this post was submitted on 09 Jan 2024
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Showerthoughts

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39
Alexa should react to short, weird sounds like glottal stops (lemmy.world)
submitted 10 months ago by sir_pronoun@lemmy.world to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world
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I think it's silly to speak in full sentences to home assistants, when I really just use 5 commands most of the time.

It would be snappier to make weird sounds, produced by snapping ones tongue e.g., like some African tribes use in their languages.

Or any other weird, short sounds.

It might be more satisfying to use, and probably funnier.

Also, over the course of a few years this might find its way into everyday spoken language. Which would be wonderfully dystopian and maybe funny.

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[–] wyrmroot@programming.dev 46 points 10 months ago

Other people: Hmm I only use a few commands on this thing, I wonder if I can just refer to them by number or something?

You: Googling African tongue-snapping languages

[–] Che_Donkey@lemmy.ml 36 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (3 children)

Me: loud, wet fart

Alexa: Playing "Beatles Radio" for 10 hours

[–] bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de 6 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Instead we ask Alexa to play the Beatles and she starts the fart simulator.

[–] snooggums@kbin.social 2 points 10 months ago

They are the same picture.

[–] sir_pronoun@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

I love how when you put an idea out in the world, someone will surprise you and just make it ten times better than you could have ever imagined

[–] lemmyman@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I also dislike the Beatles

[–] the_post_of_tom_joad@sh.itjust.works 6 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Ive always wanted to ask someone who dislikes them , why? I'm not even a fan but their music is so poppy and easy on the ears, and they have a large enough catalogue there must be a couple songs that you like, right? Is it just a "i don't see the hype" kinda hate, or a "fuck them" kinda hate? How deep does the hate go?

As an olive branch to get you to explain in more detail i offer my own distaste of a beloved musical genius, Bob dylan. I can't stand his voice, hate his harmonica, hate his lyrics, (think people ascribe more meaning to them than they have). Friends have gotten really mad at me for this take but im not edgy, i truly cannot stand the music. The only reason i can think of why people like him is maybe he changed what popular music could be about? Words and politics and poetry in music that previously was more literal?

Im lost.

Ok now you! :)

[–] snooggums@kbin.social 9 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Overplayed and over hyped, hearing their music frequently reminds me of their fans who gush about how so very significant and genius everything they ever did was. Their fandom drags down their music for me, and their music is just OK without all the social context of when it was made.

[–] the_post_of_tom_joad@sh.itjust.works 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Ah ok that's similar to my experience with dylan, his fans...suck quite a bit as well. I totally get where where you're coming from.

[–] snooggums@kbin.social 3 points 10 months ago

There are quite a few things I enjoy in music, literature, and hobbies where a significant portion of the people who also like it are unbearable by making it part of their personality instead of something they enjoy. Anyone who identifies as a fan of something instead of saying they enjoy something is likely to be unbearable about that thing.

I enjoy some Dylan songs because of the melody since the words are gibberish to me.

[–] XeroxCool@lemmy.world 17 points 10 months ago

A glottal stop is when your glottis stops airflow, not clicks. The airflow pause in "uh-oh" is an example.

Anyway, have you tried using fewer words for those commands? Even if you got a tongue click setup for a timer, you'd still need to say how long

[–] HubertManne@kbin.social 6 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Keep in mind you can't even choose any wake word. I was ecstatic when ziggy became an option as most others come up on tv shows or commercials but I would love to hame it anything I wanted.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

I believe the wake word is processed locally, and that’s much harder to change within the constraints of the device.

[–] Acamon@lemmy.world 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

As others have observed, a glottal stop on its own is completely silent. But the idea of responding to distinct weird sounds is awesome! I'd like to be able to whistle commands like Alexa is well trained sheepdog!

[–] sir_pronoun@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

Haha man I'd love that

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Something something clap on clap off.

[–] weariedfae@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

The Clapper 👏👏

[–] droning_in_my_ears@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

They're called click consonants

[–] sir_pronoun@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

Alright everybody, thanks for teaching me what a glottal stop really is, you were surprisingly polite and nice about it! :) I did not do enough research in the shower, but together we can shine.

[–] amio@kbin.social 1 points 10 months ago

English guy: "would you get my water bottle"?

Alexa: [boop]