"For English, please press 1..."
- Thread starter RoryN
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warrior queen
early bird snack pack
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The system where you have to press a number is fine.
The one where they use 'voice recognition' sux.
In what universe does me saying 'Hobart Pathology' end up being recognised as 'Hollybank Farm'?
The one where they use 'voice recognition' sux.
In what universe does me saying 'Hobart Pathology' end up being recognised as 'Hollybank Farm'?
RoryN
You're screwed.
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The technology has come a long way.
I think that, more often than not, what seems like poor voice recognition technology is actually the fault of bad microphones, VoIP, and/or cellular connections.
TexasWife25
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Was there a tantrum in another thread I missed? Or is this like a bait thread to see who feels like ranting about our multi-language nation?
oggbashan
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When using a cash machine in Wales, the first message is to choose between English and Welsh.
When I wanted petrol (US=Gas) in Holland, the first station was a discount one that only supplied Dutch members of their scheme. It wouldn't accept any of my cards and all the messages, screen and audio, were in Dutch. A Dutch motorist explained, in perfect English, what the problem was. I crossed the road to another station that took normal credit cards (at a higher price, of course). There, the machine recognised that I had a UK-issued credit card, and changed its display to English.
When using a cash machine and a credit card payment machine in France - I had to understand French! No other languages were available.
In England many parking meters only use English but some more modern ones have a choice of many languages. A few will even accept Euro coins but at a poor exchange rate.
When I ran my second hand bookshop, I could be spoken to in English, French, German, Dutch and even American. I happily accepted pounds, euros and US dollars. Any money in those currencies was welcome because I could spend all of them. It did complicate the accounts. If necessary I did a conversion at the end of each day's trading.
When I wanted petrol (US=Gas) in Holland, the first station was a discount one that only supplied Dutch members of their scheme. It wouldn't accept any of my cards and all the messages, screen and audio, were in Dutch. A Dutch motorist explained, in perfect English, what the problem was. I crossed the road to another station that took normal credit cards (at a higher price, of course). There, the machine recognised that I had a UK-issued credit card, and changed its display to English.
When using a cash machine and a credit card payment machine in France - I had to understand French! No other languages were available.
In England many parking meters only use English but some more modern ones have a choice of many languages. A few will even accept Euro coins but at a poor exchange rate.
When I ran my second hand bookshop, I could be spoken to in English, French, German, Dutch and even American. I happily accepted pounds, euros and US dollars. Any money in those currencies was welcome because I could spend all of them. It did complicate the accounts. If necessary I did a conversion at the end of each day's trading.
garbage can
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If English was our official national language, we wouldn't have to press 1.
TexasWife25
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English is the offical language of 30 states, you'd still have to press 1.
richard_daily
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oggbashan
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This wiki article lists all the official languages of the European Union.
If you subscribe to EU official publications, you often get the same text in ALL of them.
If you subscribe to EU official publications, you often get the same text in ALL of them.
garbage can
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Maybe we should make it Spanish instead?
From what I understand, it will happen around 2025....
Adios Amigo
about_average
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The US is a majority of English speakers. It's stupid to have to "press 1" for English. The default should be English, i.e., do nothing, press 1 for Spanish, 2 for French...whatever they want to add as additional languages.
The "press 1 for English" is just an example of an inefficient design and reflective of the business you're contacting.
The "press 1 for English" is just an example of an inefficient design and reflective of the business you're contacting.
RoryN
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Depends on where the business is located. Depends on who the primary customers are. Depends on who their prospective customers are.
Doesn't it?
NeverEndingMe
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I don't have a problem with this. I know where the "1" is on my phone, and I know how to press it.
Also, if necessary, I could follow instructions in Spanish because I went to school and learned how to speak and write Spanish.
The end.
Spanish will be the primary language for America in 20 years
RoryN
You're screwed.
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I know Spanish at an AP level. You know zero Spanish, and English at a 4th-grade level.
You're in for a rough time.
Liar
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Actually, if you wait you often get to the default option, which is the same as press 1. Meaning if you wait you do get the English option, but if you press 1 you get it faster.
NeverEndingMe
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pointless
¿por qué no?
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if you want entertainment you should try listening to my father when you talks to voice recognition software. he gets so pissed off so quickly and doesn't realize that the computer doesn't need to hear his life story when it's asking a yes or no question. he's really not an idiot, but that shit is just beyond him. getting old sucks.
RoryN
You're screwed.
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Yup, common problem. It's not a conversation.
Technology needs to accomodate, though. If you're going to ask people to speak to something, you have to account for them wanting to speak the way they would with a person.
sweepthefloor
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Press this button right here, for body language.
IrezumiKiss
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"If only everybody was the same and not so gosh darn different, life would be SO MUCH easier...FOR MEEEEE...but since everyone's not the same and so gosh darn different, I actually have to use my brain in order to live in the new global age...WAAAAAHHHH!!!"
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