Computer Vocabulary

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Accent

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Way of speaking that is characteristic of a geographic region.

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Acoustic model

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Set of mathematical formulas that analyzes human voice patterns and evaluates the probability of spoken words matching words in the speech recognition vocabulary.

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Automatic Speech Recognizer (ASR)

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Speech recognition software, sometimes called a speech engine, which listens to human speech and converts the spoken words to text.

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Carpal tunnel syndrome

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Painful, inflammatory condition that affects the carpal or wrist portion of the median nerve. Often associated with repetitive actions such as typing. Can be caused by physical trauma or hereditary conditions that inflame tendons around the nerve, disrupting hand function and resulting in numbness and pain.

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Continuous Speech Recognition (CSR)

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Speech recognition system that enables users to speak normally, pausing only to give commands and insert punctuation marks.

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Dictation mode

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Enables users to dictate text into a computer application.

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Discrete speech

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Speech recognition system that requires the user to pause momentarily between each word.

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Dragon

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Company, also known as Dragon Systems, that released the first continuous speech recognition (CSR) product in 1997 with over 30,000 words in its speech dictionary. The product was called NaturallySpeaking.

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Jargon

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Unique vocabulary includes technical terms, slang, and phrases not used by the general public. Also called shop talk.

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Language bar

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Speech recognition or voice control center providing easy access to speech and handwriting recognition tools in Microsoft Office.

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Lernout & Hauspie

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Early leader in the development of speech recognition and translation software. Pioneered many speech recognition technologies and translation tools with Microsoft. Pioneered Natural Language Technology (NLT) commands in its Voice Xpress software.

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Natural Language Technology (NLT)

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Commands that make speaking to a speech recognition system almost as natural as talking to a person.

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Naturally Speaking

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First accurate, continuous speech recognition product with over 30,000 words in its speech dictionary.

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New Line command

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Ends the current line of text and moves the insertion point to the next line.

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New Paragraph Command

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Ends a paragraph and moves the insertion point to the next line. Generally, there is more white space between paragraphs than between lines within a paragraph.

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Phrase

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Group of words that express an idea.

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Profile

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Special file that collects data about a user’s speech patterns. A user profile enables the speech recognition system to store speech patterns and vocabulary for individual speakers.

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Pronunciation

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Sound of words when they are spoken.

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Repetitive strain injury (RSI)

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Condition, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, that causes painful, inflammation that affects parts of the body involved in constantly repeated actions such as typing.

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Say what you see

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Voice-activated technology that enables users to access any function or command visible in a dialog box, menu bar, toolbar, or task pane.

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Scratch That

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Voice command that erases the last word or phrase dictated.

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Speech balloon

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Display messages about the current status of the speech recognition software and warns users if the current speech is too loud or too soft for processing.

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Speech dictionary

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Contains words recognized by CSR software. Speech dictionaries containing over 300,000 words are now common.

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Speech vocabulary

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List of words a speech recognition program recognizes. Only words in the vocabulary can be displayed.

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Train

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Process in which a user reads a sample script aloud, enabling the speech recognition system to record an individual’s unique speech patterns, increasing the accuracy of the conversation from spoken words to the text.

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USB

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Acronym for the Universal Serial Bus, an interface connection to a personal computer. USB speech recognition headsets and microphones bypass the sound card and input speech more directly and with less distortion into a computer processor.

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Via Voice

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Continuous voice dictation software created by IBM.

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Voice Command mode

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Enables users to give verbal commands to control menus and format documents in any Microsoft Office application.

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Voice Xpress

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Speech recognition product crated by Lernout & Hauspie. It pioneered many Natural Language Technology or NLT commands.