Sony ICD-BP150VTP - Manual (Page 154)

C H A P T E R 1 2 Speaking and Dictating
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 146
using speech recognition. When you learned to type, correcting errors
became second nature. With the right attitude, correcting speech-
recognition errors can become just as routine.
It helps to have a sense of humor about the errors, since the program is
great at generating real howlers of mistakes. Speech-recognition software
tries to fit what you say into something that makes grammatical sense, if
not literal sense, so its weird guesses often fit right into your sentence.
You say “fresh squeezed lemonade” and the computer types out “fresh
grease lemon aid.” Don’t try that beverage at home.
Working at the computer is not especially good for your body. Humans
were not made to sit in place for hours at a time, arms forward, fingers
twitching rapidly. The repetitive motions of typing can cause discomfort
and, in some cases, serious injury. (For tips on healthy computing, see
“Healthy Computing” on page 175.) It doesn’t help that the intensity of
computer work can lead people to neglect their bodies, posture, and
physical positioning for hours at a time. Many computer users make an
association, conscious or unconscious, between using the computer and
being tense.
Composing
Like any other skill, dictating with Dragon NaturallySpeaking ® takes
practice to do well. Writing by voice engages a different thought process
than typing or writing longhand. With practice, though, dictation can
come naturally—as much or even more so than the learned skill of
typing.
Start by reading
Many people learned to type by copying printed passages. A good way to
learn to dictate is to begin the same way—by copying. By dictating
something already on paper, you can practice learning how to use the
speech-recognition software without having to worry about composing
sentences at the same time.
Choose a letter, memo, or e-mail message typical of the type of writing
you do. Then read it into the computer. Say “comma” and “period” as
needed, and for a new paragraph say “New Paragraph.” Look away from