For this assignment, I recorded an unscripted story about a recent softball game I played in. I used Speechnotes.co as my voice-to-text tool. Below is my transcript from Speechnotes and the analysis that resulted.

“We were the visiting team in our softball game on Wednesday night and I was pitching it’s a slow pitch league so underhand only and the pitch has to be at least 6 feet high but I can’t be more than 12 but because we were the visiting team we were up to bat first I was batting seventh and a 10 person line at the game started well the first two batters got on base the third batter hit a fly ball and one runner moved to third from second or the other state of first or fourth better in the long ball to the outfield and ended up with a triple scoring two runs our fourth batter hit a double nope or 15 and scored a third run the next two batters hit single score in our fourth run from second and right before me in the lineup was a better who hit another double and scored a fifth and final run another note about our league is that you are limited to five runs per inning for the first five minutes as I took the mound to start bottom of the first I only got one warm-up pitch usually we get more in the first inning but that’s fine I struggle for the first few batters though I did not walk anyone and finally hit my groove on battery number three however the other team did hit some balls into the outfield and played the short game for me some runs scored and by the end of the inning we were still up 5 to 2 I started the lead off position when we were batting in the top of the second and hit myself a double to the outfield better after me struck out and I was stuck at second base we’re back to the top of the order quickly and the better at the top of the order a double and I scored easily we were on our way to another four run inning and things were looking good as we took the field for the bottom of the second ice truck out first batter and the second batter had a ground out to our shortstop the third batter hit a single into the outfield it was a long single the fourth better grounded out to third and we played the short we getting the out at second in the top of the third inning our team took the field this time we didn’t hit quite as well we ended up with three outs after only two runs coming in as we took the field again we were still up we were up now nine we were up 12 to 2 at this point and as we played that inning the other team got a few runs that they play the small ball in the short game quite well advancing runners on singles just into the outfield we didn’t allow them to get five runs but we had to work to get that last out to keep them to only four runs score was 912 to 6 now as we went up to bat I was again I think I was batting second that inning and hit another double this was a long ball to the outfield and it should’ve been caught but the outfielder dropped it the scored one run and I was waiting at second are there hello quick pop out straight back to the picture and I was unable to advance however our top two hitters in the batting order both hit doubles scoring our third run for the inning and our fourth batter up that inning hit another home run making his home run total for that game too you’re going to hit a third home run shortly we scored a fifth run with only one out in that inning and things were looking great and by the time we took the field there was discussion about a mercy rule coming into affect we got three quick outs I believe they scored one run that inning and we took the field again I was up to bat again in another double and every we were up 815 to 7 at this point the other team did manage to score 2 runs that inning and we were looking like we were the lock for the win as we took the tour bats and I decided that we were up enough that we should start mixing up our lineup and we had some hitters trying out opposite sides of the plate we did quite well and we scored three runs and we’re up now to the point where if the other team in the bottom of that fifth and he didn’t score 2 runs then we would invoke the mercy rule in the game room and I struck out the first two batters with some winds helping my cars by pushing them and the third batter up hit a single and the fourth batter up that inning and a light ground ball back to me and I underhanded at first and the game was called there’s a good game for the gritty city that’s my team name and we went on to win that it was a fun game I hope the other team didn’t feel too bad and we ended with smiles there was my recap and hope you enjoyed it”

Voice-to-Text Analysis

How the Text Deviates from Written English

The transcript deviates from conventions of written English in several key ways. Most noticeably, it lacks punctuation, which results in long run-on sentences. While this is something that could be added, through the use of words to indicate where periods, or other punctuation might be needed, it isn’t something that is added when a story is being told. This produces a result that instead of separating events into clear sentences and paragraphs, the transcript reads as a continuous stream of words. The text also contains transcription errors such as “ice truck out first batter” instead of “I struck out the first batter.” Words are sometimes missing or slightly off, such as “better after me” instead of “the batter after me.” Additionally, the transcript captures casual filler phrases like “nope” and “that’s fine,” which would likely be revised out in a written story.

What is “Wrong” and What is “Right”

From the perspective of written English, the main issues are missing punctuation, transcription errors, and grammatical irregularities. These features make the text harder to read smoothly. However, the text is “right” in that it captures the natural rhythm and tone of oral storytelling. The sequence of events is still clear enough for readers to follow, and the casual expressions reflect the conversational way I would tell this story to a friend. I also found that, because the story was not something overly prepared, there was a tendency to fill in details at irregular moments.

Common Mistakes and Why They Occur

The most common mistakes are run-on sentences, misheard words, and dropped grammar. Run-ons occur because oral speech does not naturally signal where punctuation should be placed. Misheard words happen because the software misinterprets cadence, tone, or pronunciation, producing phrases like “are there hello quick pop out ” instead of “then there was a quick pop out.” Dropped grammar reflects how people speak more loosely than they write; in conversation, listeners fill in missing details, but in text, those gaps become errors.

The Impact of Scripting the Story

If I had scripted the story in advance, the transcript would look very different. Sentences would be shorter, transitions more deliberate, and grammar more precise. Repetition and self-correction (“I think I was batting second that inning”) would not appear and would be replaced with a more accurate phrase. While a scripted story would read more smoothly, it would also lose some of the informal, conversational voice that made the oral version engaging.

Oral Storytelling vs. Written Storytelling

Oral storytelling and written storytelling serve different purposes and follow different conventions. Oral storytelling relies on tone, pacing, and gestures to add meaning. Listeners expect digressions, repetitions, and corrections, and these do not interfere with understanding. Written storytelling, however, must be more structured and concise because readers cannot rely on tone or context. In writing, clarity is essential, while in speech, the performance and spontaneity are just as important.

Conclusion

Overall, the transcript shows that voice-to-text captures the immediacy of oral storytelling but struggles to meet the clarity standards of written English. The differences highlight how oral communication depends on shared context, while written communication depends on structure and precision. The process made me more aware of the unique features of each mode of communication and how tools like voice-to-text expose those contrasts.