completely different accent in the 0191 exchange
to the rest of the UK. It wasn't a SysX/SysY thing, but apparently
special announcements just for that exchange.

(I've also heard custom announcements on 01902, but thankfully not in
Wulv'rumpt'n dialect.)

If I were commissioning a voice, I'd probably go for an educated
Scottish, Welsh or Irish accent. The London and Essex voice seems
overused and also irritates me. The bonus is that a "provincial" voice
actor should be cheaper than a London-based one.

> All these modes of English are more than just a dialect. My 7 or so
> years as an Ex-Pat in the US have taught me that American really is
> a valid language. Whilst most of us English speakers can cope with
> American we'd be a bit suprised when calling a VM system in Slough,
> Cooperpedy or Pretoria only to be spoken to in American.

I *think* most people are aware that it's the voicemail system that's
American, not the company they're calling. I'm usually more surprised
to hear a British speaker in voicemail prompts :)

> Am I just ranting here or does someone get my point?

Well, it'd definitely be nice if all our voice prompts were
consistent, but as it is there's an occasionally jarring mix of the
Digium lady and a bloke from our office. It works though, and callers
don't get confused, which is the main thing.

-- 
I want to know how God created this world. I am not interested in this or that
phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know His
thoughts; the rest are details.
							- Albert Einstein