Siri can be a helpful companion. And, on occasions, it can also be a headache-inducing dumb piece of shit! Basically, it can be Tyrion Lannister or Joffrey Baratheon.
Siri is (in)famous for misunderstanding you, especially if you talk with an “accent”. Indian, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Martian … it really doesn’t matter. Siri is equally tone deaf to them all. If it’s not an American drawl, Siri is not obliged to understand you.
But then, what’s centuries of social conditioning if not effective?
We’re hard-wired to seek the approval of the White Man, even if it’s just Siri, which, by the way, is neither white nor a man!
So we use Siri, time and again, and hope beyond hope that perhaps someday, it will understand us. We’re like that confused teenager seeking the validation of his equally confused peers.
If you’re one such person; if you’re hell bent on making Siri understand you, this technique might help.
The “Maybe You Said” Feature
- Speak to Siri, (and wait for her to misunderstand you).
- Click on the “Tap to edit” at the bottom of displayed text.
- You’ll come across a list of options that Siri thinks maybe you said. (Get it?)
- Choose one, if that’s what you meant. Otherwise, use the keyboard to type what you actually meant.
- Siri will learn this and over time, she’ll start listening to you the right way.
Well, it’s not going to happen overnight and you have to make the painstaking effort of ‘guiding’ her over and over again. And maybe after that, his / her assistance will be worth the effort! Maybe …
