Windows 8.1 Speech Recognition Change Language

[mattk1]

Hi guys,

I have a new computer running Windows 8.1 Single Language and I'm wondering if anyone could help me figure out how to change the single language from English US to English UK?

I have been setting up the speech recognition feature and I'm so very nearly done apart from this last hurdle.

I have attached a picture of the menu I am referring to which is the Windows Speech Recognition advanced settings panel. Searching Google many times has not provided me with the solution so I thought I'd ask here (got some great advice recently on here regarding CCleaner software).

To summarise my problem;

I only have English US available as my Speech Recognition Engine and I want to change it to English UK.

If any one can help me solve this I'd be very happy to hear it! :-)

(Screenshot attached)

Edited November 6, 2014 by mattk1

[Pib]

I don't think you will be able to change it since its a "Single Language" version of Windows. I have a Win 8.1 SL Intl Eng version and it's single language is UK English and won't allow me to change it. You would probably have to upgrade to the Win 8.1 Pro to get multiple languages/ability to change languages like for the "System Language," "Speech Recognition languages", etc. However you can still select a different keyboard languages on a SL version.

[ravip]

I found this here > http://superuser.com/questions/475926/windows-8-speech-recognition-language

Never tried it myself, though.

Option 1

Finally found the solution:

1) Download the x64 Language Pack DVD ISO

2) Navigate to the EN-US folder and copy the lp.cab file to a local hard drive

3) Rename the .cab file to .mlc and double click it

4) Run through the wizard to install the language

5) Open Advanced Speech Options and EN-US is now available

Edit

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/891a23e1-0967-45c2-bde5-300f0f4f5cf6/language-pack-for-windows-81?forum=w8itprogeneral

Option 2

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2910256

Edited November 7, 2014 by ravip

[ravip]

I found this here > http://superuser.com/questions/475926/windows-8-speech-recognition-language

Never tried it myself, though.

Option 1

Finally found the solution:

1) Download the x64 Language Pack DVD ISO

2) Navigate to the EN-US folder and copy the lp.cab file to a local hard drive

3) Rename the .cab file to .mlc and double click it

4) Run through the wizard to install the language

5) Open Advanced Speech Options and EN-US is now available

Edit

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/891a23e1-0967-45c2-bde5-300f0f4f5cf6/language-pack-for-windows-81?forum=w8itprogeneral

This adds the languages.

Option 2

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2910256

[mattk1]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies and helping me trying to get to the bottom of this problem, it is very appreciated

Ravip, I will give your option 2 link a try when I get home and report how I get on

From the brief part I read it certainly sounds promising!

Cheers again,

Matt

[ravip]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies and helping me trying to get to the bottom of this problem, it is very appreciated

Ravip, I will give your option 2 link a try when I get home and report how I get on

From the brief part I read it certainly sounds promising!

Cheers again,

Matt

I did Option 2 already and it worked.

Takes about 10 minutes - guess it depends on your net speed.

Good luck!

Edit

I am running Windows 8.1 Enterprise x64

Edited November 7, 2014 by ravip

[Pib]

ravip,

Is your Win 8.1 Enterprise x64 a Single Language version or the Core Version (i.e., include multiple languages out of the gate)? I expect the Core Version would not include any annotation indicating such but a Single Language version will say Single Language or SL somewhere. Thanks.

[ravip]

ravip,

Is your Win 8.1 Enterprise x64 a Single Language version or the Core Version (i.e., include multiple languages out of the gate)? I expect the Core Version would not include any annotation indicating such but a Single Language version will say Single Language or SL somewhere. Thanks.

I couldn't find SL stated anywhere.

Before installing the Language pack, I saw exactly like OP's screen shot - English US only.

After installing, the speech recognition window showed US + UK

Edited November 7, 2014 by ravip

[Pib]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies and helping me trying to get to the bottom of this problem, it is very appreciated

Ravip, I will give your option 2 link a try when I get home and report how I get on

From the brief part I read it certainly sounds promising!

Cheers again,

Matt

I think what will happen here is just a "keyboard" language change, which may not change the speech program language if the speech language is linked to the "display" language which for you is apparently the U.S. English "Single Language" version. For me the Single Language version I bought at BananaIT was the Int'l English version on the outside box label but when loading the program only the UK English "display" version was available (guess UK English is considered the International version of English) although you can select US English keyboard which I have selected.

[ravip]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies and helping me trying to get to the bottom of this problem, it is very appreciated

Ravip, I will give your option 2 link a try when I get home and report how I get on

From the brief part I read it certainly sounds promising!

Cheers again,

Matt

I think what will happen here is just a "keyboard" language change, which may not change the speech program language if the speech language is linked to the "display" language which for you is apparently the U.S. English "Single Language" version. For me the Single Language version I bought at BananaIT was the Int'l English version on the outside box label but when loading the program only the UK English "display" version was available (guess UK English is considered the International version of English) although you can select US English keyboard which I have selected.

Sorry for the delay, just managed to send the screen shot.

No, it is not the keyboard that changed, Pib

What do you think?

Edited November 7, 2014 by ravip

[Pib]

ravip,

Is your Win 8.1 Enterprise x64 a Single Language version or the Core Version (i.e., include multiple languages out of the gate)? I expect the Core Version would not include any annotation indicating such but a Single Language version will say Single Language or SL somewhere. Thanks.

I couldn't find SL stated anywhere.

Before installing the Language pack, I saw exactly like OP's screen shot - English US only.

After installing, the speech recognition window showed US + UK

That's good to know...maybe the speech language like the keyboard language is not tied to the "system" language in a Single Language version "if", repeat, if you have a Single Language version. With the Enterprise version being a high end version maybe it only comes in the Core version. When you go to Control Panel and look under System what name is given for your Windows version...as shown below for me the Single Language is part of the version/name.

[mattk1]

Hi guys,

I'm just about to give this a try but before I do, Mr Ravip can you check out the same screen as I have attached to this message as this is where you can see if your machine states single language windows or not.

Cheers

[mattk1]

Haha Pib we must have been typing at the exact same time. Great minds think alike

[Pib]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies and helping me trying to get to the bottom of this problem, it is very appreciated

Ravip, I will give your option 2 link a try when I get home and report how I get on

From the brief part I read it certainly sounds promising!

Cheers again,

Matt

I think what will happen here is just a "keyboard" language change, which may not change the speech program language if the speech language is linked to the "display" language which for you is apparently the U.S. English "Single Language" version. For me the Single Language version I bought at BananaIT was the Int'l English version on the outside box label but when loading the program only the UK English "display" version was available (guess UK English is considered the International version of English) although you can select US English keyboard which I have selected.

Sorry for the delay, just managed to send the screen shot.

No, it is not the keyboard that changed, Pib

What do you think?

No, I didn't mean it would also change the keyboard language. Single Language editions of Windows have certain limitations on language changes for certain things within Windows. For example you can not change the "display" language which is basic language all the of Windows menu will be displayed in which is really nothing much more than how they spell some words like color (US English) or colour (UK English), etc. In a Single Language version you can still change keyboard languages and maybe you will also be able to change speech recognition languages...I may give it a try tomorrow once the Chang beer tonight wears off after a nights sleep.

Edited November 7, 2014 by Pib

[ravip]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies and helping me trying to get to the bottom of this problem, it is very appreciated

Ravip, I will give your option 2 link a try when I get home and report how I get on

From the brief part I read it certainly sounds promising!

Cheers again,

Matt

I think what will happen here is just a "keyboard" language change, which may not change the speech program language if the speech language is linked to the "display" language which for you is apparently the U.S. English "Single Language" version. For me the Single Language version I bought at BananaIT was the Int'l English version on the outside box label but when loading the program only the UK English "display" version was available (guess UK English is considered the International version of English) although you can select US English keyboard which I have selected.

Sorry for the delay, just managed to send the screen shot.

No, it is not the keyboard that changed, Pib

What do you think?

No it does not say single language.

But if you install it, I am sure it cannot do any harm, except refuse to install???

Edit

Let us know the results, after the Chang wears off

Edited November 7, 2014 by ravip

[Pib]

Then you can change languages for display, keyboard, speech, etc., to whatever you want. You won't experience some of language changing limitations of the Single Language edition.

[Pib]

Haha Pib we must have been typing at the exact same time. Great minds think alike

Oh, you don't want your mind thinking like my Chang beer impaired brain.

[ravip]

Chang beer impaired brain?

I guess that was a typo > I am sure you meant... Chang beer inspired brain.

[mattk1]

Ok guys I have just had a proper read through and I think I'm stuck with English US as the single language version says only one language pack allowed

See the screen shot attachment. Mr Ravip you are free of this restraint I think as your version of windows is the better one

[Pib]

Ok guys I have just had a proper read through and I think I'm stuck with English US as the single language version says only one language pack allowed

See the screen shot attachment. Mr Ravip you are free of this restraint I think as your version of windows is the better one

Ditto for me...I just tried it also. The guidance at that website is apparently for core editions of Windows (i.e., no language restrictions).

Upgrading to the Pro Pack is probably the only option to eliminate the Single Language restriction. Buy a Pro Pack license number for around a $100 USD, enter the license key, and then you will have Win 8.1 Pro with no language restrictions. No reloading of programs, files, etc., required...just a license number change. For me the only thing Pro would add that I might use is BitLocker encryption.

And where I earlier said I had the U.S. keyboard loaded, well I don't think I do on closer eval...it appears in the Add Language menu but says it's unavailable for this version of windows since I have the Intl Eng UK English version. Oh well....as a U.S. person I'm getting along just fine with UK English.

Time for me to go night-night as my last Chang beer allowed per day is empty. Goodnight to all.

[ravip]

Anyway, at least we tried.

[mattk1]

Hi Pib,

Thanks for doing some research and clarifying that for us, much appreciated

I was wondering if the single language is chosen upon the installation of Windows or is it just pre set to one single language and you can't choose another?

Anyway I think I've decided to just live with the US speech recognition. The solutions to my problem are either going to cost me money or be a hassle to do

[Pib]

Hi Pib,

Thanks for doing some research and clarifying that for us, much appreciated

I was wondering if the single language is chosen upon the installation of Windows or is it just pre set to one single language and you can't choose another?

Anyway I think I've decided to just live with the US speech recognition. The solutions to my problem are either going to cost me money or be a hassle to do

My understanding it's set during installation and then you can't change it without re-installing...and the English version you are hoping for may not be there depending on where your Single Language version was bought. When I got my new computer I actually installed/reinstalled Win 8.1 a couple of times as I bought the Win 8.1 SL Eng Int'l disk separately and each time during the first few steps of the install you must choose a language and if I remember right there were around a half dozen English versions offered (i.e., it listed a few countries using English) but U.S. English was not one of them...nor was Australian English...just the UK English. So I choose UK English. I expect your version was limited to only US English and don't have the UK English offering. When I was shopping for my new laptop I noticed the Samsung's that came preloaded with Win 8/8.1 were loaded with Single Language US English. The whole reason behind Microsoft putting out SL version is to help reduce piracy across regions of the world....like people who primarily speak say Chinese would not want an English pirated version or vice versa.

Yea, save you money...maybe buy Win 10 when it comes out next year...and many websites say Microsoft may offer it as a free upgrade for Win 8.0/8.1 users. However, it will be our luck if free and when doing the upgrade it will leave us stuck with one particular language versus being able to load most any language like the core version. Cheers.

[mattk1]

Thanks Pib, yeah that would make sense regarding the pirating of Windows, I did wonder why they had single language versions but I guessed it might be something to do with reducing the size of the software.

I will be very happy if they offer Windows 10 as a free upgrade for us

So far I quite like 8.1, I came from Windows 7 and was putting off going to 8.1 but now that i'm used to it I definitely think it's a nicely laid out system.

Cheers,

Matt

[Pib]

Yeap...me like Win 8.1 also...but I'm mostly operating in the Desktop Win 7 type environment, but I do prefer the Win 8.1 Metro type environment for some things. As I started off with Win 8.1 on my current primary computer, I never used Win 8.0 which got a lot of hate mail and just turned a lot people off from upgrading. Actually all the Win 8.0 hate mail kept me form upgrading until Win 8.1 came out. And I probably wouldn't be using Win 8.1 today unless I had got a new computer Dec 13 and just didn't want to buy an aging Win 7 OS for that new computer. My other two 8 year old laptops are still running Win 7 and they will go to their graves with Win 7 on them.

[mattk1]

Hi Pib,

Yeah i'm using it in a similar style to yourself, reverting to Windows 7 styles wherever possible but i'm slowly coming round to the different ways of Windows 8

Cheers!

Matt