attempt to clarify voice selection

Author: danielweck

css3-speech/Overview.html

@@ -1753,11 +1753,13 @@ <h3 id=voice-props-voice-family><span class=secno>10.1. </span>The
 
   <p>The &lsquo;<a href="#voice-family"><code
    class=property>voice-family</code></a>&rsquo; property specifies a
-   comma-separated, prioritized list of values that designate speech
-   synthesis voices (analogous to &lsquo;<code class=css><a
-   href="#font-family-def"><code
+   comma-separated, prioritized list of component values that are separated
+   by a comma to indicate that they are alternatives (this is analogous to
+   &lsquo;<code class=css><a href="#font-family-def"><code
    class=property>font-family</code></a></code>&rsquo; in visual style
-   sheets), where:
+   sheets). Each component value potentially designates a speech synthesis
+   voice instance, by specifying match criteria (see the <a
+   href="#voice-selection">voice selection</a> section on this topic).
 
   <p> <strong>&lt;generic-voice&gt;</strong> = [&lt;age&gt;? &lt;gender&gt;
    &lt;integer&gt;?]
@@ -1867,27 +1869,37 @@ <h4 class=no-toc id=voice-selection><span class=secno>10.1.1. </span>Voice
 
   <p>The &lsquo;<a href="#voice-family"><code
    class=property>voice-family</code></a>&rsquo; property is used to guide
-   the selection of the speech synthesis voice. As part of this selection
-   process, speech-capable user agents must also take into account the
-   language of the selected element within the markup content. The "name",
-   "gender", "age", and preferred "index" are voice selection hints that get
-   carried down the content hierarchy as the &lsquo;<a
-   href="#voice-family"><code class=property>voice-family</code></a>&rsquo;
-   property value gets inherited by descendant elements. At any point within
-   the content structure, the language takes precedence (i.e. has a higher
-   priority) over the specified CSS voice characteristics. The following list
-   outlines the selection algorithm (note that the definition of "language"
-   is loose here, in order to cater for dialectic variants):
+   the selection of the speech synthesis voice instance. As part of this
+   selection process, speech-capable user agents must also take into account
+   the language of the selected element within the markup content. The
+   "name", "gender", "age", and preferred "variant" (index) are voice
+   selection hints that get carried down the content hierarchy as the
+   &lsquo;<a href="#voice-family"><code
+   class=property>voice-family</code></a>&rsquo; property value gets
+   inherited by descendant elements. At any point within the content
+   structure, the language takes precedence (i.e. has a higher priority) over
+   the specified CSS voice characteristics.
+
+  <p> The following list outlines the voice selection algorithm (note that
+   the definition of "language" is loose here, in order to cater for
+   dialectic variants):
 
   <ol>
-   <li> If only a single voice is available for the language of the selected
-    content, then this voice must be used, regardless of the specified CSS
-    voice characteristics.
-
-   <li> If several voices are available for the language of the selected
-    content, then the chosen voice is the one that most closely matches the
-    specified gender, age, and preferred voice variant. The actual definition
-    of "best match" is processor-dependent.
+   <li> If only a single voice instance is available for the language of the
+    selected content, then this voice must be used, regardless of the
+    specified CSS voice characteristics.
+
+   <li> If several voice instances are available for the language of the
+    selected content, then the chosen voice is the one that most closely
+    matches the specified name, or gender, age, and preferred voice variant.
+    The actual definition of "best match" is processor-dependent (e.g. a
+    reasonable match for "voice-family: 10 male;" may well be a higher
+    pitched female voice suitable for a young boy's vocal rendition). If no
+    voice instance matches the characteristics provided by any of the
+    &lsquo;<a href="#voice-family"><code
+    class=property>voice-family</code></a>&rsquo; component values, the first
+    available voice instance (amongst those suitable for the language of the
+    selected content) must be used.
 
    <li> If no voice is available for the language of the selected content, it
     is recommended that user-agents let the user know about the lack of

css3-speech/Overview.src.html

@@ -1383,9 +1383,12 @@ <h3 id="voice-props-voice-family">The 'voice-family' property</h3>
         </tr>
       </tbody>
     </table>
-    <p>The 'voice-family' property specifies a comma-separated, prioritized list of values that
-      designate speech synthesis voices (analogous to '<a href="#font-family-def"><code
-          class="property">font-family</code></a>' in visual style sheets), where: </p>
+    <p>The 'voice-family' property specifies a comma-separated, prioritized list of component values
+      that are separated by a comma to indicate that they are alternatives (this is analogous to '<a
+        href="#font-family-def"><code class="property">font-family</code></a>' in visual style
+      sheets). Each component value potentially designates a speech synthesis voice instance, by
+      specifying match criteria (see the <a href="#voice-selection">voice selection</a> section on
+      this topic). </p>
     <p>
       <strong>&lt;generic-voice&gt;</strong> = [&lt;age&gt;? &lt;gender&gt; &lt;integer&gt;?] </p>
     <p class="note"> Note that the functionality provided by this property is related to the <a
@@ -1462,21 +1465,26 @@ <h3 id="voice-props-voice-family">The 'voice-family' property</h3>
 voice-family: "john doe", "Henry the-8th";</pre>
     </div>
     <h4 class="no-toc" id="voice-selection">Voice selection, content language</h4>
-    <p>The 'voice-family' property is used to guide the selection of the speech synthesis voice. As
-      part of this selection process, speech-capable user agents must also take into account the
-      language of the selected element within the markup content. The "name", "gender", "age", and
-      preferred "index" are voice selection hints that get carried down the content hierarchy as the
-      'voice-family' property value gets inherited by descendant elements. At any point within the
-      content structure, the language takes precedence (i.e. has a higher priority) over the
-      specified CSS voice characteristics. The following list outlines the selection algorithm (note
-      that the definition of "language" is loose here, in order to cater for dialectic
-      variants):</p>
+    <p>The 'voice-family' property is used to guide the selection of the speech synthesis voice
+      instance. As part of this selection process, speech-capable user agents must also take into
+      account the language of the selected element within the markup content. The "name", "gender",
+      "age", and preferred "variant" (index) are voice selection hints that get carried down the
+      content hierarchy as the 'voice-family' property value gets inherited by descendant elements.
+      At any point within the content structure, the language takes precedence (i.e. has a higher
+      priority) over the specified CSS voice characteristics. </p>
+    <p> The following list outlines the voice selection algorithm (note that the definition of
+      "language" is loose here, in order to cater for dialectic variants):</p>
     <ol>
-      <li> If only a single voice is available for the language of the selected content, then this
-        voice must be used, regardless of the specified CSS voice characteristics. </li>
-      <li> If several voices are available for the language of the selected content, then the chosen
-        voice is the one that most closely matches the specified gender, age, and preferred voice
-        variant. The actual definition of "best match" is processor-dependent.</li>
+      <li> If only a single voice instance is available for the language of the selected content,
+        then this voice must be used, regardless of the specified CSS voice characteristics. </li>
+      <li> If several voice instances are available for the language of the selected content, then
+        the chosen voice is the one that most closely matches the specified name, or gender, age,
+        and preferred voice variant. The actual definition of "best match" is processor-dependent
+        (e.g. a reasonable match for "voice-family: 10 male;" may well be a higher pitched female
+        voice suitable for a young boy's vocal rendition). If no voice instance matches the
+        characteristics provided by any of the 'voice-family' component values, the first available
+        voice instance (amongst those suitable for the language of the selected content) must be
+        used. </li>
       <li> If no voice is available for the language of the selected content, it is recommended that
         user-agents let the user know about the lack of appropriate TTS voice. </li>
     </ol>