Building a Specialized Dictionary
TalkWriter's custom dictionary works best when you tailor it to your field. This guide explains how to manually build a domain-specific dictionary that dramatically improves recognition of your professional vocabulary.
Why Specialized Dictionaries Matter
General speech recognition models are trained on everyday language. They know "heart" but not "tachycardia." They know "contract" but not "indemnification clause." Adding your field's terminology to the custom dictionary gives TalkWriter the context it needs to transcribe specialized content accurately.
How to Build One
- Open Settings > Dictionary.
- Click + Add Word for each term.
- Type the word exactly as you want it transcribed (capitalization matters).
- Add a pronunciation hint if the word is unusual.
- Repeat for all terms in your domain.
Start with the 20-30 terms you use most frequently. Add more as you encounter misrecognitions during daily dictation. Within a week or two, your dictionary will cover the vast majority of your specialized vocabulary.
Starter Word Lists by Field
Medical
| Term | Pronunciation Hint |
|---|---|
| Omeprazole | oh-MEP-rah-zole |
| Lisinopril | lye-SIN-oh-pril |
| Metformin | met-FOR-min |
| Echocardiogram | ek-oh-CAR-dee-oh-gram |
| Tachycardia | tak-ih-CAR-dee-ah |
| Hypertension | -- |
| Colonoscopy | -- |
| Prednisone | PRED-nih-zone |
Legal
| Term | Pronunciation Hint |
|---|---|
| Indemnification | -- |
| Subpoena | sub-PEE-nah |
| Fiduciary | fih-DOO-shee-erry |
| Arbitration | -- |
| Habeas corpus | HAY-bee-us COR-pus |
| Prima facie | PREE-mah FAY-shee |
| Tort | -- |
Software Development
| Term | Pronunciation Hint |
|---|---|
| Kubernetes | koo-ber-NET-ease |
| PostgreSQL | post-GRES-cue-ell |
| GraphQL | graf-cue-ell |
| Nginx | engine-X |
| Terraform | -- |
| Supabase | SOO-pah-base |
| WebSocket | -- |
Finance
| Term | Pronunciation Hint |
|---|---|
| EBITDA | ee-BIT-dah |
| Amortization | -- |
| Fiduciary | fih-DOO-shee-erry |
| Derivative | -- |
| Liquidity | -- |
| Hedge fund | -- |
Practical Example
Scenario: You are a cardiologist who dictates patient notes.
- Add all common cardiac medications to your dictionary.
- Add procedure names (echocardiogram, cardiac catheterization, stress test).
- Add diagnostic terms (atrial fibrillation, mitral valve prolapse, left ventricular hypertrophy).
- Add abbreviations with pronunciation hints: "EF" (ee-eff), "LVEF" (ell-vee-ee-eff).
Now when you dictate: "Patient presents with atrial fibrillation, LVEF is forty percent, started on Amiodarone" -- TalkWriter gets every term right because your dictionary covers them.
Add both the full term and its abbreviation as separate dictionary entries. Add "echocardiogram" AND "echo" (with a hint that "echo" in a medical context means echocardiogram). This covers both how you might say it in a dictation.
FAQ
Are there pre-built dictionary packs I can download? Pre-built dictionary packs are not currently available. Build your dictionary manually by adding terms from the starter lists above and your own daily vocabulary. This approach actually works better because it targets the exact terms you use, not a generic list.
How many words should I add? Start with 20-30 of your most-used terms. Most professionals find that 50-100 dictionary entries cover 95% of their specialized vocabulary.
Can I share my dictionary with colleagues? Dictionary sharing and import/export functionality is coming soon. For now, each user builds their own dictionary.
Was this helpful? Let us know at support@talkwriter.ai