Google set to add pronunciation guides to maps in bid to stop tourists embarrassing themselves

Google has patented a pronunciation guide that tells you exactly how the locals say their streets - and could mean the end of embarrassing mispronunciations.

The patent details how Google could determine the most common pronunciation of a place name from audio clips submitted by locals, then offer that pronunciation when someone searches for the place on Google Maps. 

 

This function could be handy, as Google says in the patent, 'when traveling in a foreign country.'

 

'Systems and methods are provided to select a most typical pronunciation of a location name on a map from a plurality of user pronunciations,' the application says.

 

'A server generates a reference speech model based on user pronunciations, compares the user pronunciations with the speech model and selects a pronunciation based on comparison.'

 

'Alternatively, the server compares the distance between one the user pronunciations and every other user pronunciations and selects a pronunciation based on comparison.