How to add names and technical terms to HoldSay

Improve recognition of names and specialist terms.

Add a word to the HoldSay dictionary when its spelling matters and speech recognition keeps choosing another form.

The dictionary is useful for people, companies, product names, abbreviations and specialist terms that appear repeatedly in your work. Add an entry before dictating a note where the term is important, then test it in a normal sentence so you can confirm the written result.

The names, places and terms you say often, spelled the way you want them written.

Add one word or name

Use My Dictionary when you know the exact form that should appear in a note but HoldSay has been recognizing a different spelling. For example, this may happen with a colleague's name, a client name, an internal project, or a technical expression that sounds similar to a more common word. The goal is not to add every word you might use. It is to give speech recognition useful context for the terms that matter in your documents.

Open Dictation in HoldSay and find My Dictionary, or open the same list in Settings. Enter the exact spelling you want HoldSay to produce. Pay attention to capitalization when it carries meaning, such as in a product name or abbreviation. Keep each entry focused on one word or a short term. A full sentence, definition, or explanation is not a useful dictionary entry because the dictionary is intended to recognize vocabulary rather than store notes about it.

Select the plus, then type the exact spelling that should appear in future dictation.

1. Open Settings and go to My Dictionary.
2. Enter the name or term exactly as you want it written.
3. Add the entry to the dictionary.
4. Open Dictation and make a fresh dictation containing the term in a normal sentence.
5. Review the resulting text and confirm that the spelling is correct.

Dictionary changes are available for the speech engine to use without reinstalling HoldSay. A fresh dictation is the useful check because it shows how the term behaves in the context of your usual speech. Do not judge the entry only by looking at its spelling in My Dictionary. Say it naturally as part of the kind of sentence you would actually write.

My Dictionary sits under the Dictation page too, so a term can be added where you are about to speak.

Choose useful dictionary entries

A focused dictionary is easier to maintain and easier to test. Start with terms that you say repeatedly and whose spelling has a real effect on the usefulness of the finished note. This keeps My Dictionary tied to your work rather than turning it into a general word list from another context.

Keep the vocabulary list focused on names and terms you use repeatedly.

Add people and company names in the form that should appear in documents. If you regularly dictate meeting notes, client updates, or messages, names are often worth adding because a small spelling difference can make a note harder to search or understand later. Add the spelling you want readers to see, not an explanation of who the person or company is.

Add product and project names when they have specific spelling or capitalization. A term with internal capitalization should be entered with that capitalization so you can verify the form that matters to your team. This is also useful for names that are made from ordinary words but have a distinct meaning in your work.

Add abbreviations using the form your readers expect. The useful entry is the written abbreviation that belongs in your documents. When a short form is used repeatedly, adding it gives you a clear item to test in a fresh dictation.

Add specialist vocabulary selectively. Technical, medical, legal, scientific, or industry specific language can be useful when it appears often in your own speech. Prioritize terms you actually dictate instead of importing a large unrelated list. A small set of familiar terms makes it practical to test each entry and remove spellings that no longer match your work.

• Use the exact spelling that belongs in the final text.
• Preserve capitalization where it carries meaning.
• Keep entries to a word or short term rather than a sentence.
• Prioritize vocabulary that you say often enough to verify.

If several people use different spellings informally, choose the spelling that should appear in the documents you produce. The dictionary is about the output you need from dictation, so consistency matters more than collecting every possible variation.

Import a vocabulary list

Importing is useful when you already have a vocabulary list instead of a handful of terms to add one at a time. HoldSay can import a CSV, TXT, or TSV file. Prepare the file with one term per line, or with terms separated by commas. Keep the content limited to real vocabulary entries that you want the dictionary to use.

Before importing, inspect the list for content that does not belong in a speech dictionary. Spreadsheet headers, comments, descriptions, and long phrases can make the imported list less focused. For example, a column heading that labels a list of names is not itself a name to recognize. Remove that heading before import. Likewise, retain a short product name but remove a paragraph that explains the product.

1. Prepare a CSV, TXT, or TSV file containing terms one per line or separated by commas.
2. Open Settings and find My Dictionary.
3. Choose Import CSV.
4. Select the vocabulary file in the system picker.
5. Review the imported entries and remove headers, comments, or long phrases that are not actual vocabulary.
6. Make a fresh dictation with several imported terms and review the result.

Import an existing vocabulary list instead of adding every term by hand.

Import adds terms to your existing dictionary. It does not need to replace useful entries you created earlier. This matters if you have already added a few names manually and later receive a larger list of company names, product names, or specialist terms. After import, review the combined list so duplicates and outdated forms do not remain unnoticed.

Edit, remove and verify terms

If a term still appears incorrectly after you add it, first check the conditions around the test. Confirm that the selected dictation language matches the language you are speaking. A dictionary entry cannot fully solve a mismatch between the language selected for dictation and the language in your sentence.

Next, look at the entry itself. The desired spelling should be its own focused entry, not buried inside a longer phrase. If you added a sentence or explanatory text around a name, replace that with the name or short term alone. Then dictate a new sentence that includes the term naturally. Testing with a fresh sentence helps you evaluate the current dictionary rather than relying on text created before the change.

Test a saved name in a short dictation and correct the entry if its spelling is wrong.

Also review My Dictionary for duplicates and outdated spellings. Similar entries can make it harder to maintain the form you intend to use. Remove an older spelling if it is no longer correct, and remove duplicate entries when they do not add useful vocabulary. Once the list is clean, test again in Dictation and read the written result carefully.

1. Confirm that the selected dictation language matches what you are speaking.
2. Check that the desired spelling is entered as a word or short term.
3. Remove duplicate entries and outdated spellings.
4. Dictate a new normal sentence containing the term.
5. Review the result before using the text in work that requires accuracy.

HoldSay uses the dictionary to improve recognition context. It does not remove the need for a final review when the text contains details where one incorrect character can matter. Check names, numbers, and legal terms in the completed note before sharing it. If a term is still wrong, repeat the check with the selected dictation language and the focused entry before adding more variations to the dictionary.

Common questions

Can I add my own words to HoldSay?

Yes. Add names, brands, abbreviations, and technical terms under My Dictionary in Settings, then test them in a new dictation.

When does a new dictionary term take effect?

Dictionary changes are written for the speech engine to use without reinstalling HoldSay. Test the term in a fresh dictation after you add it.

Can I import a vocabulary list into HoldSay?

Yes. Use Import CSV in My Dictionary and choose a CSV, TXT, or TSV file with one term per line or comma separated terms.

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