diff --git a/java/res/values/strings-talkback-descriptions.xml b/java/res/values/strings-talkback-descriptions.xml
index 80c7bdbf0..36fa7b3b4 100644
--- a/java/res/values/strings-talkback-descriptions.xml
+++ b/java/res/values/strings-talkback-descriptions.xml
@@ -139,6 +139,18 @@
     <string name="spoken_symbol_unknown">Unknown symbol</string>
     <!-- Spoken description for unknown emoji code point. -->
     <string name="spoken_emoji_unknown">Unknown emoji</string>
+    <!-- Spoken description for emoticons ":-!". -->
+    <string name="spoken_emoticon_3A_2D_21_20">Bored face</string>
+    <!-- Spoken description for emoticons ":-$". -->
+    <string name="spoken_emoticon_3A_2D_24_20">Embarrassed face</string>
+    <!-- Spoken description for emoticons "B-)". -->
+    <string name="spoken_emoticon_42_2D_29_20">Face wearing sunglasses</string>
+    <!-- Spoken description for emoticons ":O". -->
+    <string name="spoken_emoticon_3A_4F_20">Surprised face</string>
+    <!-- Spoken description for emoticons ":-*". -->
+    <string name="spoken_emoticon_3A_2D_2A_20">Kissing face</string>
+    <!-- Spoken description for emoticons ":-[". -->
+    <string name="spoken_emoticon_3A_2D_5B_20">Frowning face</string>
 
     <!-- Spoken descriptions when opening a more keys keyboard that has alternative characters. -->
     <string name="spoken_open_more_keys_keyboard">Alternative characters are available</string>
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/accessibility/KeyCodeDescriptionMapper.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/accessibility/KeyCodeDescriptionMapper.java
index 7a3510ee1..edcdd4c4c 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/accessibility/KeyCodeDescriptionMapper.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/accessibility/KeyCodeDescriptionMapper.java
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ final class KeyCodeDescriptionMapper {
     private static final String SPOKEN_LETTER_RESOURCE_NAME_FORMAT = "spoken_accented_letter_%04X";
     private static final String SPOKEN_SYMBOL_RESOURCE_NAME_FORMAT = "spoken_symbol_%04X";
     private static final String SPOKEN_EMOJI_RESOURCE_NAME_FORMAT = "spoken_emoji_%04X";
+    private static final String SPOKEN_EMOTICON_RESOURCE_NAME_PREFIX = "spoken_emoticon";
+    private static final String SPOKEN_EMOTICON_CODE_POINT_FORMAT = "_%02X";
 
     // The resource ID of the string spoken for obscured keys
     private static final int OBSCURED_KEY_RES_ID = R.string.spoken_description_dot;
@@ -109,7 +111,9 @@ final class KeyCodeDescriptionMapper {
         }
 
         if (code == Constants.CODE_OUTPUT_TEXT) {
-            return key.getOutputText();
+            final String outputText = key.getOutputText();
+            final String description = getSpokenEmoticonDescription(context, outputText);
+            return TextUtils.isEmpty(description) ? outputText : description;
         }
 
         // Just attempt to speak the description.
@@ -340,4 +344,21 @@ final class KeyCodeDescriptionMapper {
         }
         return resId;
     }
+
+    // TODO: Remove this method once TTS supports emoticon verbalization.
+    private String getSpokenEmoticonDescription(final Context context, final String outputText) {
+        final StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(SPOKEN_EMOTICON_RESOURCE_NAME_PREFIX);
+        final int textLength = outputText.length();
+        for (int index = 0; index < textLength; index = outputText.offsetByCodePoints(index, 1)) {
+            final int codePoint = outputText.codePointAt(index);
+            sb.append(String.format(Locale.ROOT, SPOKEN_EMOTICON_CODE_POINT_FORMAT, codePoint));
+        }
+        final String resourceName = sb.toString();
+        final Resources resources = context.getResources();
+        // Note that the resource package name may differ from the context package name.
+        final String resourcePackageName = resources.getResourcePackageName(
+                R.string.spoken_description_unknown);
+        final int resId = resources.getIdentifier(resourceName, "string", resourcePackageName);
+        return (resId == 0) ? null : resources.getString(resId);
+    }
 }