Get a sneak peek at whats next for Permanent Hazards on our April 7th Office Hours!
This is the place to discuss issues that are relevant for locations in the US. For any other discussions, please use the main forums.
Post by GizmoGuy411
A section on Abbreviations has been added to the Waze Wiki "Editing Manual" under "How to label and name roads":
http://www.waze.com/wiki/index.php/How_ ... reviations

The lead post here has also been edited and updated.
GizmoGuy411
EmeritusChamps
EmeritusChamps
Posts: 1470
Has thanked: 339 times
Been thanked: 345 times
Send a message

U.S. based Global Champ Emeritus
U.S. Local Champ
U.S. Country Manager
U.S. Great Lakes ARC: IL, IN, MI, OH, WI
(and past GLR RC)
AM: NW OH, NE IN, SE MI
Wiki Profile
Verizon: Google Pixel XL3 & iPad "3"

Post by GizmoGuy411
That is just it. The signs do not say New York City. They just say NYC with no spaces or periods.

So my thinking was that for that abbreviation TTS should just say " en wye cee" to reflect the same brevity.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
GizmoGuy411
EmeritusChamps
EmeritusChamps
Posts: 1470
Has thanked: 339 times
Been thanked: 345 times
Send a message

U.S. based Global Champ Emeritus
U.S. Local Champ
U.S. Country Manager
U.S. Great Lakes ARC: IL, IN, MI, OH, WI
(and past GLR RC)
AM: NW OH, NE IN, SE MI
Wiki Profile
Verizon: Google Pixel XL3 & iPad "3"

Post by GizmoGuy411
R4CLucky14 wrote:With all this conflicts, why are we doing this? Wouldn't it be better to simply ask Waze to implement a TTS field, so we can actually follow the goal of making it simple to the user: matching the BGS?
Yes we have asked for an exception field, and Waze has said here in the forums that a solution is coming. (can't find the post at the moment). It may also come along with the ability to test the results immediately.

However the issues with TTS abbreviations, and TTS for full words are not exactly the same.

There are multiple layers to how the TTS engine works. Waze uses a product from Nuance that is sold customized for mobile use. Waze also has the ability to further customize what the TTS can say.

When they provide us with an exception field, was can over-ride the delivered TTS and have it say what we want for all the special cases we encounter, such as alternate local pronunciations, non English language words, and other similar infrequent cases.

Abbreviations however are used very frequently, and need to be available without always needing to use an exception field.

The abbreviation list we are building here is intended to test what Waze currently recognizes and to test future possibilities. Everything that we test is NOT necessarily what we would like Waze to actually use for TTS.

As others have mentioned above. we hope to get Waze to change the TTS for those abbreviations that we feel are most likely to be encountered in North American that are commonly used on signs.

The exception field can then be primarily for full words and hopefully only needed for abbreviations in rare exceptions.

So the combination of a Waze customized set of abbreviations, along with our ability to further customize anything in an exception field should provide the best solution.

While this will be important for North America, the exception field will be even more important for the rest of the world. The ROTW may well need their own custom abbreviation list too. And that is best left for discussion in another forum!
GizmoGuy411
EmeritusChamps
EmeritusChamps
Posts: 1470
Has thanked: 339 times
Been thanked: 345 times
Send a message
Last edited by GizmoGuy411 on Sun Mar 11, 2012 9:33 pm, edited 2 times in total.

U.S. based Global Champ Emeritus
U.S. Local Champ
U.S. Country Manager
U.S. Great Lakes ARC: IL, IN, MI, OH, WI
(and past GLR RC)
AM: NW OH, NE IN, SE MI
Wiki Profile
Verizon: Google Pixel XL3 & iPad "3"

Post by GizmoGuy411
sketch wrote:For the record:

"Intl" is pronounced like "Entull". It would be nice to have it pronounced as "International".

The example that led me here is doubly problematic, in fact: an exit is signed as "N.O. Intl Airport". If I label it "N.O. Intl", it'll say "North Oh Entull", but if I say "NO" it'll just be "No Entull". I'm going to label this segment "New Orleans International" for now, but it would be nice to have it somehow workable.
Thanks guys. I'll add your results sketch, plus another test with the abbreviations as banished, and jasonh300 suggested plus a few more of my own.


I previously added some common abbreviations for New York City to test, but I guess we should add a few others like for New Orleans, and Los Angles. But my mind is blank at the moment for other very large metro areas that are likely to have frequent such abbreviations on their local signs.

Any other suggestions anyone?
GizmoGuy411
EmeritusChamps
EmeritusChamps
Posts: 1470
Has thanked: 339 times
Been thanked: 345 times
Send a message
Last edited by GizmoGuy411 on Sun Mar 04, 2012 10:29 am, edited 2 times in total.

U.S. based Global Champ Emeritus
U.S. Local Champ
U.S. Country Manager
U.S. Great Lakes ARC: IL, IN, MI, OH, WI
(and past GLR RC)
AM: NW OH, NE IN, SE MI
Wiki Profile
Verizon: Google Pixel XL3 & iPad "3"

Post by GizmoGuy411
sketch wrote:Have you tried "Thwy" yet? That's how it's abbreviated up on the exit signs up in Baton Rouge.
CBenson suggested that some time ago, however it has not been tested yet.

Don't you or jasonh300 ever get a chance to hear it?

At the rate that our map tiles are getting updated, I could drive down to Baton Rouge and learn the results faster!
GizmoGuy411
EmeritusChamps
EmeritusChamps
Posts: 1470
Has thanked: 339 times
Been thanked: 345 times
Send a message

U.S. based Global Champ Emeritus
U.S. Local Champ
U.S. Country Manager
U.S. Great Lakes ARC: IL, IN, MI, OH, WI
(and past GLR RC)
AM: NW OH, NE IN, SE MI
Wiki Profile
Verizon: Google Pixel XL3 & iPad "3"

Post by GizmoGuy411
BrianCanFixIT wrote:I've just encountered a sign with "Drwy" for Driveway. so I guess the other permutation for this would also be valid: drwy, drway.

Thanks Brian. Added. Did you happen to hear the TTS results for them? Or were you not actually there.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
GizmoGuy411
EmeritusChamps
EmeritusChamps
Posts: 1470
Has thanked: 339 times
Been thanked: 345 times
Send a message

U.S. based Global Champ Emeritus
U.S. Local Champ
U.S. Country Manager
U.S. Great Lakes ARC: IL, IN, MI, OH, WI
(and past GLR RC)
AM: NW OH, NE IN, SE MI
Wiki Profile
Verizon: Google Pixel XL3 & iPad "3"

Post by GizmoGuy411
In a rush to get as much of the TTS abbreviation testing into WME before the update, I've added every outstanding entry from the list to WME last night.

Thanks to CBenson's link, I've also added the relavant abbreviations from the "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, Section 1A.15 Abbreviations Used on Traffic Control Devices" list today.

Anyone want to drive to NW Ohio or to the ski mountains of Colorado to test all of our entries. Maybe Jen can come to farm country, and I can go skiing!
GizmoGuy411
EmeritusChamps
EmeritusChamps
Posts: 1470
Has thanked: 339 times
Been thanked: 345 times
Send a message

U.S. based Global Champ Emeritus
U.S. Local Champ
U.S. Country Manager
U.S. Great Lakes ARC: IL, IN, MI, OH, WI
(and past GLR RC)
AM: NW OH, NE IN, SE MI
Wiki Profile
Verizon: Google Pixel XL3 & iPad "3"

Post by GizmoGuy411
CBenson wrote:I see that "Pr" has been added to the spreadsheet. Please note that the entries I have heard are for "Pr." - with the period (if that makes a difference).
Added.

I have started to add more abbreviations with periods, and once future batch of abbreviations is tested, I may go back through the list and test those that failed again with periods to see if there is any change.
GizmoGuy411
EmeritusChamps
EmeritusChamps
Posts: 1470
Has thanked: 339 times
Been thanked: 345 times
Send a message
Last edited by GizmoGuy411 on Sun Mar 11, 2012 9:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

U.S. based Global Champ Emeritus
U.S. Local Champ
U.S. Country Manager
U.S. Great Lakes ARC: IL, IN, MI, OH, WI
(and past GLR RC)
AM: NW OH, NE IN, SE MI
Wiki Profile
Verizon: Google Pixel XL3 & iPad "3"

Post by GizmoGuy411
DonJ2 wrote:Does anybody know if "Par" is announced as "Parade" via TTS?

I did not see it in the spreadsheet. I'm asking because of a UR that says "Par St" is not "Parade St". Not a single segment along "Par St" is or ever has been "Parade St", so I'm wondering if TTS says "Parade St" instead?

I've added "par" for "Parade" to the list and the test rig. It may be quite a while before we can actually test it of course.
GizmoGuy411
EmeritusChamps
EmeritusChamps
Posts: 1470
Has thanked: 339 times
Been thanked: 345 times
Send a message

U.S. based Global Champ Emeritus
U.S. Local Champ
U.S. Country Manager
U.S. Great Lakes ARC: IL, IN, MI, OH, WI
(and past GLR RC)
AM: NW OH, NE IN, SE MI
Wiki Profile
Verizon: Google Pixel XL3 & iPad "3"

Post by GizmoGuy411
CBenson wrote: I would also note I was somewhat surprised (not having any use for the "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices" except for waze map editing) at how much each state might change that list. Here is Maryland's for example.
Yes that is a surprise. Maryland has quite a few more abbreviations than the fed list too. I looked my state of Ohio, and our abbreviation list is a copy of the federal list.

I supposed to do the our list right we should look at these for EVERY state. I'm afraid however I'm not up to the task, as our current list represents a fair amount of effort to date, and with only 35% tested so far, there will be a lot more to test once the map tiles are updated again.

Would anyone like to compare the MUTCD list for every state against our list and submit any additional abbreviations we should add?

http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/sta ... /index.htm
GizmoGuy411
EmeritusChamps
EmeritusChamps
Posts: 1470
Has thanked: 339 times
Been thanked: 345 times
Send a message

U.S. based Global Champ Emeritus
U.S. Local Champ
U.S. Country Manager
U.S. Great Lakes ARC: IL, IN, MI, OH, WI
(and past GLR RC)
AM: NW OH, NE IN, SE MI
Wiki Profile
Verizon: Google Pixel XL3 & iPad "3"