Learning and entertainment device, method and system and storage media therefor

A pronunciation practice system which utilizes storage medium wherein images and subtitle data relating to sounds uttered during the course of these images are stored in a plurality of subtitle channels for the purpose of pronunciation practice, comprising:

• a storage medium having a first of the plurality of subtitle channels, wherein in at least part of a practice area subtitle data is added only in relation to a specific predetermined sound from among a plurality of types of sound, the addition of subtitle data in relation to sounds other than said specific sound being prohibited;
• a second of the plurality of subtitle channels, wherein the addition of subtitle data in relation to the specific sound is prohibited, while subtitle data is added in relation to sounds other than said specific sound;
• a first sound channel, wherein in the practice area sound data is stored only in relation to said specific sound;
• a second sound channel, wherein sound data is stored only in relation to sounds other than said specific sound;
• and a control data storage area for storing control data which allows the sound data of the first sound channel to be output as a first sound and the sound data of the second sound channel as a second sound when said specific sound is designated, while allowing the sound data of the second sound channel to be output as a first sound and the sound data of the first sound channel as a second sound when said specific sound is not designated;
• a sound feed device which feeds sound individually to a user engaged in pronunciation practice by causing it to correspond to the first sound output from a playback device;
• a sound input device which changes sound uttered by the user into a sound signals;
• and
• a mixer which synthesizes the sound signal from the sound input device with the second sound output from the playback device as a sound input signal corresponding to the displaying image by the playback device.

A method of pronunciation practice which utilizes storage medium wherein images and subtitle data relating to sounds uttered during the course of these images are stored in a plurality of subtitle channels for the purpose of pronunciation practice, said storage medium having a first of the plurality of subtitle channels, wherein in at least part of a practice area subtitle data is added only in relation to a specific predetermined sound from among a plurality of types of sound, the addition of subtitle data in relation to sounds other than said specific sound being prohibited;

• a second of the plurality of subtitle channels, wherein the addition of subtitle data in relation to the specific sound is prohibited, while subtitle data is added in relation to sounds other than said specific sound;
• a third of the plurality of subtitle channels wherein subtitle data is added not only in relation to said specific sound but also in relation to sounds other than said specific sound;
• a first sound channel wherein in the practice area sound data is stored only in relation to said specific sound;
• and a second sound channel, wherein sound data is stored only in relation to sounds other than said specific sound;
• comprising the steps of;
• during pronunciation practice using the sound of the first sound channel, subtitles based on subtitle data of the first of the plurality of subtitle channels or the third of the plurality of subtitle channels and output by playing the storage medium back are displayed on the monitor device, while sound corresponding to the sound signal of the first sound channel and output by playing the storage medium back is fed to the ear of the user, sound corresponding to a sound signal obtained through synthesis of the sound signal of the second sound channel with a sound signal generated in response to the user's pronunciation being fed in such a manner as to be audible to an audience;
• and
• during pronunciation practice using the sound of the second sound channel, subtitles based on subtitle data of the second of the plurality of subtitle channels or the third of the plurality of subtitle channels and output by playing the storage medium back are displayed on the monitor device, while sound corresponding to the sound signal of the second sound channel and output by playing the storage medium back is fed to the ear of the user, sound corresponding to a sound signal obtained through synthesis of the sound signal of the first sound channel with a sound signal generated in response to the user's pronunciation being fed in such a manner as to be audible to an audience.

A method of pronunciation practice which utilizes a storage medium wherein images and subtitle data relating to sounds uttered during the course of these images are stored in a plurality of subtitle channels for the purpose of pronunciation practice, said storage medium having a first of the plurality of subtitle channels, wherein in at least part of a practice area subtitle data is added only in relation to a specific predetermined sound from among a plurality of types of sound, the addition of subtitle data in relation to sounds other than said specific sound being prohibited;

• a second of the plurality of subtitle channels, wherein the addition of subtitle data in relation to the specific sound is prohibited, while subtitle data is added in relation to sounds other than said specific sound;
• a third of the plurality of subtitle channels, wherein subtitle data is added not only in relation to said specific sound but also in relation to sounds other than said specific sound;
• a first sound channel, wherein in the practice area sound data is stored only in relation to said specific sound;
• a second sound channel, wherein sound data is stored only in relation to sounds other than said specific sound;
• and a third sound channel, wherein in the practice area sound data is added not only in relation to said specific sound but also in relation to sounds other than said specific sound;
• comprising the steps of:
• during pronunciation practice using the sound of the first sound channel, subtitles based on subtitle data of the first of the plurality of subtitle channels or the third of the plurality of subtitle channels and output by playing the storage medium back are displayed on the monitor device, while sound corresponding to the sound signal of the first sound channel and output by playing the storage medium back is fed to the ear of the user, sound corresponding to a sound signal obtained through synthesis of the sound signal of the second sound channel with a sound signal generated in response to the user's pronunciation being fed in such a manner as to be audible to an audience;
• and
• during pronunciation practice using the sound of the second sound channel, subtitles based on subtitle data of the second of the plurality of subtitle channels or the third of the plurality of subtitle channels and output by playing the storage medium back are displayed on the monitor device, while sound corresponding to the sound signal of the second sound channel and output by playing the storage medium back is fed to the ear of the user, sound corresponding to a sound signal obtained through synthesis of the sound signal of the first sound channel with a sound signal generated in response to the user's pronunciation being fed in such a manner as to be audible to an audience.