13. A method for use with a computer system capable of converting text data into synthesized speech, the method comprising: A. examining the text data to identify the homograph within the text data and to extract words surrounding the identified homograph in the text data; B. using the identified homograph to identify the possible parts of speech that the identified homograph can assume; C. using the possible parts of speech that the identified homograph can assume to obtain a set of rules, each rule based on a pair of possible parts of speech of the identified homograph and a word order and position of one of the surrounding words; D. sequentially applying the rules in the obtained rule set until a rule is satisfied to determine a part of speech for the homograph in the text data; and E. using the identified homograph and the determined part of speech usage for determining a preferred pronunciation for the identified homograph.
13. A method for use with a computer system capable of converting text data into synthesized speech, the method comprising: A. examining the text data to identify the homograph within the text data and to extract words surrounding the identified homograph in the text data; B. using the identified homograph to identify the possible parts of speech that the identified homograph can assume; C. using the possible parts of speech that the identified homograph can assume to obtain a set of rules, each rule based on a pair of possible parts of speech of the identified homograph and a word order and position of one of the surrounding words; D. sequentially applying the rules in the obtained rule set until a rule is satisfied to determine a part of speech for the homograph in the text data; and E. using the identified homograph and the determined part of speech usage for determining a preferred pronunciation for the identified homograph. 19. The method of claim 13 wherein step B further comprises the steps of: B.1 associating the identified homograph with an entry of an attribute table.