Getting accurate pronunciation can be a bit challenging when using AI voices, especially with certain types of words. Examples of words AI voices may struggle with include:
Unfamiliar nouns (e.g., company names such as Huawei and Xiaomi)
Non-English/borrowed words (e.g., schadenfreude, zeitgeist)
Specialized terminology (e.g., Habeas corpus, subpoena)
Homonyms (e.g., "live" as in to survive vs. "live" as in happening in real time)
Acronyms
Numbers
Incorrect pronunciations can detract from the quality of your content making it sound less professional. Below are some tips you can apply when fixing pronunciation issues to improve the accuracy of the AI voiceovers in your video.
1. Abbreviations
For abbreviations pronounced letter by letter, add spaces or dashes between them, or spell out each letter if preferred.
Examples:
FBI → "F.B.I." or "F-B-I" or "ef-bee-ay"
RSVP → "R.S.V.P" or "R-S-V-P" or "ar-ess-vee-pee"
DIY → "D.I.Y." or "D-I-Y" or "dee-eye-why"
2. Acronyms
For acronyms that are pronounced as words, spell them as they are pronounced:
Examples:
NASA → "naa-suh"
UNESCO → "yoo-nes-ko"
ASAP → "ay-sap"
3. Words
You can fix the pronunciation of a word by respelling the word exactly how you want it pronounced or by using alternative words.
Examples:
Worcestershire → "woos-ter-sheer"
W3C → "World Wide Web Consortium"
Xiaomi → "shao-mee"
4. Numbers
To fix the pronunciation of numbers, spell them out if the text is in digits.
Examples:
"$12.75 billion" → "Twelve point seven five billion dollars"
"57.9%" → "Fifty-seven point nine percent"
"35,980" → "Thirty-five thousand nine hundred and eighty" or "Thirty-five nine eighty" (depending on your preference)
Additional Tips
Use dashes for syllables: Although optional, using dashes to separate syllables can help ensure accurate pronunciation.
Avoid phonetic spelling: Type out words the way they sound rather than using phonetic spelling.
Preview before applying: Always play a preview of your custom respellings before applying them to ensure they sound correct.
Multiple attempts may be needed: It's okay if it takes a few tries to get the exact pronunciation you want.
By following these best practices, you can ensure that your AI voiceovers pronounce words correctly, just how you want them to sound.