Alexa ignoring ssml voice tags. only detected sometimes.

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Manny asked · Mar 01, 2019 at 02:33 AM

Alexa ignoring ssml voice tags. only detected sometimes.

I am making a simple joke application using AWS lambda and python. Following the space facts tutorial. In certain returned strings alexa will just ignore all voice tags. But it won't ignore other tags.
<voice name="Brian"><lang xml:lang="en-GB"> something to say. </lang></voice> I can add other effects such as whispered, within the tags above and it will work. But sometimes the voice change tags are ignored. Eventhough the returned strings are identical. What could be the issue?
For example:"ssml":

"<speak>I hope you like these blonde jokes: <break time=\".4s\"/> So a blonde walks into a bar. And she says: <voice name=\"Salli\"><lang xml:lang=\"en-US\"> I’ll take 21 beers. </lang></voice> <voice name=\"Brian\"><lang xml:lang=\"en-GB\"> Ok! but why 21? </lang></voice> <voice name=\"Salli\"><lang xml:lang=\"en-US\"> More talking </lang></voice> ....... </speak>
Either all voice tags work, or none do per execution. Could this be a bug within Alexa? The tags are added via a formatted string. They always look exactly the same.

alexa skills kit lambda python ssml polly

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Aditya.B · May 16, 2019 at 06:41 AM

How to differentiate the SSML tags from plain text in python? How to write this code?? Please help.. Can you please post this part

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Apeksha@amazon ♦ Aditya.B · May 16, 2019 at 10:47 AM

Hello there,

SSML is not language specific.

Please check out the example github code in python.

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Answer 1 · 2019-03-07T09:27:55Z

Apeksha@amazon answered · Mar 07, 2019 at 09:27 AM

Hello there,

I tested your example ssml :

<speak>I hope you like these blonde jokes: <break time=\".4s\"/> So a blonde walks into a bar. And she says: <voice name=\"Salli\"><lang xml:lang=\"en-US\"> I’ll take 21 beers. </lang></voice> <voice name=\"Brian\"><lang xml:lang=\"en-GB\"> Ok! but why 21? </lang></voice> <voice name=\"Salli\"><lang xml:lang=\"en-US\"> More talking </lang></voice></speak>

Looks like its working properly.

Are you still facing the same issue If yes? Could you please explain your issue in detail with the skill id of the skill.

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Manny · Mar 13, 2019 at 04:40 AM

I still have all my skills in Development. And I'm still experiencing the issue. I format strings to add the ssml in python. In fact I can see the ssml in the outputSpeech within json output on Alexa simulator. If it was wrong I figure it wouldn't even work. I can add other effects within the voice tag and those will work. It's just weird because it works sometimes. I haven't any discernible pattern. and Same issue happens on my echo device. It only works some times. Has anyone else experienced the issue? Thanks for your help.

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Manny Manny · Mar 13, 2019 at 04:42 AM

One of my skills is amzn1.ask.skill.2637e326-234e-4b1d-a859-55b0f47a0723.
all of them experience the same issue.

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Apeksha@amazon ♦ Manny · Mar 20, 2019 at 09:55 AM

Hello there,
Sorry for the delayed response!
I tested your skills both from the Alexa test console and form Device. Looks like there is no issue Alexa spoke full ssml tag!

Alexa response: hello there fellow kid. I hope you enjoy these jokes: What’s Peter Pan’s favorite restaurant? Wendys. next joke coming in, 3 2 1 Did you hear about the kidnapping at the mall? They had to wake him up next joke coming in, 3 2 1 What’s the difference between America and a memory stick? One is USA, while the other is USB.

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Alexa ignoring ssml voice tags. only detected sometimes.

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