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Abstract

A method and apparatus for modification of a speech signal indicative of a stream of speech data having a plurality of syllables. The method comprises the steps of mapping the stream of speech data from the speech signal into a stream of tone data according to a linguistic rule regarding the syllables for providing a tone signal indicative of the stream of tone data; forming a string of musical notes responsive to the tone signal for providing a carrier signal indicative of the string of musical notes; modulating the carrier signal with the speech signal for providing a modified signal; and providing an audible signal representative of the speech signal, musically modified according to the linguistic rule. The linguistic rule includes an assignment of a tone to a syllable of the speech data based on a vowel of the syllable, a consonant of the syllable, the intonation of the syllable for a monosyllabic language. The musically modified speech signal can be used to indicate an incoming telephone call, a message left on a telephone, a scheduled event, or the like.

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First Claim