This is a nice trick, which can be used in any console script. There is a command named ‘say’, which is the one that does all of the magic. You can use it this way:
echo lantean | say
What’s interesting about this is that you have different voice tone variations. To get a full list, you can do this:
lantean$ say -v ?
Agnes en_US # Isn't it nice to have a computer that will talk to you?
Albert en_US # I have a frog in my throat. No, I mean a real frog!
Alex en_US # Most people recognize me by my voice.
Bad News en_US # The light you see at the end of the tunnel is the headlamp of a fast approaching train.
Bahh en_US # Do not pull the wool over my eyes.
Bells en_US # Time flies when you are having fun.
Boing en_US # Spring has sprung, fall has fell, winter's here and it's colder than usual.
Bruce en_US # I sure like being inside this fancy computer
Bubbles en_US # Pull the plug! I'm drowning!
Cellos en_US # Doo da doo da dum dee dee doodly doo dum dum dum doo da doo da doo da doo da doo da doo da doo
Deranged en_US # I need to go on a really long vacation.
Fred en_US # I sure like being inside this fancy computer
Good News en_US # Congratulations you just won the sweepstakes and you don't have to pay income tax again.
Hysterical en_US # Please stop tickling me!
Junior en_US # My favorite food is pizza.
Kathy en_US # Isn't it nice to have a computer that will talk to you?
Pipe Organ en_US # We must rejoice in this morbid voice.
Princess en_US # When I grow up I'm going to be a scientist.
Ralph en_US # The sum of the squares of the legs of a right triangle is equal to the square of the hypotenuse.
Trinoids en_US # We cannot communicate with these carbon units.
Vicki en_US # Isn't it nice to have a computer that will talk to you?
Victoria en_US # Isn't it nice to have a computer that will talk to you?
Whisper en_US # Pssssst, hey you, Yeah you, Who do ya think I'm talking to, the mouse?
Zarvox en_US # That looks like a peaceful planet.
Agnes en_US # Isn't it nice to have a computer that will talk to you?
Albert en_US # I have a frog in my throat. No, I mean a real frog!
Alex en_US # Most people recognize me by my voice.
Bad News en_US # The light you see at the end of the tunnel is the headlamp of a fast approaching train.
Bahh en_US # Do not pull the wool over my eyes.
Bells en_US # Time flies when you are having fun.
Boing en_US # Spring has sprung, fall has fell, winter's here and it's colder than usual.
Bruce en_US # I sure like being inside this fancy computer
Bubbles en_US # Pull the plug! I'm drowning!
Cellos en_US # Doo da doo da dum dee dee doodly doo dum dum dum doo da doo da doo da doo da doo da doo da doo
Deranged en_US # I need to go on a really long vacation.
Fred en_US # I sure like being inside this fancy computer
Good News en_US # Congratulations you just won the sweepstakes and you don't have to pay income tax again.
Hysterical en_US # Please stop tickling me!
Junior en_US # My favorite food is pizza.
Kathy en_US # Isn't it nice to have a computer that will talk to you?
Pipe Organ en_US # We must rejoice in this morbid voice.
Princess en_US # When I grow up I'm going to be a scientist.
Ralph en_US # The sum of the squares of the legs of a right triangle is equal to the square of the hypotenuse.
Trinoids en_US # We cannot communicate with these carbon units.
Vicki en_US # Isn't it nice to have a computer that will talk to you?
Victoria en_US # Isn't it nice to have a computer that will talk to you?
Whisper en_US # Pssssst, hey you, Yeah you, Who do ya think I'm talking to, the mouse?
Zarvox en_US # That looks like a peaceful planet.
So far, so good. Now, if you actually wanna use one of those voices, you need to specify the -v parameter, just like this:
lantean$ echo "Alala la la long long le long long long" | say -v "Hysterical"