ECTACO English <-> French Talking Partner Dictionary provides bidirectional word translation and synthesis of speech. The dictionary is easy to install on a desktop computer. One of its remarkable features is voice function, i.e. the ability to pronounce words. Now you don't have to check the transcription, merely select the word and with one click make the speech synthesizer pronounce it for you. The synthesizer (Text-to-Speech engine) is based on a new approach to speech synthesis, i.e. on formanta synthesis, which creates a human vocal tract simulation by modeling sounds of a national language.