1. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of: specifying a speech input with a speech-enabled markup; defining within said speech-enabled markup at least one operation of an application that is to be executed upon a detection of said specified speech input; associating said speech-enabled markup with a graphical user interface element of said application; after said defining and associating steps, instantiating said application; monitoring to determine whether said graphical user interface element receives focus; loading said speech-enabled markup into a markup interpreter and activating said speech-enabled markup if said graphical user interface element receives focus; monitoring audible input to determine whether said specified speech input is received when said speech-enabled markup is activated; executing said application operation if said specified speech input is received when said speech-enabled markup is activated; deactivating said speech-enabled markup so that said application no longer monitors audible input for said specified speech input if said graphical user interface element loses focus; wherein said markup interpreter is embedded within an operating system on which the application executes.