char *cp;
        struct var_t *direct = spk_get_var(DIRECT);
 
-       if (direct && direct->u.n.value) {
+       if (ch >= 0x100 || (direct && direct->u.n.value)) {
                if (IS_CHAR(ch, B_CAP)) {
                        spk_pitch_shift++;
                        synth_printf("%s", spk_str_caps_start);
                return;
        }
 
-       if (ch >= 0x100)
-               return;
        cp = spk_characters[ch];
        if (cp == NULL) {
                pr_info("speak_char: cp == NULL!\n");
        char *cp1;
        char *str_cap = spk_str_caps_stop;
        char *last_cap = spk_str_caps_stop;
+       struct var_t *direct = spk_get_var(DIRECT);
        u16 ch;
 
        if (!get_word(vc))
                return;
        while ((ch = *cp)) {
-               if (ch >= 0x100)
-                       /* FIXME */
-                       continue;
                if (cp != buf)
                        synth_printf(" %s ", delay_str[spk_spell_delay]);
-               if (IS_CHAR(ch, B_CAP)) {
+               /* FIXME: Non-latin1 considered as lower case */
+               if (ch < 0x100 && IS_CHAR(ch, B_CAP)) {
                        str_cap = spk_str_caps_start;
                        if (*spk_str_caps_stop)
                                spk_pitch_shift++;
                        synth_printf("%s", str_cap);
                        last_cap = str_cap;
                }
-               if (this_speakup_key == SPELL_PHONETIC &&
+               if (ch >= 0x100 || (direct && direct->u.n.value)) {
+                       synth_putwc_s(ch);
+               } else if (this_speakup_key == SPELL_PHONETIC &&
                    ch <= 0x7f && isalpha(ch)) {
                        ch &= 0x1f;
                        cp1 = phonetic[--ch];
+                       synth_printf("%s", cp1);
                } else {
                        cp1 = spk_characters[ch];
                        if (*cp1 == '^') {
                                synth_printf("%s", spk_msg_get(MSG_CTRL));
                                cp1++;
                        }
+                       synth_printf("%s", cp1);
                }
-               synth_printf("%s", cp1);
                cp++;
        }
        if (str_cap != spk_str_caps_stop)