Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
I NEED A COMPUTER WHAT TALKS YORKS
Richie wants local accent on speaking aid
A MAN with cerebral palsy is ditching his American computer-generated voice for a native Yorkshire accent.
Richie Cottingham, 26, said his speaking aid’s generic tone does not represent who he is – a born and bred Yorkshireman from Hull.
He is in the process of finding two men around his age to create an “awesome” authentic accent.
Richie said: “I want to sound like my family and friends. When I am in a room with lots of other people we all sound the same because all of the devices use the same voices.
“I’ve lived in East Yorkshire all of my life so I think an East Yorkshire accent would fit well to me.
“I’d love to have my own voice.” Speech and language therapist Jennifer Benson, 46, has been working with him for nine months.
She feels “immensely proud and privileged” to be able to help him have his own voice. Jennifer said:
“Most of us don’t realise it but our voices are unique to us.
“It’s key to your identity and your sense of self. It’s turned into a really brilliant project between the two of us and he’s so excited.”
The voice will be created by Speakunique, which also helped Leeds Rhinos rugby league legend Rob Burrow, 38, who has motor neurone disease.
Richie and Jennifer have narrowed the choice down to three volunteers whose accents he likes.
They say around 200 phrases before their voices are merged so a unique voice is created.
Jennifer added: “This is a huge deal, we have the opportunity to literally give him a voice.
“He will sound like the people he grew up with, but he will also sound completely unique.”
Richie is hoping to show off his new voice in a couple of weeks.
I want to sound like my family and friends. I’ve lived in East Yorkshire all my life RICHIE COTTINGHAM ON BEING GIVEN A VOICE UNIQUE TO HIM