Bitspeak

Converts hex strings to pronounceable words. This may be a good format to print small identifiers or data that needs to be pronounced. For example, if we display the 0x44042f as Base64, it may become something like hS_$, which is pronounced as "height uppercase ess underline dollar sign". With Bitspeak, the same hex becomes "kupakare", which is much easier to say. That's all...

Usage

const bs = require("bitspeak");

console.log(bs.hexToBitspeak6("476ffe")); // "kunizezi"
console.log(bs.bitspeak6ToHex("kunizezi")); // "476ffe"

Examples

Bitspeak has two versions, 6-bit and 8-bit per syllable. The 6-bit version is more accurate since syllables don't get mixed up, but the 8-bit one is more round since it matches 1 byte per syllable.

Num	Hex	Bs6	Bs8
16261014	f81f96	zipuzigi	zunbowven
4457519	44042f	kupakare	kuputow
2609494	27d156	tuzubugi	tinyegen
1529246	17559e	bunugiji	binganvaw
14570023	de5227	nevutave	yawgitin
2753998	2a05ce	tifagedi	taipanmaw
5519699	543953	gupevuke	gudongo
3870500	3b0f24	dimazava	deipowtu
13033781	c6e135	muribanu	mensedan
15789528	f0edd8	zadinexa	zasuiyun
147010	23e42	pafesupi	pidawki
7313431	6f9817	xesufage	chowvunbin
2213186	21c542	tajagupi	temanki
2145750	20bdd6	tatenegi	taruiyen
4071640	3e20d8	defipexa	dawtayun
1974352	1e2050	befipuka	bawtaga
9512932	9127e4	vakijeva	vetinsu
4517800	44efa8	kudizila	kusowlun
12793805	c337cd	mamejedu	modinmui
8649854	83fc7e	fazemuzi	fozoijaw
14233703	d93067	nikepuve	yondachin
2973685	2d5ff5	teguzenu	tuigowzan
5297893	50d6e5	gaduxevu	gayensan
9990788	987284	vibetiba	vunjifu

Pronounce

On the 6-bit version, consonants are picked to maintain an unique map between the pronounce and the writing. Consonants like x should be understood as sh from shower, not x from dex, and consonants like g should be read as in game, even when they're followed by an i or e. Here is a table with the proper sounds:

consontant	sounds as in
p	pool
b	bad
t	tape
d	dice
k	king
g	game
x	shower
j	joker
f	fire
v	void
l	letter
r	rat
m	mask
n	ninja
s	sun
z	zebra

Similarly, each syllable must be pronounced in isolation: kupakare is coo - pa - ka - re, not coo - pa - care.

Specification

Bitspeak has two flavors, 6-bit and 8-bit per syllable. They use the following tables:

6-Bit

// Consonants:

0000 -> p
0001 -> b
0010 -> t
0011 -> d
0100 -> k
0101 -> g
0110 -> x
0111 -> j
1000 -> f
1001 -> v
1010 -> l
1011 -> r
1100 -> m
1101 -> n
1110 -> s
1111 -> z

// Vowels:

00 -> a
01 -> u
10 -> i
11 -> e

8-bit

// Consonants:

0000 -> p
0001 -> b
0010 -> t
0011 -> d
0100 -> k
0101 -> g
0110 -> sh
0111 -> j
1000 -> f
1001 -> v
1010 -> l
1011 -> r
1100 -> m
1101 -> y
1110 -> s
1111 -> z

// Vowels:

0000 -> a
0001 -> e
0010 -> i
0011 -> o
0100 -> u
0101 -> an
0110 -> en
0111 -> in
1000 -> un
1001 -> on
1010 -> ai
1011 -> ei
1100 -> oi
1101 -> ui
1110 -> aw
1111 -> ow

Why?

For when you have to type, vocalize or memorize bytes for whatever reason. For example, typing a shortened URL in a phone, manually accessing an uuid in a database, or memorizing a crypto private key. Sure, that should not happen, but if it does, Bitspeak is supposed to make the process slightly less painful, as it is arguably easier to write "kupakare" correctly than "hS_$" or "44042f".

1. Typing special characters and uppercase letters in a phone is painful.

2. The pronounce is shorter (kupakare vs heightuppercaseessunderlinedollar vs fourfourzerofourtwoeff).

3. It is gentler to human menory as it has less traps ("was it uppercase or lowercase?").

We're considering using something like that for displaying the unique identifiers of Formality files, a new programming and proof language.

Relevant XKCD