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Bug Report - Microsoft Word text-to-speech will change from Chinese (Hong Kong SAR) to default language if a line starts with number or space

Zheng, Philip 1 Reputation point
2022-10-19T05:03:54.86+00:00

If the proofing language is set to Chinese (Hong Kong SAR), TTS should read it in Chinese Cantonese. But if a line within the document starts with a character that is not a valid "Chinese (HK SAR)" character, i.e. a space or an Arabic numeral such as 1, the TTS will revert to reading the line in the default TTS language, which may be Chinese Mandarin or English, depending on the computer.

Repro steps:

  1. Create a new MS Word document
  2. Set proofing language to "Chinese (Hong Kong SAR)
  3. Type the following (in 3 separate lines)

污凡昨劣景屠系屠灰白
4242142污凡昨劣景屠系屠灰白
污凡昨劣景屠系屠灰白

  1. Go to Review > Read Aloud
  2. Note that the computer reads first line in Chinese Cantonese, second line in English or Mandarin or whatever is your "default" TTS language (possibly skipping the Chinese portion of the second line if Chinese characters are not valid in that default language), and the third line again in Cantonese.

251817-screenshot.png

Word Management
Word Management
Word: A family of Microsoft word processing software products for creating web, email, and print documents.Management: The act or process of organizing, handling, directing or controlling something.
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  1. Emi Zhang-MSFT 23,906 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2022-10-19T08:16:25.313+00:00

    Hi @Zheng, Philip ,
    I can reproduce this problem, it seems the limitation of the Chinese(Hong Kong SAR) language. I suggest you try to give a feedback to Microsoft about this behavior:

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/how-do-i-give-feedback-on-microsoft-office-2b102d44-b43f-4dd2-9ff4-23cf144cfb11

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