Abstract
This paper describes the Speech Synthesis Markup Language, SSML, which has been designed as a platform independent interface standard for speech synthesis systems. The paper discusses the need for standardisation in speech synthesizers and how this will help builders of systems make better use of synthesis. Next the features of SSML (based on SGML, standard generalised markup language) are discussed, and details of the Edinburgh SSML interpreter are given as a guide on how to implement an SSML-based synthesizer.
