Auditory assistance with language learning and pronunciation via a text to speech translation in a mobile communications device

摘要

A telecommunications services apparatus, suitable for text to speech translation, includes a text message processor 14 for interpreting text content, from a text message input by a user's terminal 10, into textual phrases and/or words. Audio playback equipment 17, such as interactive voice response equipment, in association with a controller 16 and an audio store 18, can then convert the textual phrases and/or words into audio to be played to the user or to a third party in a subsequent telephone voice communication. The invention can be applied to auditory assistance with language learning and pronunciation.