@@ -448,11 +448,16 @@ function sayWorking(host, liveId) {
    now and given the words a frame later, once the box is on screen with them,
    so they are a change a screen reader hears. Words the region already says
    are not said again (a query run once more, to the same message, is no
-   news), and words taken away before their frame are never said. */
+   news), and words taken away before their frame are never said.
+   A box shown on lines of its own — what innerText reads of one, a block a
+   line — is said as sentences: the region is on one line (sr-only), where a
+   line break is only a space, so each line but the last ends with a stop where
+   it has none, and a screen reader pauses there (BQS). */
 const aloudSaid = new Map(); // region id → the words it says, or is about to
 function sayAloud(liveId, text) {
   const live = $(liveId);
-  const words = text || '';
+  const lines = String(text || '').split('\n').map((l) => l.trim()).filter(Boolean);
+  const words = lines.map((l, i) => (i < lines.length - 1 && !/[.!?…:]$/.test(l) ? `${l}.` : l)).join(' ');
   if (!live || aloudSaid.get(liveId) === words) return;
   aloudSaid.set(liveId, words);
   live.textContent = '';
 
@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@
 /** Paint the index indicator for the folder currently on screen. */
 function renderIndexBadge(info) {
   const el = $('indexBadge');
-  if (!info || !info.indexed || !info.root) { el.hidden = true; return; }
+  // The badge comes on screen with its words already in it, which a screen
+  // reader seldom announces: they are said in #indexBadgeSaid, a frame after it
+  // shows them, and taken back as it goes (BQS). Guarded: a page reader may
+  // lift this function without sayAloud.
+  const say = (words) => { if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('indexBadgeSaid', words); };
+  if (!info || !info.indexed || !info.root) { el.hidden = true; say(''); return; }
   const stale = info.root.state !== 'ready' || !info.root.live;
   // A stale root comes with the server's reason, and there is more than one:
   // on macOS another folder's watch starting or stopping can cost this one a
@@ -52,6 +57,7 @@ function renderIndexBadge(info) {
     ? 'TreeMap keeps a saved index of this folder so it opens instantly. It may have missed a change at some point, so something may be different now.'
     : 'This folder opens instantly from a saved index that updates itself as files change.';
   el.hidden = false;
+  say(el.textContent);
 }
 
 /** Bumped by each background build; a build whose number has passed stops following its job. */
@@ -1459,6 +1465,13 @@ function keepAccessFocus(paint) {
   const was = document.activeElement;
   const inRow = !!was && (was === row || row.contains(was));
   paint();
+  // Every paint of the row runs in here, and the row comes on screen with its
+  // words already in it, which a screen reader seldom announces: its count and
+  // its hint, a line each, are said in #accessSaid a frame later, and taken
+  // back as it goes (BQS). Guarded: a page reader may lift this without sayAloud.
+  if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') {
+    sayAloud('accessSaid', row.hidden ? '' : [$('accessText').textContent, $('accessHint').textContent].filter(Boolean).join('\n'));
+  }
   if (!inRow || (!row.hidden && !was.hidden)) return;
   const stays = ['accessMissingBtn', 'accessOpenBtn', 'accessListBtn'].map((id) => $(id)).find((b) => !row.hidden && !b.hidden);
   (stays || (row.hidden ? $('scanBtn') : row)).focus();
@@ -1794,6 +1807,11 @@ function renderMountsNote(b) {
   const row = $('mountsNote');
   if (!row) return;
   const note = mountsNoteText(b);
+  // The note comes on screen with its words already in it, which a screen
+  // reader seldom announces: they are said in #mountsNoteSaid a frame later,
+  // and taken back as it goes (BQS). Guarded: a page reader may lift this
+  // function without sayAloud.
+  if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('mountsNoteSaid', note ? note.text : '');
   if (!note) {
     row.hidden = true;
     return;
 
@@ -429,6 +429,9 @@ function syncCartPreviewChrome() {
   if (!banner) return;
   banner.hidden = !tmPreview.on;
   if (!tmPreview.on) {
+    // The preview over, nothing of the banner's is left said (BQS). Guarded,
+    // as below.
+    if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('tmPreviewSaid', '');
     wrap.style.removeProperty('--tm-preview-pad');
     // The right pad goes too (J52): the canvas takes its width back, and the
     // view drops the clearance, so the next preview measures its own.
@@ -457,6 +460,12 @@ function syncCartPreviewChrome() {
     // The open cart's footer says this sentence beside the banner, so while the
     // cart is open the stylesheet takes it out of the banner (H52).
     ` <span class="tm-pv-cart-said">${cartSpaceSaid()}</span>` + outside;
+  // Said aloud in #tmPreviewSaid (BQS): the banner comes on screen with these
+  // words already in it, which a screen reader seldom announces. Its message
+  // as it is rendered — innerText, so the sentence the stylesheet hides beside
+  // the open cart is not said, and the Exit preview button is no part of it.
+  // Guarded: a page reader may lift this function without sayAloud.
+  if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('tmPreviewSaid', $('tmPreviewText').innerText);
   // The banner floats over the map's top edge, and covered the labels of the
   // top-left tiles ("Videos", "holiday-4k.mov" — QA D64). The wrap is padded
   // by the banner's measured height instead — it wraps to two lines beside
 
@@ -381,6 +381,12 @@ function renderAltNote() {
   const note = state.treemap.altNote;
   host.textContent = note || '';
   host.hidden = !note;
+  // Said aloud in #tmAltNoteSaid (BQS): the note comes on screen with its
+  // words already in it, which a screen reader seldom announces. Not the
+  // words of a layout still being refined — a new count every frame, written
+  // with the shapes drawn so far (altRefineSchedule) — but the note it
+  // settles on. Guarded: a page reader may lift this function without sayAloud.
+  if (typeof sayAloud === 'function' && note !== altRefiningNote(state.treemap.cells.length)) sayAloud('tmAltNoteSaid', note);
 }
 
 /* ── Drawing ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
 
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ async function loadCalendar() {
       ? 'The calendar is counted from a finished scan — it fills in once the scan finishes.'
       : 'Opened from the saved index — scan this folder to see its files by the day they last changed or were created.')}</p></div>`;
     $('calDegraded').hidden = true; $('calLegend').hidden = true;
+    if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('calDegradedSaid', ''); // the note gone, nothing of it is left said (BQS)
     return;
   }
   if (!scanId) {
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ async function loadCalendar() {
       `<button class="btn btn-primary" data-cal-browse>${icon('folder', 15)}Choose a folder</button></div>`;
     body.querySelector('[data-cal-browse]').addEventListener('click', () => openBrowse(null));
     $('calDegraded').hidden = true; $('calLegend').hidden = true;
+    if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('calDegradedSaid', ''); // the note gone, nothing of it is left said (BQS)
     return;
   }
   const seq = ++calSeq;
@@ -74,6 +76,7 @@ async function loadCalendar() {
     calData = null;
     body.innerHTML = `<div class="muted">Could not build the calendar: ${escapeHtml(e.message)}</div>`;
     $('calDegraded').hidden = true; $('calLegend').hidden = true;
+    if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('calDegradedSaid', ''); // the note gone, nothing of it is left said (BQS)
   }
 }
 
@@ -83,6 +86,11 @@ function renderCalendar() {
   const deg = calData.degraded || [];
   $('calDegraded').hidden = deg.length === 0;
   $('calDegraded').textContent = deg.map((d) => d.reason).join(' ');
+  // The note comes on screen with its words already in it, which a screen
+  // reader seldom announces: they are said in #calDegradedSaid a frame later,
+  // and taken back as it goes (BQS). Guarded: a page reader may lift this
+  // function without sayAloud.
+  if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('calDegradedSaid', $('calDegraded').textContent);
   if (!days.length) {
     body.innerHTML = `<div class="muted">${calChannel === 'created' && deg.length
       ? 'No creation days could be counted — see the note below.'
@@ -290,6 +298,10 @@ async function loadJournal() {
     const note = portable && portable.portable && (portable.degraded || []).find((d) => d.key === 'journal');
     $('journalPortable').hidden = !note;
     if (note) $('journalPortable').textContent = note.reason;
+    // The note comes on screen with its words already in it, which a screen
+    // reader seldom announces: they are said in #journalPortableSaid a frame
+    // later, and taken back as it goes (BQS). Guarded, as the calendar's.
+    if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('journalPortableSaid', note ? note.reason : '');
     renderJournal(data.entries || []);
   } catch (e) {
     if (seq !== journalSeq || state.view !== 'history') return;
 
@@ -1412,11 +1412,17 @@ function renderCityChrome() {
   const lod = $('cityLod');
   if (lod) {
     const parts = [];
+    // What of the line is news, said aloud in #cityLodSaid (BQS): a load that
+    // failed, the city loading, the saved index's tree, the server's cap.
+    // Never the counts of what is drawn, which change on every frame of a zoom
+    // and are read with the city (its aria-describedby); this runs each frame.
+    const news = [];
     // A load that failed is said until the next load starts (loadCity).
     // Written once, the next redraw — a resize, the Height or Colour control
     // — wiped it, and a blank plate read as an empty folder (C03 review F3.4).
     const failed = c.loadFailed;
     if (failed) parts.push(`${baseName(failed.path)} did not load: ${failed.message}`);
+    if (failed) news.push(parts[parts.length - 1]);
     if (!from) {
       // Loading is true while a load is out or a scan runs whose landing
       // draws the city. A saved index's tree with no scan behind it and none
@@ -1428,6 +1434,7 @@ function renderCityChrome() {
       // No scan behind the tree (treeScanId) and none coming (treeScanComing).
       const fromIndex = !!state.root && !treeScanId() && !treeScanComing();
       if (!failed) parts.push(fromIndex ? 'Opened from the saved index — scan this folder to see its city.' : 'loading this folder…');
+      if (!failed) news.push(parts[parts.length - 1]);
     } else {
       // §6.1 forbids a silent threshold. A map drawing 4,120 of 251,000 things
       // and saying nothing is lying by omission about what is on screen.
@@ -1454,12 +1461,16 @@ function renderCityChrome() {
       }
       if (capped) {
         parts.push(`the map holds at most ${formatCount(TM_SERVER_NODE_CAP)} items, and this folder reached that — drill in for the rest`);
+        news.push(parts[parts.length - 1]);
       }
       if (c.unknownHeight) parts.push(`${formatCount(c.unknownHeight)} with no ${c.height === 'files' ? 'count' : 'date'} yet, drawn flat`);
       if (c.unresolved) parts.push(`${formatCount(c.unresolved)} could not be depth-sorted and are drawn last`);
     }
     lod.textContent = parts.join(' · ');
     lod.hidden = false;
+    // The line comes on screen with its words already in it, which a screen
+    // reader seldom announces. Guarded: a page reader may lift this without sayAloud.
+    if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('cityLodSaid', news.join(' · '));
   }
 
   const legend = $('cityLegend');
 
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ function resetOpenHandleWarning() {
   confirmIgnoreOpenHandles = false;
   const host = $('confirmOpenHandles');
   if (host) { host.hidden = true; host.innerHTML = ''; }
+  if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('confirmOpenHandlesSaid', ''); // and nothing of it is left said (BQS)
   setConfirmButton('Move to Trash');
 }
 
@@ -70,6 +71,11 @@ async function checkOpenHandlesFor(paths) {
   host.hidden = false;
   host.className = 'checking';
   host.textContent = 'Checking whether anything has these files open…';
+  // Said aloud in #confirmOpenHandlesSaid (BQS): the panel comes on screen with
+  // its words already in it, which a screen reader seldom announces. Every
+  // write of the panel says what it shows, as rendered, or empties the region
+  // as it hides. Guarded: a page reader may lift these without sayAloud.
+  if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('confirmOpenHandlesSaid', host.innerText);
 
   const chunks = Math.min(Math.ceil(paths.length / TRASH_CHUNK), OPEN_HANDLE_PREFLIGHT_CHUNKS);
   const conflicts = [];
@@ -128,6 +134,7 @@ async function checkOpenHandlesFor(paths) {
     // stand between the user and a delete they asked for. The server still
     // guards the delete itself.
     host.hidden = true;
+    if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('confirmOpenHandlesSaid', '');
     return;
   }
   if (unavailable) {
@@ -192,6 +199,7 @@ function renderOpenHandleWarning(report, pathCount, nodeOf = () => null) {
       host.className = 'checking';
       host.hidden = false;
       host.textContent = report.reason || 'TreeMap couldn’t check whether these files are in use.';
+      if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('confirmOpenHandlesSaid', host.innerText);
       return;
     }
     // "Checked, found nothing" and "checked as much as it could reach, found
@@ -202,9 +210,11 @@ function renderOpenHandleWarning(report, pathCount, nodeOf = () => null) {
       host.className = 'checking';
       host.hidden = false;
       host.textContent = partial;
+      if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('confirmOpenHandlesSaid', host.innerText);
       return;
     }
     host.hidden = true;
+    if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('confirmOpenHandlesSaid', '');
     return;
   }
 
@@ -264,6 +274,8 @@ function renderOpenHandleWarning(report, pathCount, nodeOf = () => null) {
     // A truncated probe that found something is still truncated, and this is
     // the case it matters most in — the list below may be part of a longer one.
     (partial ? `<div class="oh-file" style="margin-top:6px;">${escapeHtml(partial)}</div>` : '');
+  // As it is shown: one line a block, the programs a line each.
+  if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('confirmOpenHandlesSaid', host.innerText);
 
   // The button now says what it actually does — a move to the Trash, never
   // "Delete" (H07). The user has read the warning; taking the choice away
@@ -312,6 +324,7 @@ function confirmFooterReset() {
   confirmIgnoreOpenHandles = false;
   const host = $('confirmOpenHandles');
   if (host) { host.hidden = true; host.innerHTML = ''; }
+  if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('confirmOpenHandlesSaid', ''); // and nothing of it is left said (BQS)
   const cancel = $('confirmCancel');
   if (cancel) cancel.hidden = false;
   setConfirmButton('Move to Trash');
 
@@ -385,6 +385,7 @@ function nlClose(opts = {}) {
   // outside click that lands on nothing focusable) without a blur firing.
   fxOrbHide('nlListen');
   $('nlPending').hidden = true;
+  if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('nlSaid', ''); // and nothing of it is left said (BQS)
   $('tmNlBtn').setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false');
   // A close that hands off elsewhere (Run → the highlight box; a view
   // unmount) skips the button focus, or the caret would bounce twice and a
@@ -400,6 +401,11 @@ async function nlTranslate() {
   // the finally below and nlClose (a close mid-flight) both drop that.
   fxOrbHide('nlListen');
   $('nlPending').hidden = false;
+  // Said aloud in #nlSaid (BQS): "Translating…" and the reason come on screen
+  // with their words already in them, which a screen reader seldom announces.
+  // The box's own words, read before the orb mounts into it. Guarded: a page
+  // reader may lift this function without sayAloud.
+  if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('nlSaid', $('nlPending').textContent);
   fxOrbShow('nl', $('nlPending').querySelector('.fx-orb-well'), 'weaving');
   try {
     const res = await api('/api/nl-query', {
@@ -415,17 +421,21 @@ async function nlTranslate() {
       if (res.matched && res.matched.length) bits.push(`understood: ${res.matched.map((m) => m.phrase).join(', ')}`);
       if (res.unmatched && res.unmatched.length) bits.push(`ignored: ${res.unmatched.join(', ')}`);
       $('nlDetail').textContent = bits.join(' · ');
+      // Focus goes to the query, which is read there: "Translating…" is taken back.
+      if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('nlSaid', '');
       $('nlResult').focus();
       $('nlResult').select();
     } else {
       $('nlOut').hidden = true;
       $('nlReason').hidden = false;
       $('nlReason').textContent = res.reason || 'That could not be translated.';
+      if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('nlSaid', $('nlReason').textContent);
     }
   } catch (e) {
     $('nlOut').hidden = true;
     $('nlReason').hidden = false;
     $('nlReason').textContent = 'Translation failed: ' + e.message;
+    if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('nlSaid', $('nlReason').textContent);
   } finally {
     fxOrbHide('nl');
     $('nlPending').hidden = true;
 
@@ -471,6 +471,13 @@ function renderStartChoices() {
   const words = startLastLine(last, lastVerdict && !lastVerdict.allowed ? lastVerdict : null, unreadable);
   line.textContent = words;
   line.hidden = !words;
+  // Said aloud in #startLastSaid (BQS): the line comes on screen with its words
+  // already in it, which a screen reader seldom announces. Not the line of a
+  // Stop or a failure — stopping, stopped, unshown; failed; unstopped — which
+  // #stopAnnounce (review F1.14) and the toast say already: said here as well,
+  // each would be heard twice. Guarded: a page reader may lift this without sayAloud.
+  const saidElsewhere = !!last && ['stopping', 'stopped', 'unshown', 'failed', 'unstopped'].includes(last.outcome);
+  if (typeof sayAloud === 'function') sayAloud('startLastSaid', saidElsewhere ? '' : words);
   // One "Scan … again" carries the id focus lands by: the last folder's, never the history's beside it (J03).
   const html = list.map((c, i) => `<button class="btn start-choice${c.again ? ` start-again${retry && !c.history ? ' start-retry' : ''}` : ''}"` +
     `${c.again && !c.history ? ' id="startAgainBtn"' : ''} data-start-ix="${i}" title="${escapeHtml(c.drive ? `${c.path} — the whole drive` : c.path)}">` +