> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.getthread.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Voice AI Pronunciation Guide

> Improve Voice AI pronunciation of brand names, contacts, and jargon using phonetic respelling, syllable hyphens, capitalization for stress, and the preview box.

## Voice AI Pronunciation Guide

This guide focuses on optimizing the way Voice AI pronounces brand names, contact names, and industry-specific jargon using the standard text and preview box.

Since the agent processes text naturally, the best way to correct mispronunciations is through **Phonetic Respelling**. This involves changing the spelling of a word in your script to a version that "sounds like" the intended result.

### 1. The Phonetic Respelling Strategy

When the Voice AI mispronounces a word, replace it in your script with a phonetic version. Use **hyphens** to separate syllables and **capitalization** to indicate which syllable the agent should emphasize.

| Original Word | Phonetic Replacement | Why?                                         |
| ------------- | -------------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| Getthread     | Get-thred            | Ensures the "th" isn't blended or skipped.   |
| Azure         | ASH-er               | Prevents the agent from saying "Ah-zoor."    |
| SaaS          | Sass                 | Stops the agent from spelling out "S-A-A-S." |

| Name    | Phonetic Replacement | Corrects for...                                |
| ------- | -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| Galanis | guh-LAN-iss          | Middle syllable emphasis.                      |
| Nguyen  | Wen                  | Common mispronunciation of the silent letters. |
| Xavier  | ex-ZAY-vee-er        | Prevents the "Zavier" or "Havier" variants.    |

### 2. Best Practices for Clear Speech

To get the most natural sound out of the preview box, follow these formatting rules:

* **Break it down:** Use hyphens for multi-syllable names (e.g., `Me-gan` vs `May-gan`).
* **Use Emphasis:** Capitalize the "stressed" part of the word. A voice agent will naturally lift the pitch and volume of capitalized letters.
  * Example: `pro-DUCE` (the verb) vs. `PRO-duce` (the fruit).
* **Check for Homonyms:** Some words are spelled the same but sound different. If the agent says "I read (red) the book" when you want "I will read (reed) the book," change the spelling to `reed`.

### 3. Dealing with Acronyms and Numbers

Voice AI sometimes struggles to decide whether to say a word or spell it out.

* **To force spelling it out:** Use periods or spaces between letters.
  * Example: `T.H.R.E.A.D.` or `T H R E A D`.
* **To force a word:** Spell it as it sounds.
  * Example: For the "SQL" database, use `Se-quel` instead of `S.Q.L.`
* **Dates and Years:** If "2024" sounds robotic, try typing `twenty twenty-four`.

### 4. The "Trial and Error" Workflow

Because you have access to the **Preview Box**, use this 3-step loop to perfect your brand voice:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Paste & Listen">
    Paste your actual script into the box and generate the audio.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Identify &#x22;Glitch&#x22; Words">
    Note any words where the agent sounds robotic, hesitant, or incorrect.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Swap & Test">
    Replace only those specific words with phonetic versions (e.g., changing `Getthread` to `Get-thred`) and preview again until it sounds human.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Keep a "Brand Dictionary" internally with these phonetic spellings. This ensures that every time you build a new onboarding path or voice flow, the brand names remain consistent across all agents.
</Tip>


## Related topics

- [Voice AI FAQ](/ai-agents/voice-ai-faq.md)
- [Create your first Voice AI agent](/ai-agents/voice-ai-setup-phase-1-initial-configuration.md)
- [Voice AI Outbound Calling Setup](/ai-agents/voice-ai-outbound-calling.md)