Do you want to improve your Japanese but don’t know where to begin? Check out this free online reader.
To begin with, Japanese is an isolated language (one that is not linked to any other) and one of the world’s major languages, with over 127 million speakers in the early twenty-first century. It is largely spoken throughout the Japanese archipelago.
However, there are around 1.5 million Japanese immigrants and their descendants living outside of Japan, mostly in North and South America, who speak Japanese to varying degrees. No country other than Japan has used Japanese as a first or second language since the mid-twentieth century.
As we have already said, the only major language whose genetic relationship is unknown is Japanese. The Japanese-Korean idea is still the most popular, but other theories have been proposed as well. Some people try to connect Japanese to South Asian language families like Austronesian, Austroasiatic, and the Tibeto-Burman family of Sino-Tibetan languages.
All of this data suggests that learning Japanese could be a difficult task. In this manner, text-to-speech software is a good alternative if you want to learn more about the Japanese language. This is an application that uses assistive technology to transform any text or document into audio.
However, because not all of these apps work in the same way, choosing a credible TTS that can help you improve your Japanese language abilities may be tough. Others have more voices and editing possibilities than others, among other things. It all depends on your objectives and how you want to distribute your music.
However, there is one of the most complete TTS tools available these days: Woord.
Why Woord?
Woord is a free online TTS that has a number of handy features. It’s available in more than 50 languages, including several English dialects, German, French, Portuguese, and Spanish. You can also select a voice that is masculine, female, or gender-neutral.
All of these capabilities are available for free, allowing you to evaluate the service before purchasing the premium version. Premium voices, a Chrome plugin, an SSML editor, an MP3 download, and up to 20,000 characters each month are all included in the free edition. With this program, you may also adjust the voice’s tempo and format.
Additionally, Woord‘s voice functions can be employed in a variety of situations. Text-to-Speech (TTS) features provided by Woord can be used to construct apps that assist persons who have difficulty reading, such as in E-learning and education.
How does it work?
If you want to get an audio file, you have to do the following:
1- Go to www.getwoord.com and select “Online reader” from the menu, or install the Chrome extension on your computer.
2- On the whiteboard, write your text, then choose a Japanese natural voice, gender, speed, and format.
3- When you’re done, click ‘Speak It’ to double-check that everything is working correctly.
4- Save the outcome to your computer if you’re happy with it.
To get Woord’s Chrome Extension, click this link.
Also published on Medium.