As a former English major, I like to think I have a pretty decent vocabulary, and as a former copy editor, I like to think I have a decent take on grammar as well. But I have to admit, there are times that as a voice talent, I’m handed scripts that have some pretty challenging words AND grammar. And I’m expected to make all this roll off the tongue like it’s common, everyday language! This can be particularly challenging if you happen to read a lot of medical or technical scripts.

 

Well, fortunately for us there are LOTS of online resources to actually HEAR how various words are pronounced. Two of my favorites are the Merriam-Webster online dictionary and Emma Saying, both of which have gotten me out of a few binds from time to time. A lot of people also use and love Forvo. And for medical scripts, MedLine Plus, also by Merriam -Webster, is a FANTASTIC resource for all things disease, illness, or prescription-related.

 

I have all of these sites bookmarked so I can easily access them as needed when I get a challenging word or script. They’re great because they use actual PEOPLE, not computer recordings, which, if you’ve had any experience with them, can be a total nightmare!

 

What sites and/or resources do you like for pronunciation help? Please share!