diff --git a/apps/lang/deutsch.lang b/apps/lang/deutsch.lang
index 0ff4778721..8aa8425c47 100644
--- a/apps/lang/deutsch.lang
+++ b/apps/lang/deutsch.lang
@@ -2256,7 +2256,7 @@ voice: "Plus"
 new:
 
 id: VOICE_POINT
-desc: spoken only, for composing numbers
+desc: spoken only, decimal separator for composing numbers
 eng: ""
 voice: "Komma"
 new:
@@ -2833,3 +2833,16 @@ desc: before acknowledging usb in case an MMC is inserted (Ondio)
 eng: "Please remove inserted MMC"
 voice: "Bitte Multimediakarte entfernen"
 new: "Bitte eingelegte MMC entfernen"
+
+id: VOICE_DOT
+desc: spoken only, for spelling
+eng: ""
+voice: "Punkt"
+new: 
+
+id: VOICE_PAUSE
+desc: spoken only, for spelling, a split second of silence (difficult to author)
+eng: ""
+voice: " "
+new:
+
diff --git a/apps/lang/english.lang b/apps/lang/english.lang
index fd3d4d297a..698a7a65ce 100644
--- a/apps/lang/english.lang
+++ b/apps/lang/english.lang
@@ -2270,7 +2270,7 @@ voice: "plus"
 new:
 
 id: VOICE_POINT
-desc: spoken only, for composing numbers
+desc: spoken only, decimal separator for composing numbers
 eng: ""
 voice: "point"
 new:
@@ -2847,3 +2847,16 @@ desc: before acknowledging usb in case an MMC is inserted (Ondio)
 eng: "Please remove inserted MMC"
 voice: "Please remove multimedia card"
 new:
+
+id: VOICE_DOT
+desc: spoken only, for spelling
+eng: ""
+voice: "dot"
+new:
+
+id: VOICE_PAUSE
+desc: spoken only, for spelling, a split second of silence (difficult to author)
+eng: ""
+voice: " "
+new:
+
diff --git a/apps/talk.c b/apps/talk.c
index db52afc834..6e59cde90e 100644
--- a/apps/talk.c
+++ b/apps/talk.c
@@ -610,7 +610,10 @@ int talk_spell(const char* spell, bool enqueue)
         else if (c == '+')
             talk_id(VOICE_PLUS, true);
         else if (c == '.')
-            talk_id(VOICE_POINT, true);
+            talk_id(VOICE_POINT, true); 
+            /* fixme: change to VOICE_DOT when settled in the voice files */
+        else if (c == ' ')
+            talk_id(VOICE_PAUSE, true);
     }
 
     return 0;