Read out aloud - doesn't understand where to break words and syllables up and is the opposite of an accessibility feature

Hi ​@leyarussell, 

Thank you for reaching out and for providing the details.

To help resolve this, please try the following steps:

1. Check macOS Voice Settings
   Go to System Settings, then Accessibility, then Spoken Content.
   Ensure that the selected system voice is set to a standard English voice, for example, “Samantha” or another high-quality English voice. Some compact or enhanced voices can behave differently.
2. Adjust Speaking Rate
   In the same Spoken Content settings, review the speaking rate. If it is set too fast, it can cause words to sound merged or incorrectly segmented. Try reducing the speed and test again.
3. Verify Language and Region
   Go to System Settings > General > Language and Region.
   Ensure English is set as the primary language, as mismatches can affect pronunciation.
4. Test Outside Acrobat
   Use the macOS “Speak Selection” feature in another application such as TextEdit.
   If the issue persists there, it confirms the behavior is coming from the system voice engine.
5. Try a Different Voice
   Switch to another English voice in macOS settings and test again in Acrobat. Some voices are clearer than others.
6. Check the PDF Structure
   If the issue only occurs in a specific PDF, it may be related to how the text is structured or tagged. You can try:

• Running Accessibility Check in Acrobat
• Using “Autotag Document” to improve reading order

If the issue continues after these steps, kindly share the file and a new video recording. 

We are happy to help you further once we review the recording.

~Tariq