diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a9ff694..0aa7706 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ Add your provider API key and choose your models, then start a session with what
 
 All three platforms support in-app updates.
 
+**Dictation:** Create a [Deepgram API key](https://console.deepgram.com/) with the **Member role or higher** ([required for token minting](https://developers.deepgram.com/reference/auth/tokens/grant)) and add it under **Settings → Providers → Dictation**. Choose the language below the key; **Multilingual** supports automatic recognition and mixed-language speech. A `403 Insufficient permissions` error during token minting can indicate an insufficient key role.
+
 ## Your keys, your data
 
 - **Your keys and models.** No LearnHarness subscription or markup. You pay your providers for usage; a live cost meter shows model costs.
diff --git a/app/api/settings/[section]/route.ts b/app/api/settings/[section]/route.ts
index a51da1c..2c955cf 100644
--- a/app/api/settings/[section]/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/settings/[section]/route.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
  * discipline, same as the per-chat and defaults routes); sections are
  * independent, so partial writes can never clobber each other.
  *
- *   section ∈ general | chat | agent | appearance | graph | compaction
+ *   section ∈ general | chat | agent | appearance | graph | compaction | models | dictation
  *   Body: the complete desired section object. Parse + validate strictly
  *   (server/settings-body.ts): a bad shape/type is a 400 carrying the
  *   supported list where one exists. The chat and models sections
diff --git a/components/dictation-language.tsx b/components/dictation-language.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..94a9c38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/dictation-language.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState, type KeyboardEvent as ReactKeyboardEvent } from "react";
+import { DICTATION_LANGUAGES, type DictationLanguage } from "@/src/core";
+import { MenuShell } from "@/components/menu-shell";
+import { Hint } from "@/components/ui/hint";
+import { SettingsMenuTrigger, SettingsRow } from "@/components/settings/controls";
+import { SearchMenuList } from "@/components/settings/search-menu-list";
+import { useDictationActive } from "@/components/dictation-state";
+import { useDictationLanguage } from "@/components/dictation-preference";
+
+type LanguagePreference = ReturnType<typeof useDictationLanguage>;
+
+export function DictationLanguageSetting() {
+	const preference = useDictationLanguage();
+	const active = useDictationActive();
+	return <SettingsRow label="Language" testid="row-dictation-language" dimmed={active}>
+		<DictationLanguagePicker preference={preference} disabled={active} />
+	</SettingsRow>;
+}
+
+function DictationLanguagePicker({ preference, disabled }: {
+	preference: LanguagePreference;
+	disabled: boolean;
+}) {
+	const { language, saving, error, load, save } = preference;
+	const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
+	const triggerRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null);
+	const label = DICTATION_LANGUAGES.find((item) => item.code === language)?.label ?? "—";
+
+	useEffect(() => { if (disabled) setOpen(false); }, [disabled]);
+	useEffect(() => {
+		if (!open) return;
+		const onPointerDown = (event: PointerEvent) => {
+			const target = event.target as Element;
+			if (target instanceof Element && target.closest('[data-testid="dictation-language-menu"]')) return;
+			if (!triggerRef.current?.contains(target)) setOpen(false);
+		};
+		document.addEventListener("pointerdown", onPointerDown);
+		return () => document.removeEventListener("pointerdown", onPointerDown);
+	}, [open]);
+	const closeOnEscape = (event: ReactKeyboardEvent) => {
+		if (event.key !== "Escape") return;
+		event.preventDefault();
+		event.stopPropagation();
+		setOpen(false);
+		triggerRef.current?.focus();
+	};
+	const pick = async (code: DictationLanguage) => {
+		if (disabled || saving || language === undefined) return;
+		if (await save(code)) {
+			setOpen(false);
+			triggerRef.current?.focus();
+		}
+	};
+
+	return <>
+		<Hint label={error ?? `Dictation language: ${label}`} side="top">
+			<SettingsMenuTrigger
+				ref={triggerRef}
+				value={label}
+				data-testid="dictation-language"
+				aria-label={`Dictation language: ${label}`}
+				aria-expanded={open && !disabled}
+				disabled={disabled || saving}
+				onKeyDown={(event) => { if (open) closeOnEscape(event); }}
+				onClick={() => {
+					setOpen((value) => !value);
+					if (language === undefined) void load().catch(() => {});
+				}}
+				className="min-w-20 max-w-[65%]"
+			/>
+		</Hint>
+		{open && !disabled && <MenuShell
+			anchorRef={triggerRef}
+			testid="dictation-language-menu"
+			preferredSide="down"
+			menuClass="flex w-72 max-w-[calc(100vw-1rem)] flex-col rounded-xl border border-border bg-card p-2 text-xs shadow-xl"
+		>
+			<div onKeyDown={(event) => {
+				closeOnEscape(event);
+				if (event.key === "Enter") {
+					// Empty search results must not submit the composer, but a
+					// focused option button still needs Enter's native click.
+					if (event.target instanceof HTMLInputElement) event.preventDefault();
+					event.stopPropagation();
+				}
+			}}>
+				{error && <div role="alert" className="mb-1.5 text-destructive">{error}</div>}
+				<SearchMenuList
+					items={DICTATION_LANGUAGES}
+					itemKey={(item) => item.code}
+					searchTerms={(item) => [item.code, item.label]}
+					isSelected={(item) => item.code === language}
+					onPick={(item) => { void pick(item.code); }}
+					disabled={saving || language === undefined}
+					searchTestid="dictation-language-search"
+					listTestid="dictation-language-list"
+					optionTestid={(item) => `dictation-language-${item.code}`}
+					ariaLabel="Search dictation languages"
+					placeholder="Search languages…"
+					empty="No languages match."
+					renderItem={(item) => <span className="text-card-foreground">{item.label}</span>}
+				/>
+			</div>
+		</MenuShell>}
+	</>;
+}
diff --git a/components/dictation-preference.ts b/components/dictation-preference.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..38b922a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/dictation-preference.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { useSyncExternalStore } from "react";
+import {
+	FACTORY_SETTINGS, isDictationLanguage, sanitizeUserSettings,
+	type DictationLanguage, type UserSettings,
+} from "@/src/core";
+import { notifySettingsSaved, onSettingsSaved } from "@/components/settings-signal";
+
+const INITIAL = { language: undefined as DictationLanguage | undefined, saving: false, error: null as string | null };
+
+/** One confirmed preference and one write in flight, shared by every surface.
+ * The factory keeps transport tests isolated without a second persistence path.
+ */
+export function createDictationLanguageStore(request: typeof fetch, saved: () => void = () => {}) {
+	let snapshot = INITIAL;
+	let reading: Promise<DictationLanguage> | null = null;
+	let writing: Promise<boolean> | null = null;
+	let revision = 0;
+	let needsRead = true;
+	const listeners = new Set<() => void>();
+	const publish = (patch: Partial<typeof INITIAL>) => {
+		snapshot = { ...snapshot, ...patch };
+		for (const listener of listeners) listener();
+	};
+
+	function load(refresh = false): Promise<DictationLanguage> {
+		if (writing) return getLanguage();
+		if (reading && !refresh) return reading;
+		if (!refresh && !needsRead && snapshot.language !== undefined) return Promise.resolve(snapshot.language);
+		const version = ++revision;
+		needsRead = true;
+		reading = Promise.resolve().then(async () => {
+			try {
+				const res = await request("/api/settings");
+				if (!res.ok) throw new Error();
+				const body = await res.json() as { settings: UserSettings | null };
+				if (!("settings" in body)) throw new Error();
+				const record = sanitizeUserSettings(body.settings);
+				if (body.settings !== null && record === null) throw new Error();
+				if (version !== revision) return getLanguage();
+				const language = record?.dictation?.language ?? FACTORY_SETTINGS.dictation.language;
+				needsRead = false;
+				publish({ language, error: null });
+				return language;
+			} catch {
+				if (version !== revision) return getLanguage();
+				const message = "Could not load dictation language. Try again.";
+				publish({ error: message });
+				throw new Error(message);
+			} finally {
+				if (version === revision) reading = null;
+			}
+		});
+		return reading;
+	}
+
+	function save(language: DictationLanguage): Promise<boolean> {
+		// A different selection must never inherit the previous write's success.
+		if (writing || snapshot.language === undefined) return Promise.resolve(false);
+		revision++;
+		reading = null;
+		writing = Promise.resolve().then(async () => {
+			try {
+				const res = await request("/api/settings/dictation", {
+					method: "PUT", headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+					body: JSON.stringify({ language }),
+				});
+				if (!res.ok) throw new Error();
+				const body = await res.json() as { settings: UserSettings };
+				const confirmed = body.settings?.dictation?.language;
+				if (!isDictationLanguage(confirmed)) throw new Error();
+				needsRead = false;
+				publish({ language: confirmed, error: null });
+				saved();
+				return true;
+			} catch {
+				publish({ error: "Could not save dictation language. Try again." });
+				return false;
+			} finally {
+				writing = null;
+				publish({ saving: false });
+			}
+		});
+		publish({ saving: true, error: null });
+		return writing;
+	}
+
+	async function getLanguage(): Promise<DictationLanguage> {
+		for (;;) {
+			if (writing) await writing;
+			else if (reading) await reading;
+			else if (needsRead || snapshot.language === undefined) await load();
+			else return snapshot.language;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return {
+		load, save, getLanguage,
+		getSnapshot: () => snapshot,
+		getServerSnapshot: () => INITIAL,
+		subscribe(listener: () => void) { listeners.add(listener); return () => { listeners.delete(listener); }; },
+	};
+}
+
+let announcingSave = false;
+const store = createDictationLanguageStore((...args) => fetch(...args), () => {
+	// All our readers already received the confirmed PUT response. Keep the
+	// repo's notification contract without depending on a redundant GET.
+	announcingSave = true;
+	try { notifySettingsSaved("dictation"); } finally { announcingSave = false; }
+});
+let readers = 0;
+let stopSignals: (() => void) | undefined;
+
+function subscribe(listener: () => void) {
+	const off = store.subscribe(listener);
+	if (readers++ === 0) {
+		stopSignals = onSettingsSaved((section) => {
+			if (section === "dictation" && !announcingSave) void store.load(true).catch(() => {});
+		});
+		// A confirmed preference lives for the window, not the page. Navigation
+		// and reopening Settings must not add a new network failure point.
+		void store.getLanguage().catch(() => {});
+	}
+	return () => { off(); if (--readers === 0) { stopSignals?.(); stopSignals = undefined; } };
+}
+
+export function useDictationLanguage() {
+	const snapshot = useSyncExternalStore(subscribe, store.getSnapshot, store.getServerSnapshot);
+	return { ...snapshot, load: store.load, save: store.save, getLanguage: store.getLanguage };
+}
diff --git a/components/dictation-state.ts b/components/dictation-state.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8f290b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/dictation-state.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { useSyncExternalStore } from "react";
+
+// The keyboard chain needs a synchronous answer; settings also subscribe
+// so the language control locks from connecting until cleanup completes.
+let active = false;
+const listeners = new Set<() => void>();
+
+export function isDictationActive(): boolean { return active; }
+
+export function setDictationActive(next: boolean): void {
+	if (active === next) return;
+	active = next;
+	for (const listener of listeners) listener();
+}
+
+function subscribe(listener: () => void): () => void {
+	listeners.add(listener);
+	return () => { listeners.delete(listener); };
+}
+
+export function useDictationActive(): boolean {
+	return useSyncExternalStore(subscribe, isDictationActive, () => false);
+}
diff --git a/components/dictation.tsx b/components/dictation.tsx
index ee34b77..96c6cbd 100644
--- a/components/dictation.tsx
+++ b/components/dictation.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { Loader2Icon, MicIcon } from "lucide-react";
 import { useSettingsDialog } from "@/components/settings/settings-dialog";
 import { Hint } from "@/components/ui/hint";
+import { deepgramListenUrl, type DictationLanguage } from "@/src/core";
+import { useDictationLanguage } from "@/components/dictation-preference";
+import { setDictationActive } from "@/components/dictation-state";
+export { isDictationActive } from "@/components/dictation-state";
 
 /**
  * Voice dictation — the cloud engine (STT wave 1, 2026-09-17).
@@ -86,15 +90,7 @@ import { Hint } from "@/components/ui/hint";
  * endpointing=300, no interims. Silence streams too (the worklet never
  * pauses), so the socket never idles — no KeepAlive needed.
  */
-const DG_URL =
-	"wss://api.deepgram.com/v1/listen" +
-	"?model=nova-3" +
-	"&encoding=linear16" +
-	"&sample_rate=16000" +
-	"&channels=1" +
-	"&smart_format=true" +
-	"&punctuate=true" +
-	"&endpointing=300";
+// URL construction lives in the browser-safe core; only language varies.
 
 /** Meter tuning — the owner's tested values, see the file header. */
 const METER_FLOOR_DB = -50;
@@ -204,16 +200,6 @@ export function rmsToMeter(rms: number): number {
  */
 let questionTarget: ((text: string) => void) | null = null;
 
-/* Is a dictation run live on this page? The Esc chain (keyboard wave A,
- * components/keyboard-shortcuts.tsx) needs a SYNCHRONOUS answer — the
- * stop handler can't report back through a CustomEvent. Set at start(),
- * cleared in cleanup() (every terminal path runs through cleanup). */
-let dictationActiveFlag = false;
-
-export function isDictationActive(): boolean {
-	return dictationActiveFlag;
-}
-
 /* The finisher registry: submit paths FAR from the hook's owner (the
  * pending question's dock) need finish() without a prop bridge. Same
  * module-level pattern as questionTarget — one window, one instance,
@@ -285,6 +271,7 @@ export type Dictation = {
  * question waits.
  */
 export function useDictation({ append }: { append: (text: string) => void }): Dictation {
+	const { getLanguage } = useDictationLanguage();
 	const [phase, setPhase] = useState<DictationPhase>("idle");
 	const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
 	/** Latest RMS from the worklet — the meter samples this (dictate pattern). */
@@ -327,9 +314,9 @@ export function useDictation({ append }: { append: (text: string) => void }): Di
 	}, []);
 
 	/** Full teardown of one run's machinery. Idempotent; generation-guarded by callers. */
-	const cleanup = useCallback(() => {
+	const cleanup = useCallback((warmNext = true) => {
 		genRef.current++;
-		dictationActiveFlag = false;
+		setDictationActive(false);
 		flush(); // the deferred transcript appears when the run ends (owner round 2)
 		if (safetyRef.current) {
 			clearTimeout(safetyRef.current);
@@ -357,16 +344,16 @@ export function useDictation({ append }: { append: (text: string) => void }): Di
 		for (const w of waitersRef.current.splice(0)) w();
 		// Pre-mint for the next run (mitigation D) — best-effort; a keyless
 		// page just doesn't warm.
-		warmTokens.refresh();
+		if (warmNext) warmTokens.refresh();
 	}, []);
 
 	/** Open the Deepgram socket and wire its messages. `gen` guards staleness. */
 	const openSocket = useCallback(
-		(gen: number, token: string) => {
+		(gen: number, token: string, language: DictationLanguage) => {
 			// Minted JWTs authenticate via the "bearer" subprotocol — ["token",
 			// jwt] is rejected at the handshake (verified live; "token" is for
 			// raw API keys only, as in the owner's pi dictate extension).
-			const ws = new WebSocket(DG_URL, ["bearer", token]);
+			const ws = new WebSocket(deepgramListenUrl(language), ["bearer", token]);
 			wsRef.current = ws;
 
 			ws.addEventListener("open", () => {
@@ -408,7 +395,7 @@ export function useDictation({ append }: { append: (text: string) => void }): Di
 					reconnectsRef.current++;
 					mintFreshToken() // always FRESH — a stale warm token is the likely culprit
 						.then((t) => {
-							if (gen === genRef.current) openSocket(gen, t);
+							if (gen === genRef.current) openSocket(gen, t, language);
 						})
 						.catch(() => {
 							if (gen === genRef.current) {
@@ -426,13 +413,23 @@ export function useDictation({ append }: { append: (text: string) => void }): Di
 	);
 
 	const start = useCallback(async () => {
-		dictationActiveFlag = true;
+		setDictationActive(true);
 		setError(null);
 		setPhase("connecting");
 		reconnectsRef.current = 0;
 		bufferRef.current = []; // fresh run, fresh buffer (round 2)
 		pendingRef.current = []; // fresh run, fresh queue (mitigation A)
 		const gen = ++genRef.current;
+		let language: DictationLanguage;
+		try {
+			language = await getLanguage();
+		} catch (e) {
+			if (gen !== genRef.current) return;
+			setError(e instanceof Error ? e.message : "Dictation language unavailable");
+			cleanup();
+			return;
+		}
+		if (gen !== genRef.current) return;
 
 		// Mitigation D: the warm token (pre-minted at mount / after the last
 		// run) resolves ~instantly; a cold/keyless mint surfaces below. The
@@ -509,8 +506,8 @@ export function useDictation({ append }: { append: (text: string) => void }): Di
 		if (gen !== genRef.current) return;
 		// Mitigation B: the handshake fires the moment the graph is live,
 		// overlapping any remaining token wait — mic-gated, never before it.
-		openSocket(gen, token);
-	}, [openSocket, cleanup]);
+		openSocket(gen, token, language);
+	}, [openSocket, cleanup, getLanguage]);
 
 	const stop = useCallback(() => {
 		const gen = genRef.current;
@@ -586,7 +583,13 @@ export function useDictation({ append }: { append: (text: string) => void }): Di
 	// attached.
 	useEffect(() => {
 		warmTokens.refresh(); // pre-mint at mount (mitigation D) — silent if keyless
-	}, []);
+		return () => {
+			// Navigation cancels capture: invalidate every pending await before
+			// releasing resources, and never append into a different page's input.
+			bufferRef.current = [];
+			cleanup(false);
+		};
+	}, [cleanup]);
 	useEffect(() => {
 		window.addEventListener("lh:kbd-toggle-dictation", toggle);
 		return () => window.removeEventListener("lh:kbd-toggle-dictation", toggle);
@@ -630,7 +633,6 @@ export function DictationBar({ dictation }: { dictation: Dictation }) {
 	 *  error keeps the old behavior (click = retry, which clears). */
 	const keyless = error === DICTATION_KEYLESS;
 	const [levels, setLevels] = useState<number[]>(() => new Array(METER_CELLS).fill(0));
-	const recording = phase === "recording" || phase === "stopping";
 	/** Adaptive cell count (owner round 2): derived from the meter's
 	 *  measured width — narrow rows show fewer bars instead of
 	 *  overflowing under neighbors. */
@@ -674,10 +676,7 @@ export function DictationBar({ dictation }: { dictation: Dictation }) {
 	if (!active) {
 		return (
 			<Hint
-				// Errored: the button span truncates the line — the tooltip is its
-				// full reveal (the keyless line KEEPS "Deepgram" — owner overrule:
-				// it's the Keys row label, the truth the user needs). Otherwise the
-				// quiet label + the live ⌘D binding.
+				// The error line truncates in the button; its tooltip reveals it.
 				label={error ?? "Dictate"}
 				action={error ? undefined : "toggle-dictation"}
 				side="top"
@@ -694,10 +693,8 @@ export function DictationBar({ dictation }: { dictation: Dictation }) {
 					}}
 					aria-label={error ? `Dictation failed: ${error}` : "Start dictation"}
 					data-testid="dictation-toggle"
-				// Same blurring as the floating chrome (owner, fix wave round 3),
-			// but lower opacity — the mic stays quieter than the model pills.
-			className="flex h-7 w-full items-center justify-center gap-1.5 rounded-md border border-border/50 bg-card/50 text-xs text-muted-foreground/70 shadow-lg backdrop-blur transition-colors hover:border-border hover:text-muted-foreground"
-			>
+					className="flex h-7 w-full items-center justify-center gap-1.5 rounded-md border border-border/50 bg-card/50 text-xs text-muted-foreground/70 shadow-lg backdrop-blur transition-colors hover:border-border hover:text-muted-foreground"
+				>
 					<MicIcon className="size-3.5" />
 					<span className="max-w-full truncate">{error ?? "Dictate"}</span>
 				</button>
@@ -707,32 +704,20 @@ export function DictationBar({ dictation }: { dictation: Dictation }) {
 
 	return (
 		<div className="flex w-full min-w-0 items-center gap-2" data-testid="dictation-bar">
-			<Hint
-				// The owner flagged this copy good ("Stop dictation (Esc)") —
-				// kept verbatim; only the machinery moved to the styled tooltip.
-				label="Stop dictation (Esc)"
-				side="top"
-			>
+			<Hint label="Stop dictation (Esc)" side="top">
 				<button
 					type="button"
 					onClick={toggle}
 					disabled={phase === "stopping"}
 					aria-label="Stop dictation"
-				data-testid="dictation-toggle"
-				className="flex h-7 shrink-0 items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md bg-destructive/10 px-2 text-xs font-medium text-destructive transition-colors hover:bg-destructive/20"
-			>
-				{phase === "stopping" ? (
-					<Loader2Icon className="size-3.5 animate-spin" />
-				) : (
-					<MicIcon className="size-3.5" />
-				)}
+					data-testid="dictation-toggle"
+					className="flex h-7 shrink-0 items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md bg-destructive/10 px-2 text-xs font-medium text-destructive transition-colors hover:bg-destructive/20"
+				>
+					{phase === "stopping" ? <Loader2Icon className="size-3.5 animate-spin" /> : <MicIcon className="size-3.5" />}
 					Stop
 				</button>
 			</Hint>
 			<span className="size-1.5 shrink-0 animate-pulse rounded-full bg-destructive" aria-hidden />
-			{/* Fixed width while recording — nothing ever appends text beside it
-			    (no interims, owner round 1). Cells carry no minimum width; the
-			    COUNT adapts to the measured row space (owner round 2). */}
 			<div ref={meterRef} className="flex h-4 min-w-0 flex-1 items-center gap-[2px]" data-testid="dictation-meter">
 				{levels.slice(-cellCount).map((v, i) => (
 					<span
diff --git a/components/settings-signal.ts b/components/settings-signal.ts
index 3dd86f9..47f885d 100644
--- a/components/settings-signal.ts
+++ b/components/settings-signal.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export const SETTINGS_SAVED_EVENT = "lh:settings-saved";
 // "keys" joined the roster (zero-keys wave, 2026-09-25): keys-section
 // dispatches it after save AND delete — deletions used to be invisible to
 // the zero-keys pill and the setup dialog's auto-advance.
-export type SettingsSection = "general" | "keys" | "agent" | "models" | "appearance" | "graph" | "compaction";
+export type SettingsSection = "general" | "keys" | "agent" | "models" | "appearance" | "graph" | "compaction" | "dictation";
 
 /** Writers call this after the PUT resolves ok — never before (a failed
  *  write notifies nothing; the record is unchanged). */
@@ -47,4 +47,4 @@ export function useSettingsSaved(handler: (section: SettingsSection) => void): v
 	const saved = useRef(handler);
 	saved.current = handler;
 	useEffect(() => onSettingsSaved((section) => saved.current(section)), []);
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/components/settings/agent-section.tsx b/components/settings/agent-section.tsx
index 7c79b64..33f5512 100644
--- a/components/settings/agent-section.tsx
+++ b/components/settings/agent-section.tsx
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ import {
 import type { ThinkingLevel } from "@earendil-works/pi-agent-core";
 import { prettyModel } from "@/components/usage-format";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
-import { SettingsGroup, SettingsRow, Toggle, CommitInput } from "./controls.tsx";
+import { SettingsGroup, SettingsRow, SettingsMenuTrigger, Toggle, CommitInput } from "./controls.tsx";
 import { ModelMenuList, ThinkingMenuList } from "./model-menu";
 import { ChatGPTBackgroundAccess } from "./chatgpt-connection";
 import { NativeSubscriptionBackgroundAccess } from "./subscription-connections";
@@ -245,23 +245,17 @@ function MenuTrigger({
 	disabled?: boolean;
 }) {
 	const button = (
-		<button
-			type="button"
+		<SettingsMenuTrigger
+			value={value || emptyLabel}
 			aria-label={ariaLabel}
 			aria-expanded={open}
 			data-testid={testid}
 			onClick={() => {
 				if (!disabled) onClick();
 			}}
-			className={`flex h-7 items-center gap-1 rounded-sm border border-border bg-background px-1.5 font-ui text-xs text-foreground transition-colors ${
-				disabled ? "cursor-not-allowed" : "hover:border-muted-foreground/50"
-			} ${widthClass}`}
-		>
-			<span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate">{value || emptyLabel}</span>
-			<span aria-hidden className="text-muted-foreground">
-				▾
-			</span>
-		</button>
+			unavailable={disabled}
+			className={widthClass}
+		/>
 	);
 	return hint ? <Hint label={hint}>{button}</Hint> : button;
 }
diff --git a/components/settings/appearance-section.tsx b/components/settings/appearance-section.tsx
index 30d3af9..d75ee47 100644
--- a/components/settings/appearance-section.tsx
+++ b/components/settings/appearance-section.tsx
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ import { MenuShell } from "@/components/menu-shell";
 import { Hint } from "@/components/ui/hint";
 import { useAppearance } from "./appearance.tsx";
 import { FontMenuList } from "./model-menu";
-import { CommitInput, SettingsRow, ThinSelect, Toggle } from "./controls.tsx";
+import { CommitInput, SettingsMenuTrigger, SettingsRow, ThinSelect, Toggle } from "./controls.tsx";
 
 /** The factory reading family — the DEFAULT row's identity (unset =
  *  this). Exported for tests. */
@@ -210,29 +210,22 @@ export function AppearanceSection({
 				testid="row-font"
 			>
 				<span ref={fontMenuOpen ? menuAnchorRef : undefined} className="relative flex items-center gap-2">
-					{/* The MenuTrigger look (agent-section's collapsed
-					    select — it lives unexported there, so the
-					    classes ride inline; the searchable machine is
-					    the shared part). The tooltip rides the CLOSED
-					    button ONLY (owner ruling 2026-09-26: never while
+					{/* The shared Agent/Appearance collapsed-menu trigger.
+					    The tooltip rides the CLOSED button ONLY
+					    (owner ruling 2026-09-26: never while
 					    the dropdown is out — it popped over the open
 					    menu when the wrap covered the whole anchor
 					    span). */}
 					{(() => {
 						const triggerButton = (
-							<button
-								type="button"
+							<SettingsMenuTrigger
+								value={appearance?.fontFamily || DEFAULT_READING_FONT}
 								aria-label="Reading font"
 								aria-expanded={fontMenuOpen}
 								data-testid="font-trigger"
 								onClick={openFontMenu}
-								className="flex h-7 min-w-20 items-center gap-1 rounded-sm border border-border bg-background px-1.5 font-ui text-xs text-foreground transition-colors hover:border-muted-foreground/50"
-							>
-								<span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate">{appearance?.fontFamily || DEFAULT_READING_FONT}</span>
-								<span aria-hidden className="text-muted-foreground">
-									▾
-								</span>
-							</button>
+								className="min-w-20"
+							/>
 						);
 						return fontMenuOpen ? (
 							triggerButton
diff --git a/components/settings/chatgpt-connection.tsx b/components/settings/chatgpt-connection.tsx
index f9d2d69..498ccf9 100644
--- a/components/settings/chatgpt-connection.tsx
+++ b/components/settings/chatgpt-connection.tsx
@@ -328,12 +328,12 @@ function AccountDialog({ children, onClose, busy }: { children: React.ReactNode;
 }
 
 /** Shared compact settings/setup row; account selection precedes the quiet action. */
-export function ChatGPTConnection(_props: { setup?: boolean } = {}) {
+export function ChatGPTConnection({ labelClassName }: { setup?: boolean; labelClassName?: string } = {}) {
 	const ui = useContext(Context);
 	const active = ui.status.accounts.find((a) => a.id === ui.status.activeId && a.connected);
 	const accounts = ui.status.accounts.filter((a) => a.connected);
 	return <div className="flex flex-col gap-2" data-testid="chatgpt-connection">
-		<ConnectionRow label="ChatGPT" actionTestid={active ? undefined : "chatgpt-login"} action={active ? "Manage…" : "Connect"} disabled={!ui.status.available || ui.busy || ui.status.pending} onAction={() => active ? ui.manage(active.id) : ui.connect()}>
+		<ConnectionRow label="ChatGPT" labelClassName={labelClassName} actionTestid={active ? undefined : "chatgpt-login"} action={active ? "Manage…" : "Connect"} disabled={!ui.status.available || ui.busy || ui.status.pending} onAction={() => active ? ui.manage(active.id) : ui.connect()}>
 			{active && <select aria-label="ChatGPT account" value={active.id} disabled={ui.busy || ui.status.pending} onChange={(event) => ui.select(event.target.value)} className="min-w-0 rounded-sm border border-border bg-background px-2 py-1 text-xs text-foreground">
 				{accounts.map((a) => <option key={a.id} value={a.id}>{a.email || "ChatGPT account"}</option>)}
 			</select>}
diff --git a/components/settings/connection-controls.tsx b/components/settings/connection-controls.tsx
index 395d604..5a92319 100644
--- a/components/settings/connection-controls.tsx
+++ b/components/settings/connection-controls.tsx
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
 import { useBackdropDismiss } from "@/components/backdrop-dismiss";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 
-export function ConnectionRow({ label, action, disabled, onAction, children, testid, actionTestid }: { label: string; action: string; disabled: boolean; onAction: () => void; children?: React.ReactNode; testid?: string; actionTestid?: string }) {
+export function ConnectionRow({ label, action, disabled, onAction, children, testid, actionTestid, labelClassName }: { label: string; action: string; disabled: boolean; onAction: () => void; children?: React.ReactNode; testid?: string; actionTestid?: string; labelClassName?: string }) {
 	return <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-3" data-testid={testid}>
-		<span className="font-ui text-xs text-foreground">{label}</span>
+		<span className={labelClassName ?? "font-ui text-xs text-foreground"}>{label}</span>
 		{children}
 		<Button type="button" size="xs" variant={action === "Connect" ? "outline" : "ghost"} className={`cursor-pointer disabled:cursor-not-allowed ${action === "Connect" ? "" : "text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"}`} data-testid={actionTestid} disabled={disabled} onClick={onAction}>{action}</Button>
 	</div>;
diff --git a/components/settings/controls.tsx b/components/settings/controls.tsx
index 4aaa385..1715be1 100644
--- a/components/settings/controls.tsx
+++ b/components/settings/controls.tsx
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  * control together) and the control itself locks — the row owns the dim.
  */
 
-import { useState, type ReactNode } from "react";
+import { useState, type ComponentPropsWithRef, type ReactNode } from "react";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 
 /** A section block: pronounced mono heading + content. */
@@ -81,6 +81,30 @@ export function SettingsRow({
 	);
 }
 
+/** The existing Agent/Appearance collapsed-menu look, shared with dictation.
+ * `unavailable` preserves callers that gate clicks without native disabling;
+ * `disabled` retains native button semantics where the caller requires them. */
+export function SettingsMenuTrigger({
+	value, unavailable, disabled, className, ...props
+}: Omit<ComponentPropsWithRef<"button">, "value" | "children"> & {
+	value: string;
+	unavailable?: boolean;
+}) {
+	return <button
+		type="button"
+		{...props}
+		disabled={disabled}
+		className={cn(
+			"flex h-7 items-center gap-1 rounded-sm border border-border bg-background px-1.5 font-ui text-xs text-foreground transition-colors",
+			disabled || unavailable ? "cursor-not-allowed" : "hover:border-muted-foreground/50",
+			className,
+		)}
+	>
+		<span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate">{value}</span>
+		<span aria-hidden className="text-muted-foreground">▾</span>
+	</button>;
+}
+
 /** The on/off switch — a plain button in the switch role. */
 export function Toggle({
 	checked,
diff --git a/components/settings/keys-section.tsx b/components/settings/keys-section.tsx
index f7c3f4a..198e93d 100644
--- a/components/settings/keys-section.tsx
+++ b/components/settings/keys-section.tsx
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import { SubscriptionConnections } from "./subscription-connections.tsx";
 import { ProviderMenuList } from "./model-menu.tsx";
 import { MenuShell } from "@/components/menu-shell";
 import { notifySettingsSaved } from "@/components/settings-signal";
+import { DictationLanguageSetting } from "@/components/dictation-language";
 
 /** One pi-ai provider with plain API-key auth (the Platform seam —
  *  derived from pi-ai's own env-key table; no drift possible). */
@@ -350,6 +351,9 @@ export function KeysSection({
 		if (openRow === null && adding === null) return;
 		const onKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
 			if (e.key !== "Escape") return;
+			// A language dropdown above this editor in the dismissal stack owns
+			// the first Escape; do not swallow it at document capture phase.
+			if (document.querySelector('[data-testid="dictation-language-menu"]')) return;
 			e.preventDefault();
 			e.stopPropagation();
 			setOpenRow(null);
@@ -486,6 +490,17 @@ export function KeysSection({
 						testid={`key-${status.id.toLowerCase()}`}
 					/>
 				))}
+				{label === "Dictation" && <>
+					<DictationLanguageSetting />
+					<p data-testid="dictation-setup-hint" className="px-1 text-[11px] leading-relaxed text-muted-foreground/70">
+						Create a <a
+							href="https://console.deepgram.com/"
+							target="_blank"
+							rel="noreferrer"
+							className="underline underline-offset-2 hover:text-foreground"
+						>Deepgram API key</a> with the Member role or higher, then add it above.
+					</p>
+				</>}
 			</SettingsGroup>)}
 
 		</>
diff --git a/components/settings/model-menu.tsx b/components/settings/model-menu.tsx
index 19697b9..792ae23 100644
--- a/components/settings/model-menu.tsx
+++ b/components/settings/model-menu.tsx
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import type { ModelCatalogEntry } from "@/src/core";
 import { fuzzyScore, subscriptionLabel } from "@/src/core";
 import { formatTokens } from "@/components/usage-format";
+import { SearchMenuList } from "./search-menu-list";
 
 function priceLabel(cost: ModelCatalogEntry["cost"]): string {
 	const fmt = (n: number) => `$${n < 1 ? n.toFixed(2).replace(/0$/, "") : n.toFixed(2)}`;
@@ -53,90 +54,34 @@ export function ModelMenuList({
 	/** Quiet footer note under the list (context-specific). */
 	footer?: string;
 }) {
-	const [query, setQuery] = useState("");
-	const [menuIdx, setMenuIdx] = useState<number | null>(null);
-	const searchRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
-	const listRef = useRef<HTMLUListElement>(null);
-
-	useEffect(() => {
-		searchRef.current?.focus();
-	}, []);
-
-	// Keep the arrow-walked result visible in the scrolling list.
-	useEffect(() => {
-		if (menuIdx === null) return;
-		listRef.current?.querySelector(`[data-idx="${menuIdx}"]`)?.scrollIntoView({ block: "nearest" });
-	}, [menuIdx]);
-
-	// The filtered, ranked model list.
-	const results = (models ?? [])
-		.map((m) => ({ m, s: fuzzyScore(query, m.provider, m.id, m.name) }))
-		.filter((r) => r.s !== null)
-		.sort((a, b) => b.s! - a.s! || a.m.id.localeCompare(b.m.id))
-		.map((r) => r.m);
-
 	return (
 		<>
-			<input
-				ref={searchRef}
-				data-testid="model-search"
-				value={query}
-				onChange={(e) => {
-					setQuery(e.target.value);
-					setMenuIdx(null); // new query → the walk restarts on Enter/↓
-				}}
-				onKeyDown={(e) => {
-					if (e.key === "ArrowDown" || e.key === "ArrowUp") {
-						e.preventDefault();
-						e.stopPropagation();
-						if (results.length === 0) return;
-						setMenuIdx((i) =>
-							e.key === "ArrowDown"
-								? Math.min((i ?? -1) + 1, results.length - 1)
-								: Math.max((i ?? results.length) - 1, 0),
-						);
-					} else if (e.key === "Enter") {
-						const chosen = results[menuIdx ?? 0];
-						if (chosen) {
-							e.preventDefault();
-							e.stopPropagation();
-							onPick(chosen);
-						}
-					}
-				}}
+			<SearchMenuList
+				items={models}
+				itemKey={(m) => `${m.provider}/${m.id}`}
+				searchTerms={(m) => [m.provider, m.id, m.name]}
+				compare={(a, b) => a.id.localeCompare(b.id)}
+				isSelected={(m) => m.id === effectiveId && m.provider === (effectiveProvider ?? m.provider)}
+				onPick={onPick}
+				searchTestid="model-search"
+				listTestid="model-list"
+				optionTestid={(m) => `model-option-${m.id.replace(/[^a-z0-9-]/gi, "_")}`}
 				placeholder="Search models…"
-				className="lh-input mb-1.5 w-full rounded-lg border bg-background px-2 py-1.5 text-foreground outline-none focus:ring-1 focus:ring-ring"
+				loading="Loading models…"
+				empty="No models match."
+				renderItem={(m) => <>
+					<span className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
+						<span className="truncate text-card-foreground">{m.name}</span>
+						<span className="shrink-0 tabular-nums text-muted-foreground" title={subscriptionLabel(`${m.provider}:${m.id}`) ? "Subscription connection" : "USD per 1M tokens in/out"}>
+							{subscriptionLabel(`${m.provider}:${m.id}`) ?? priceLabel(m.cost)}
+						</span>
+					</span>
+					<span className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2 text-muted-foreground">
+						<span className="truncate">{subscriptionLabel(`${m.provider}:${m.id}`) ? `${subscriptionLabel(`${m.provider}:${m.id}`)} (subscription)` : m.provider} · {m.id}</span>
+						<span className="shrink-0 tabular-nums">{formatTokens(m.contextWindow)}</span>
+					</span>
+				</>}
 			/>
-			{!models && <div className="px-2 py-3 text-center text-muted-foreground">Loading models…</div>}
-			{models && results.length === 0 && (
-				<div className="px-2 py-3 text-center text-muted-foreground">No models match.</div>
-			)}
-			<ul ref={listRef} data-testid="model-list" className="flex max-h-72 flex-col overflow-y-auto px-1">
-				{results.map((m, i) => (
-					<li key={`${m.provider}/${m.id}`}>
-						<button
-							type="button"
-							data-testid={`model-option-${m.id.replace(/[^a-z0-9-]/gi, "_")}`}
-							data-idx={i}
-							onClick={() => onPick(m)}
-							className={`flex w-full flex-col gap-0.5 rounded-lg px-2 py-1.5 text-left outline-none transition-colors hover:bg-muted ${
-								i === menuIdx ? "bg-accent/40 ring-1 ring-inset ring-border" : ""
-							}${m.id === effectiveId && m.provider === (effectiveProvider ?? m.provider) && i !== menuIdx ? " bg-muted/60" : ""}`}
-						>
-							<span className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
-								<span className="truncate text-card-foreground">{m.name}</span>
-								<span className="shrink-0 tabular-nums text-muted-foreground" title={subscriptionLabel(`${m.provider}:${m.id}`) ? "Subscription connection" : "USD per 1M tokens in/out"}>
-									{subscriptionLabel(`${m.provider}:${m.id}`) ?? priceLabel(m.cost)}
-								</span>
-							</span>
-							<span className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2 text-muted-foreground">
-								<span className="truncate">{subscriptionLabel(`${m.provider}:${m.id}`) ? `${subscriptionLabel(`${m.provider}:${m.id}`)} (subscription)` : m.provider} · {m.id}</span>
-								<span className="shrink-0 tabular-nums">{formatTokens(m.contextWindow)}</span>
-							</span>
-						</button>
-					</li>
-				))}
-			</ul>
 			{footer && (
 				<div className="mt-1 border-t px-2 pt-1.5 text-xs text-muted-foreground">{footer}</div>
 			)}
diff --git a/components/settings/search-menu-list.tsx b/components/settings/search-menu-list.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..08a4fa6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/settings/search-menu-list.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState, type ReactNode } from "react";
+import { fuzzyScore } from "@/src/core";
+
+/** The model picker's search, arrow-walk, row styling and scrolling machine.
+ * Models and dictation languages supply only their catalog and row content.
+ * The caller owns the shared MenuShell and dismissal behavior. */
+export function SearchMenuList<T>({
+	items, itemKey, searchTerms, compare, isSelected, onPick, renderItem,
+	searchTestid, listTestid, optionTestid, placeholder, ariaLabel, loading, empty,
+	disabled = false,
+}: {
+	items: readonly T[] | undefined;
+	itemKey: (item: T) => string;
+	searchTerms: (item: T) => string[];
+	compare?: (a: T, b: T) => number;
+	isSelected: (item: T) => boolean;
+	onPick: (item: T) => void;
+	renderItem: (item: T) => ReactNode;
+	searchTestid: string;
+	listTestid: string;
+	optionTestid: (item: T) => string;
+	placeholder: string;
+	ariaLabel?: string;
+	loading?: string;
+	empty: string;
+	disabled?: boolean;
+}) {
+	const [query, setQuery] = useState("");
+	const [menuIdx, setMenuIdx] = useState<number | null>(null);
+	const searchRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+	const listRef = useRef<HTMLUListElement>(null);
+
+	useEffect(() => { searchRef.current?.focus(); }, []);
+	useEffect(() => {
+		if (menuIdx === null) return;
+		listRef.current?.querySelector(`[data-idx="${menuIdx}"]`)?.scrollIntoView({ block: "nearest" });
+	}, [menuIdx]);
+
+	const results = (items ?? [])
+		.map((item) => ({ item, score: fuzzyScore(query, ...searchTerms(item)) }))
+		.filter((result) => result.score !== null)
+		.sort((a, b) => b.score! - a.score! || (compare?.(a.item, b.item) ?? 0))
+		.map(({ item }) => item);
+
+	return <>
+		<input
+			type="text"
+			ref={searchRef}
+			data-testid={searchTestid}
+			aria-label={ariaLabel}
+			value={query}
+			disabled={disabled}
+			onChange={(event) => { setQuery(event.target.value); setMenuIdx(null); }}
+			onKeyDown={(event) => {
+				if (event.key === "ArrowDown" || event.key === "ArrowUp") {
+					event.preventDefault();
+					event.stopPropagation();
+					if (disabled || results.length === 0) return;
+					setMenuIdx((i) => event.key === "ArrowDown"
+						? Math.min((i ?? -1) + 1, results.length - 1)
+						: Math.max((i ?? results.length) - 1, 0));
+				} else if (event.key === "Enter") {
+					const chosen = results[menuIdx ?? 0];
+					if (!disabled && chosen !== undefined) {
+						event.preventDefault();
+						event.stopPropagation();
+						onPick(chosen);
+					}
+				}
+			}}
+			placeholder={placeholder}
+			className="lh-input mb-1.5 w-full rounded-lg border bg-background px-2 py-1.5 text-foreground outline-none focus:ring-1 focus:ring-ring"
+		/>
+		{!items && loading && <div className="px-2 py-3 text-center text-muted-foreground">{loading}</div>}
+		{items && results.length === 0 && <div className="px-2 py-3 text-center text-muted-foreground">{empty}</div>}
+		<ul ref={listRef} data-testid={listTestid} className="flex max-h-72 flex-col overflow-y-auto px-1">
+			{results.map((item, i) => <li key={itemKey(item)}>
+				<button
+					type="button"
+					data-testid={optionTestid(item)}
+					data-idx={i}
+					disabled={disabled}
+					onClick={() => onPick(item)}
+					className={`flex w-full flex-col gap-0.5 rounded-lg px-2 py-1.5 text-left outline-none transition-colors hover:bg-muted ${
+						i === menuIdx ? "bg-accent/40 ring-1 ring-inset ring-border" : ""
+					}${isSelected(item) && i !== menuIdx ? " bg-muted/60" : ""}`}
+				>{renderItem(item)}</button>
+			</li>)}
+		</ul>
+	</>;
+}
diff --git a/components/settings/subscription-connections.tsx b/components/settings/subscription-connections.tsx
index 6c095d1..80f3870 100644
--- a/components/settings/subscription-connections.tsx
+++ b/components/settings/subscription-connections.tsx
@@ -119,16 +119,19 @@ export function NativeSubscriptionUIProvider({ children }: { children: React.Rea
 	</Context.Provider>;
 }
 
-export function NativeSubscriptionConnection({ providerId }: { providerId: NativeSubscriptionProviderId }) {
+export function NativeSubscriptionConnection({ providerId, labelClassName }: { providerId: NativeSubscriptionProviderId; labelClassName?: string }) {
 	const ui = useContext(Context), descriptor = NATIVE_SUBSCRIPTIONS.find((p) => p.providerId === providerId)!;
 	const status = ui.statuses.find((s) => s.providerId === providerId) ?? emptySubscriptionStatus(providerId);
 	return <div className="flex flex-col gap-2" data-testid={`${providerId}-connection`}>
-		<ConnectionRow label={descriptor.label} action={status.connectionId ? "Manage…" : "Connect"} disabled={ui.busy || !status.available || ui.statuses.some((s) => s.pending)} onAction={() => ui.open(providerId)} />
+		<ConnectionRow label={descriptor.label} labelClassName={labelClassName} action={status.connectionId ? "Manage…" : "Connect"} disabled={ui.busy || !status.available || ui.statuses.some((s) => s.pending)} onAction={() => ui.open(providerId)} />
 		{status.error && <p role="alert" className="text-xs text-red-400">{status.error}</p>}
 	</div>;
 }
 export function SubscriptionConnections({ setup = false }: { setup?: boolean }) {
-	return <div className="space-y-3" data-testid="subscription-connections"><ChatGPTConnection setup={setup} />{NATIVE_SUBSCRIPTIONS.map((p) => <NativeSubscriptionConnection key={p.providerId} providerId={p.providerId} />)}</div>;
+	// Providers uses ordinary settings-label typography. The setup surface
+	// keeps its existing compact labels; dialogs and actions are untouched.
+	const labelClassName = setup ? undefined : "font-prose text-(length:--lh-prose-size) text-foreground";
+	return <div className="space-y-3" data-testid="subscription-connections"><ChatGPTConnection setup={setup} labelClassName={labelClassName} />{NATIVE_SUBSCRIPTIONS.map((p) => <NativeSubscriptionConnection key={p.providerId} providerId={p.providerId} labelClassName={labelClassName} />)}</div>;
 }
 export function NativeSubscriptionBackgroundAccess({ provider }: { provider: string | undefined }) {
 	const ui = useContext(Context), descriptor = NATIVE_SUBSCRIPTIONS.find((p) => p.logicalId === provider);
diff --git a/docs/development.md b/docs/development.md
index 4c81a84..f775f61 100644
--- a/docs/development.md
+++ b/docs/development.md
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ pricing-generation step: Pi AI's catalog and public calculator are the authority
 
 **Practice (problem sets).** A node selection resolves to the STORED reasoning chains it fully contains (a chain rides iff every member is selected; unchained nodes ride as singletons); the `/practice` creation dialog picks a birth-session cluster (the graph view's own groups) and freezes its propositions + chains into a self-contained `ProblemSet`. Three named-level axes steer generation (ladder rung 0–4, cue distance 0–2, Theory|Application — never a number to interpolate; defaults Direct exercise · Adjacent context · Theory), plus an optional free-form note the agents weigh but need not follow. Creation has two entries: the cluster picker on `/practice`, or the graph view's chain table — a full-bleed sortable table of every reasoning chain, grouped by birth cluster under the shared top bar, selecting chips, chains, or whole clusters, whose floating selection bar shows the exact `N nodes → M chains` the agents will receive — handing a free-form node selection to the same dialog — and carries the fenced Delete action, making it the graph's management view (whole-cluster cleanup through the same full-death confirm dialog). A partitioner agent covers every chain exactly once, one generator per partition writes problems against the owner's problem-engineering framework (commit-before-pose: statement + solution + rubric together), and grading is **strengthening, not assessment** — one attempt per problem with its own submit button, instant solution/rubric reveal, then a score 0–10 with brief reasoning landing live; nothing ever written back to the graph. Runs are registry-backed background jobs on the activity dock (no steer, never wakes the teacher); sets live in `data/practice`, crash-swept on boot.
 
-**Dictation.** Optional speech-to-text: the server mints short-lived Deepgram tokens; audio streams browser→Deepgram over WebSocket, never through the server.
+**Dictation.** Optional speech-to-text: the server mints short-lived Deepgram tokens; audio streams browser→Deepgram over WebSocket, never through the server. Settings → Providers → Dictation → Language (below the Deepgram key) offers Nova-3's documented monolingual languages/locales or `language=multi` for automatic multilingual transcription. The app-wide `dictation.language` preference persists through the existing settings record and `PUT /api/settings/dictation`; absent preferences resolve to English (`en`). The settings control locks from connecting through stopping, and reconnects keep the run's original language. A shared preference controller publishes confirmed PUT responses to every reader immediately; the confirmed preference is cached across page navigation and reopening Settings, with no polling or per-recording read. Explicit external dictation-settings notifications invalidate the cache, and capture waits for a successful refresh. Navigating away cancels the run, invalidates pending startup/reconnect work and releases its microphone/socket without appending into another page's input. All other streaming parameters remain unchanged. The picker uses the model dropdown's shared `SearchMenuList` and `MenuShell`: the same fuzzy search, arrow navigation, Enter selection, row styling and scrolling. Its compact mono `SettingsMenuTrigger` is shared with Agent and Appearance; a muted setup line below the key and language rows links the Deepgram Console and states the Member-or-higher key-role requirement.
 
 ## Testing
 
@@ -196,4 +196,4 @@ The teaching methodology comes from an Obsidian-based POC (its `knowledge graph
 
 Nothing under `data/` is ever tracked by git. Chats, graph ledgers, jobs, positions, and the settings records are plain files (JSON/JSONL) — inspect them freely; they are the canonical records. The desktop app relocates the whole directory via `LH_DATA_DIR`.
 
-**Schema stamps (2026-10-10):** chat records carry `version` (stamped at the store's write choke point; absence reads as v1 — lazy migration, no mass rewrite), and the graph family (ledgers, sources, render-settings) shares one sidecar `graph/format.json`, created on the family's first write. `positions.json` is deliberately unstamped (rebuildable). A record stamped NEWER than the running build is refused on read — honest refusal for the downgrade scenario: a read-modify-write store never rewrites what it doesn't understand.
\ No newline at end of file
+**Schema stamps (2026-10-10):** chat records carry `version` (stamped at the store's write choke point; absence reads as v1 — lazy migration, no mass rewrite), and the graph family (ledgers, sources, render-settings) shares one sidecar `graph/format.json`, created on the family's first write. `positions.json` is deliberately unstamped (rebuildable). A record stamped NEWER than the running build is refused on read — honest refusal for the downgrade scenario: a read-modify-write store never rewrites what it doesn't understand.
diff --git a/src/core/dictation.ts b/src/core/dictation.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..45d6826
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/dictation.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+/** Nova-3 monolingual language codes, including documented locale aliases.
+ * Source: https://developers.deepgram.com/docs/models-languages-overview
+ * Multilingual is a separate mode; its supported language set differs.
+ */
+const NOVA_3_LANGUAGES = [
+	["Afrikaans", ["af", "af-ZA"]],
+	["Arabic", ["ar", "ar-AE", "ar-SA", "ar-QA", "ar-KW", "ar-SY", "ar-LB", "ar-PS", "ar-JO", "ar-EG", "ar-SD", "ar-TD", "ar-MA", "ar-DZ", "ar-TN", "ar-IQ", "ar-IR"]],
+	["Armenian", ["hy"]],
+	["Assamese", ["as", "as-IN"]],
+	["Belarusian", ["be"]],
+	["Bengali", ["bn"]],
+	["Bosnian", ["bs"]],
+	["Bulgarian", ["bg"]],
+	["Catalan", ["ca"]],
+	["Chinese (Cantonese, Traditional)", ["zh-HK"]],
+	["Chinese (Mandarin, Simplified)", ["zh", "zh-CN", "zh-Hans"]],
+	["Chinese (Mandarin, Traditional)", ["zh-TW", "zh-Hant"]],
+	["Croatian", ["hr"]],
+	["Czech", ["cs", "cs-CZ"]],
+	["Danish", ["da", "da-DK"]],
+	["Dutch", ["nl"]],
+	["English", ["en", "en-US", "en-AU", "en-GB", "en-IN", "en-NZ"]],
+	["Estonian", ["et"]],
+	["Finnish", ["fi"]],
+	["Flemish", ["nl-BE"]],
+	["French", ["fr", "fr-CA"]],
+	["Georgian", ["ka", "ka-GE"]],
+	["German", ["de"]],
+	["German (Switzerland)", ["de-CH"]],
+	["Greek", ["el"]],
+	["Gujarati", ["gu", "gu-IN"]],
+	["Hebrew", ["he"]],
+	["Hindi", ["hi"]],
+	["Hungarian", ["hu"]],
+	["Indonesian", ["id"]],
+	["Italian", ["it"]],
+	["Japanese", ["ja"]],
+	["Kannada", ["kn"]],
+	["Kazakh", ["kk", "kk-KZ"]],
+	["Korean", ["ko", "ko-KR"]],
+	["Latvian", ["lv"]],
+	["Lithuanian", ["lt"]],
+	["Macedonian", ["mk"]],
+	["Malay", ["ms"]],
+	["Marathi", ["mr"]],
+	["Mongolian", ["mn"]],
+	["Nepali", ["ne"]],
+	["Norwegian", ["no"]],
+	["Pashto", ["ps", "ps-AF"]],
+	["Persian", ["fa"]],
+	["Polish", ["pl"]],
+	["Portuguese", ["pt", "pt-BR", "pt-PT"]],
+	["Punjabi", ["pa", "pa-IN"]],
+	["Romanian", ["ro"]],
+	["Russian", ["ru"]],
+	["Serbian", ["sr"]],
+	["Slovak", ["sk"]],
+	["Slovenian", ["sl"]],
+	["Spanish", ["es", "es-419"]],
+	["Swedish", ["sv", "sv-SE"]],
+	["Tagalog", ["tl"]],
+	["Tamil", ["ta"]],
+	["Telugu", ["te"]],
+	["Thai", ["th", "th-TH"]],
+	["Turkish", ["tr", "tr-TR"]],
+	["Ukrainian", ["uk"]],
+	["Urdu", ["ur"]],
+	["Vietnamese", ["vi"]],
+] as const;
+
+export type DictationLanguage = "multi" | (typeof NOVA_3_LANGUAGES)[number][1][number];
+
+export const DICTATION_LANGUAGES: readonly { code: DictationLanguage; label: string }[] = [
+	{ code: "multi", label: "Multilingual" },
+	...NOVA_3_LANGUAGES.flatMap(([name, codes]) =>
+		codes.map((code, i) => ({ code, label: i === 0 ? name : `${name} (${code})` })),
+	).sort((a, b) => a.label.localeCompare(b.label, "en")),
+];
+
+export function isDictationLanguage(value: unknown): value is DictationLanguage {
+	return DICTATION_LANGUAGES.some(({ code }) => code === value);
+}
+
+/** Only language varies. Keep the owner's tuned streaming parameters. */
+export function deepgramListenUrl(language: DictationLanguage): string {
+	return "wss://api.deepgram.com/v1/listen" +
+		"?model=nova-3&encoding=linear16&sample_rate=16000&channels=1" +
+		"&smart_format=true&punctuate=true&endpointing=300" +
+		`&language=${encodeURIComponent(language)}`;
+}
diff --git a/src/core/index.ts b/src/core/index.ts
index 77de4ed..bae8b33 100644
--- a/src/core/index.ts
+++ b/src/core/index.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ export * from "./fuzzy.ts";
 // the user-settings record's shape/sanitizer (pure) and its fully-resolved
 // view. Browser-safe — the Wave-4 panel imports these directly.
 export * from "./settings.ts";
+export * from "./dictation.ts";
 // graph-deletion.ts (wave 6): the whole module is PURE but storage-port
 // driven — the deletion RUNS server-side only. The shell needs exactly one
 // two type-only things from it: the ChatDeleteMode union (the delete
diff --git a/src/core/settings-resolution.ts b/src/core/settings-resolution.ts
index ce4b6aa..1a1cbf9 100644
--- a/src/core/settings-resolution.ts
+++ b/src/core/settings-resolution.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import {
 	type BackgroundModelRole,
 	type FactorySettings,
 	type GeneralSettings,
+	type DictationSettings,
 	type CompactionSettings,
 	type GraphSettings,
 	type ModelSlot,
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ export type EffectiveAppearance = FactorySettings["appearance"];
 /** The concrete view: every knob resolved, no absent fields. */
 export interface EffectiveSettings {
 	general: Required<GeneralSettings>;
+	dictation: Required<DictationSettings>;
 	agent: {
 		models: Record<BackgroundModelRole, EffectiveModelSpec | undefined>;
 		/** Delta map as stored — consumers resolve absent key → enabled. */
@@ -176,6 +178,9 @@ export function resolveSettings(record: UserSettings | null): EffectiveSettings
 		general: {
 			autoUpdate: record?.general?.autoUpdate ?? FACTORY_SETTINGS.general.autoUpdate,
 		},
+		dictation: {
+			language: record?.dictation?.language ?? FACTORY_SETTINGS.dictation.language,
+		},
 		agent: {
 			models,
 			tools: agent.tools ?? {},
diff --git a/src/core/settings.ts b/src/core/settings.ts
index ce80c65..f7966f1 100644
--- a/src/core/settings.ts
+++ b/src/core/settings.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import { AUTH_PROVIDER_KEYS } from "./auth-keys.ts";
 import type { ModelRole } from "../../config.ts";
 import type { ChatSettings } from "./contracts/chat.ts";
 import type { SearchEngineId } from "./search.ts";
+import { isDictationLanguage, type DictationLanguage } from "./dictation.ts";
 
 /** The schema version this code understands. Bump ONLY for breaking shape
  *  changes (a field renamed/meaning changed); pure additions never bump. */
@@ -235,6 +236,11 @@ export interface GeneralSettings {
 	autoUpdate?: boolean;
 }
 
+/** One app-wide dictation preference, shared by every composer. */
+export interface DictationSettings {
+	language?: DictationLanguage;
+}
+
 /** Agent settings — everything about the non-conversation machinery. */
 export interface AgentSettings {
 	/** Background-role model/thinking overrides (absent role = config pin). */
@@ -361,6 +367,7 @@ export interface CompactionSettings {
 export interface UserSettings {
 	version: number;
 	general?: GeneralSettings;
+	dictation?: DictationSettings;
 	agent?: AgentSettings;
 	/** The strong/cheap/vision model slots (model slots wave, 2026-09-20). */
 	models?: ModelsSettings;
@@ -378,6 +385,7 @@ export interface UserSettings {
 export interface FactorySettings {
 	version: number;
 	general: Required<GeneralSettings>;
+	dictation: Required<DictationSettings>;
 	appearance: {
 		mode: "dark" | "light";
 		background: string | null;
@@ -397,6 +405,7 @@ export interface FactorySettings {
 export const FACTORY_SETTINGS: FactorySettings = {
 	version: CURRENT_SETTINGS_VERSION,
 	general: { autoUpdate: true },
+	dictation: { language: "en" },
 	appearance: {
 		mode: "dark",
 		background: null, // the dark default (#141414) lives in the mode's derivation curve
@@ -615,6 +624,13 @@ export function sanitizeUserSettings(raw: unknown): UserSettings | null {
 	if (r.general !== null && typeof r.general === "object" && !Array.isArray(r.general)) {
 		out.general = sanitizeGeneral(r.general as Record<string, unknown>);
 	}
+	if (r.dictation !== undefined) {
+		const raw = r.dictation;
+		out.dictation = raw !== null && typeof raw === "object" && !Array.isArray(raw) &&
+			isDictationLanguage((raw as Record<string, unknown>).language)
+			? { language: (raw as DictationSettings).language }
+			: {};
+	}
 	if (r.agent !== null && typeof r.agent === "object" && !Array.isArray(r.agent)) {
 		out.agent = sanitizeAgent(r.agent as Record<string, unknown>);
 	}
diff --git a/src/server/settings-body.ts b/src/server/settings-body.ts
index 2cf1050..9b1a173 100644
--- a/src/server/settings-body.ts
+++ b/src/server/settings-body.ts
@@ -19,12 +19,14 @@ import type {
 	BackgroundModelRole,
 	CompactionSettings,
 	GeneralSettings,
+	DictationSettings,
 	GraphSettings,
 	ModelsSettings,
 	RoleModelOverride,
 } from "../core/settings.ts";
 import { BACKGROUND_MODEL_ROLES, COMPACTION_THRESHOLD_FLOOR, EXTRACTION_CHUNK_TOKENS_FLOOR, MODEL_SLOTS } from "../core/settings.ts";
 import { WRITABLE_TOOL_KEYS } from "../core/pending.ts";
+import { isDictationLanguage } from "../core/dictation.ts";
 
 /** Parsed-or-rejected — `ok: false` carries the 400's error message. */
 export type SettingsBodyResult<T> =
@@ -375,6 +377,15 @@ export function parseCompactionSettingsBody(body: unknown): SettingsBodyResult<C
 	return { ok: true, settings };
 }
 
+/** dictation: { language?: one of Nova-3's supported language codes } */
+export function parseDictationSettingsBody(body: unknown): SettingsBodyResult<DictationSettings> {
+	const raw = asRecord(body);
+	if (!raw) return { ok: false, error: "Invalid JSON body" };
+	if (raw.language === undefined) return { ok: true, settings: {} };
+	if (!isDictationLanguage(raw.language)) return { ok: false, error: "Unsupported dictation language" };
+	return { ok: true, settings: { language: raw.language } };
+}
+
 /** The section→parser map for PUT /api/settings/[section] (the route also
  *  carries the special prompts sub-resource). */
 export const SETTINGS_SECTIONS = {
@@ -385,6 +396,7 @@ export const SETTINGS_SECTIONS = {
 	graph: parseGraphSettingsBody,
 	compaction: parseCompactionSettingsBody,
 	models: parseModelsSettingsBody,
+	dictation: parseDictationSettingsBody,
 } as const;
 
 export type SettingsSectionName = keyof typeof SETTINGS_SECTIONS;
diff --git a/tests/dictation-flow.test.tsx b/tests/dictation-flow.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0cca1a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/dictation-flow.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,322 @@
+import React, { act } from "react";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { afterEach, test } from "node:test";
+import { parseHTML } from "linkedom";
+import { useDictation, type Dictation } from "../components/dictation.tsx";
+import { notifySettingsSaved } from "../components/settings-signal.ts";
+import { useDictationLanguage } from "../components/dictation-preference.ts";
+import { isDictationActive, useDictationActive } from "../components/dictation-state.ts";
+import type { UserSettings } from "../src/core/index.ts";
+
+function deferred<T>() {
+	let resolve!: (value: T) => void;
+	const promise = new Promise<T>((done) => { resolve = done; });
+	return { promise, resolve };
+}
+
+class Socket extends EventTarget {
+	static CONNECTING = 0;
+	static OPEN = 1;
+	static all: Socket[] = [];
+	readyState = Socket.CONNECTING;
+	sent: unknown[] = [];
+	constructor(readonly url: string, readonly protocols: string[]) { super(); Socket.all.push(this); }
+	get language() { return new URL(this.url).searchParams.get("language"); }
+	send(data: unknown) { this.sent.push(data); }
+	close() { this.readyState = 3; }
+	open() { this.readyState = Socket.OPEN; this.dispatchEvent(new Event("open")); }
+	end(code = 1000) { this.close(); this.dispatchEvent(Object.assign(new Event("close"), { code })); }
+	final(text: string) {
+		this.dispatchEvent(Object.assign(new Event("message"), {
+			data: JSON.stringify({ type: "Results", is_final: true, channel: { alternatives: [{ transcript: text }] } }),
+		}));
+	}
+}
+
+class AudioGraph {
+	state = "running";
+	destination = {};
+	audioWorklet = { addModule: async () => {} };
+	createMediaStreamSource() { return { connect() {}, disconnect() {} }; }
+}
+class Worklet { port = {}; connect() {} disconnect() {} }
+
+const globals = globalThis as Record<string, unknown>;
+let restore: (() => void) | undefined;
+let dispose: (() => Promise<void>) | undefined;
+
+async function fixture(language: "pl" | "en" = "pl", delayedRead?: Promise<Response>) {
+	const dom = parseHTML("<html><body><div id='root'></div></body></html>");
+	const state = {
+		record: { version: 1, dictation: { language } } as UserSettings,
+		nextRead: delayedRead,
+		nextWrite: undefined as Promise<Response> | undefined,
+		nextMic: undefined as Promise<{ getTracks: () => { stop: () => void }[] }> | undefined,
+		readFails: false,
+		reads: 0,
+		active: false,
+		captures: 0,
+		stops: 0,
+		appends: [] as string[],
+	};
+	Socket.all = [];
+	const previous = new Map<string, PropertyDescriptor | undefined>();
+	for (const [key, value] of Object.entries({
+		React, window: dom.window, document: dom.document, CustomEvent: dom.window.CustomEvent,
+		navigator: { userAgent: "", platform: "", mediaDevices: { getUserMedia: async () => {
+			state.captures++;
+			if (state.nextMic) return state.nextMic;
+			return { getTracks: () => [{ stop() { state.stops++; } }] };
+		} } },
+		WebSocket: Socket, AudioContext: AudioGraph, AudioWorkletNode: Worklet,
+		IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT: true,
+		fetch: async (url: string, init?: RequestInit) => {
+			if (url === "/api/stt/token") return Response.json({ token: "test-token" });
+			if (url === "/api/settings") {
+				state.reads++;
+				if (state.nextRead) { const response = state.nextRead; state.nextRead = undefined; return response; }
+				return state.readFails ? Response.json({}, { status: 500 }) : Response.json({ settings: state.record });
+			}
+			assert.equal(url, "/api/settings/dictation");
+			assert.equal(init?.method, "PUT");
+			if (state.nextWrite) { const response = state.nextWrite; state.nextWrite = undefined; return response; }
+			state.record = { ...state.record, dictation: JSON.parse(init.body as string) };
+			return Response.json({ settings: state.record });
+		},
+	})) {
+		previous.set(key, Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(globalThis, key));
+		Object.defineProperty(globalThis, key, { configurable: true, writable: true, value });
+	}
+	restore = () => {
+		for (const [key, descriptor] of previous) {
+			if (descriptor) Object.defineProperty(globalThis, key, descriptor);
+			else delete globals[key];
+		}
+	};
+	const { createRoot } = await import("react-dom/client");
+	let latest!: Dictation;
+	let setting!: ReturnType<typeof useDictationLanguage>;
+	function Harness() {
+		latest = useDictation({ append: (text) => state.appends.push(text) });
+		setting = useDictationLanguage();
+		state.active = useDictationActive();
+		return null;
+	}
+	let root = createRoot(document.getElementById("root")!);
+	let firstMount = true;
+	const mount = async () => {
+		await act(async () => { root.render(<Harness />); });
+		// Each fixture is a new server record. Explicitly invalidate a prior
+		// fixture's window-lifetime cache, but do not refetch on remounts.
+		if (firstMount && setting.language !== undefined) {
+			await act(async () => { notifySettingsSaved("dictation"); });
+		}
+		firstMount = false;
+	};
+	dispose = async () => { await act(async () => { root.unmount(); }); };
+	return {
+		state,
+		get dictation() { return latest; },
+		get setting() { return setting; },
+		mount,
+		unmount: () => dispose!(),
+		remount: async () => {
+			await dispose!();
+			root = createRoot(document.getElementById("root")!);
+			await mount();
+		},
+	};
+}
+
+afterEach(async () => { await dispose?.(); restore?.(); dispose = undefined; restore = undefined; });
+
+test("waits for the saved language; reconnect preserves it and finals still flush exactly once", async () => {
+	const read = deferred<Response>();
+	const f = await fixture("pl", read.promise);
+	await f.mount();
+	await act(async () => { f.dictation.toggle(); });
+	assert.equal(f.dictation.phase, "connecting");
+	assert.equal(f.state.active, true, "the settings row locks while connecting");
+	assert.equal(f.state.captures, 0);
+	assert.equal(Socket.all.length, 0, "must not open a default-English socket before settings arrive");
+	await act(async () => { read.resolve(Response.json({ settings: f.state.record })); });
+	const first = Socket.all[0]!;
+	assert.equal(first.language, "pl");
+	await act(async () => { first.open(); first.final("Cześć"); });
+	assert.deepEqual(f.state.appends, []);
+	// A preference refresh during capture affects the next run only.
+	f.state.record.dictation = { language: "multi" };
+	await act(async () => { notifySettingsSaved("dictation"); });
+	await act(async () => { first.end(1006); });
+	const second = Socket.all[1]!;
+	assert.equal(second.language, "pl");
+	assert.deepEqual(second.protocols, ["bearer", "test-token"]);
+	await act(async () => { second.open(); second.final("świecie"); });
+	await act(async () => { f.dictation.stop(); });
+	assert.equal(f.dictation.phase, "stopping");
+	assert.equal(f.state.active, true, "the settings row remains locked while stopping");
+	assert.equal(second.sent.at(-1), JSON.stringify({ type: "CloseStream" }));
+	await act(async () => { second.end(); });
+	assert.deepEqual(f.state.appends, ["Cześć świecie"]);
+	assert.equal(f.dictation.phase, "idle");
+	assert.equal(f.state.active, false);
+	await act(async () => { f.dictation.toggle(); });
+	assert.equal(Socket.all[2]!.language, "multi");
+});
+
+test("a failed save keeps the previous language, including a shortcut pressed while saving", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	await f.mount();
+	const write = deferred<Response>();
+	f.state.nextWrite = write.promise;
+	let saved!: Promise<boolean>;
+	await act(async () => { saved = f.setting.save("multi"); });
+	assert.equal(f.setting.saving, true);
+	await act(async () => { f.dictation.toggle(); });
+	assert.equal(f.state.captures, 0);
+	await act(async () => { write.resolve(Response.json({}, { status: 500 })); await saved; });
+	assert.equal(await saved, false);
+	assert.equal(f.setting.language, "pl");
+	assert.match(f.setting.error!, /Could not save/);
+	assert.equal(Socket.all[0]!.language, "pl");
+});
+
+test("confirmed choices stay cached across navigation; failed explicit refreshes block capture", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	await f.mount();
+	await act(async () => { assert.equal(await f.setting.save("multi"), true); });
+	const reads = f.state.reads;
+	f.state.readFails = true;
+	await f.remount();
+	assert.equal(f.setting.language, "multi");
+	assert.equal(f.state.reads, reads, "navigation must not reread a confirmed preference");
+	await act(async () => { notifySettingsSaved("dictation"); });
+	await act(async () => { f.dictation.toggle(); });
+	assert.match(f.dictation.error!, /Could not load/);
+	assert.equal(f.state.captures, 0);
+	assert.equal(Socket.all.length, 0);
+	f.state.readFails = false;
+	await act(async () => { f.dictation.toggle(); });
+	assert.equal(Socket.all[0]!.language, "multi");
+});
+
+test("a shortcut waits for a language save made by the separate settings control", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	await f.mount();
+	const write = deferred<Response>();
+	f.state.nextWrite = write.promise;
+	let saved!: Promise<boolean>;
+	await act(async () => { saved = f.setting.save("multi"); });
+	await act(async () => { f.dictation.toggle(); });
+	assert.equal(f.state.captures, 0);
+	f.state.record.dictation = { language: "multi" };
+	await act(async () => { write.resolve(Response.json({ settings: f.state.record })); await saved; });
+	assert.equal(Socket.all[0]!.language, "multi");
+});
+
+test("a saved-language refresh gates capture even when an older choice is cached", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	await f.mount();
+	const read = deferred<Response>();
+	f.state.nextRead = read.promise;
+	f.state.record.dictation = { language: "multi" };
+	await act(async () => { notifySettingsSaved("dictation"); });
+	await act(async () => { f.dictation.toggle(); });
+	assert.equal(f.state.captures, 0);
+	assert.equal(Socket.all.length, 0);
+	await act(async () => { read.resolve(Response.json({ settings: f.state.record })); });
+	assert.equal(Socket.all[0]!.language, "multi");
+});
+
+test("a stale settings refresh cannot overwrite a newer confirmed choice", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	await f.mount();
+	const read = deferred<Response>();
+	f.state.nextRead = read.promise;
+	await act(async () => { notifySettingsSaved("dictation"); });
+	await act(async () => { await f.setting.save("multi"); });
+	await act(async () => { read.resolve(Response.json({ settings: { version: 1, dictation: { language: "pl" } } })); });
+	assert.equal(f.setting.language, "multi");
+	await act(async () => { f.dictation.toggle(); });
+	assert.equal(Socket.all[0]!.language, "multi");
+});
+
+test("cancel while settings load does not open a microphone or socket later", async () => {
+	const read = deferred<Response>();
+	const f = await fixture("pl", read.promise);
+	await f.mount();
+	await act(async () => { f.dictation.toggle(); });
+	await act(async () => { f.dictation.cancel(); });
+	await act(async () => { read.resolve(Response.json({ settings: f.state.record })); });
+	assert.equal(f.dictation.phase, "idle");
+	assert.equal(f.state.captures, 0);
+	assert.equal(Socket.all.length, 0);
+});
+
+test("reopening settings during a save shares its busy state and rejects a competing selection", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	await f.mount();
+	const write = deferred<Response>();
+	f.state.nextWrite = write.promise;
+	let first!: Promise<boolean>;
+	await act(async () => { first = f.setting.save("multi"); });
+	await f.remount();
+	assert.equal(f.setting.saving, true);
+	assert.equal(await f.setting.save("en"), false, "a different selection cannot inherit another write's success");
+	f.state.record.dictation = { language: "multi" };
+	await act(async () => { write.resolve(Response.json({ settings: f.state.record })); await first; });
+	assert.equal(f.setting.saving, false);
+	assert.equal(f.setting.language, "multi");
+});
+
+test("a confirmed save applies to capture even when subsequent settings GET requests would fail", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	await f.mount();
+	f.state.readFails = true;
+	await act(async () => { assert.equal(await f.setting.save("multi"), true); });
+	assert.equal(f.state.record.dictation?.language, "multi");
+	await act(async () => { f.dictation.toggle(); });
+	assert.equal(Socket.all[0]!.language, "multi");
+});
+
+test("unmount during a pending language read prevents orphaned capture", async () => {
+	const read = deferred<Response>();
+	const f = await fixture("pl", read.promise);
+	await f.mount();
+	await act(async () => { f.dictation.toggle(); });
+	await f.unmount();
+	await act(async () => { read.resolve(Response.json({ settings: f.state.record })); });
+	assert.equal(f.state.captures, 0);
+	assert.equal(Socket.all.length, 0);
+	assert.equal(isDictationActive(), false);
+});
+
+test("unmount during recording stops resources and discards the departing page's buffered text", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	await f.mount();
+	await act(async () => { f.dictation.toggle(); });
+	const socket = Socket.all[0]!;
+	await act(async () => { socket.open(); socket.final("do not append into another page"); });
+	await f.unmount();
+	assert.equal(f.state.stops, 1);
+	assert.equal(socket.readyState, 3);
+	assert.equal(isDictationActive(), false);
+	assert.deepEqual(f.state.appends, []);
+	await act(async () => { socket.final("late event"); socket.end(1006); });
+	assert.equal(Socket.all.length, 1);
+	assert.deepEqual(f.state.appends, []);
+});
+
+test("microphone permission resolving after unmount immediately stops the late stream", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	await f.mount();
+	const mic = deferred<{ getTracks: () => { stop: () => void }[] }>();
+	f.state.nextMic = mic.promise;
+	await act(async () => { f.dictation.toggle(); });
+	assert.equal(f.state.captures, 1);
+	await f.unmount();
+	await act(async () => { mic.resolve({ getTracks: () => [{ stop() { f.state.stops++; } }] }); });
+	assert.equal(f.state.stops, 1);
+	assert.equal(Socket.all.length, 0);
+	assert.equal(isDictationActive(), false);
+});
diff --git a/tests/dictation-language.test.ts b/tests/dictation-language.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cb4b910
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/dictation-language.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { mkdtempSync, rmSync } from "node:fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { after, describe, it } from "node:test";
+import { DICTATION_LANGUAGES, deepgramListenUrl, isDictationLanguage } from "../src/core/dictation.ts";
+import { sanitizeUserSettings } from "../src/core/settings.ts";
+import { resolveSettings } from "../src/core/settings-resolution.ts";
+import { parseDictationSettingsBody } from "../src/server/settings-body.ts";
+
+describe("Nova-3 dictation language contract", () => {
+	it("offers monolingual languages/locales and a distinct multilingual mode", () => {
+		assert.equal(DICTATION_LANGUAGES[0]?.code, "multi");
+		assert.equal(new Set(DICTATION_LANGUAGES.map((item) => item.code)).size, DICTATION_LANGUAGES.length);
+		for (const code of ["en", "fr", "ru", "sv", "pl", "en-GB", "pt-BR", "zh-Hant", "ar-EG", "multi"]) {
+			assert.ok(isDictationLanguage(code), code);
+		}
+		// Xhosa and Zulu are documented for multi, not monolingual Nova-3.
+		for (const code of ["xh", "zu", "en-CA", "auto", "xx", "pl&model=other", null, 3]) {
+			assert.equal(isDictationLanguage(code), false, String(code));
+		}
+		const labels = DICTATION_LANGUAGES.slice(1).map((item) => item.label);
+		assert.deepEqual(labels, [...labels].sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b, "en")));
+	});
+
+	it("only language varies in the streaming URL; all tuned parameters survive", () => {
+		for (const { code: language } of DICTATION_LANGUAGES) {
+			const url = new URL(deepgramListenUrl(language));
+			assert.equal(url.origin + url.pathname, "wss://api.deepgram.com/v1/listen");
+			assert.deepEqual(Object.fromEntries(url.searchParams), {
+				model: "nova-3", encoding: "linear16", sample_rate: "16000", channels: "1",
+				smart_format: "true", punctuate: "true", endpointing: "300", language,
+			});
+		}
+	});
+
+	it("old records default to English and explicit preferences resolve without a migration", () => {
+		assert.equal(resolveSettings(null).dictation.language, "en");
+		assert.equal(resolveSettings({ version: 1 }).dictation.language, "en");
+		for (const language of ["pl", "multi", "en-GB"] as const) {
+			const record = sanitizeUserSettings({ version: 1, dictation: { language } });
+			assert.equal(record?.version, 1);
+			assert.equal(resolveSettings(record).dictation.language, language);
+		}
+	});
+
+	it("rejects invalid API values and drops invalid stored preferences", () => {
+		assert.deepEqual(parseDictationSettingsBody({}), { ok: true, settings: {} });
+		assert.deepEqual(parseDictationSettingsBody({ language: "multi" }), { ok: true, settings: { language: "multi" } });
+		for (const value of [null, [], "pl", { language: "xx" }, { language: null }, { language: 3 }]) {
+			assert.equal(parseDictationSettingsBody(value).ok, false);
+		}
+		for (const dictation of [null, [], "pl", { language: "xx" }, { language: 3 }]) {
+			const record = sanitizeUserSettings({ version: 1, dictation, general: { autoUpdate: false } });
+			assert.equal(resolveSettings(record).dictation.language, "en");
+			assert.equal(record?.general?.autoUpdate, false);
+		}
+	});
+});
+
+const testData = mkdtempSync(path.join(tmpdir(), "lh-dictation-settings-"));
+process.env.LH_DATA_DIR = testData;
+after(() => { rmSync(testData, { recursive: true, force: true }); });
+const { readSettings, writeSettings } = await import("../src/store/settings.ts");
+
+it("the section route persists language independently and rejects unsupported values without writing", async () => {
+	const { PUT } = await import("../app/api/settings/[section]/route.ts");
+	writeSettings({ version: 1, general: { autoUpdate: false } });
+	const put = (language: string) => PUT(new Request("http://localhost/api/settings/dictation", {
+		method: "PUT", headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" }, body: JSON.stringify({ language }),
+	}), { params: Promise.resolve({ section: "dictation" }) });
+	assert.equal((await put("pl")).status, 200);
+	const saved = { version: 1, dictation: { language: "pl" }, general: { autoUpdate: false } };
+	assert.deepEqual(readSettings(), saved);
+	assert.equal((await put("unsupported")).status, 400);
+	assert.deepEqual(readSettings(), saved);
+	const general = await PUT(new Request("http://localhost/api/settings/general", {
+		method: "PUT", headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" }, body: JSON.stringify({ autoUpdate: true }),
+	}), { params: Promise.resolve({ section: "general" }) });
+	assert.equal(general.status, 200);
+	assert.deepEqual(readSettings(), { ...saved, general: { autoUpdate: true } }, "auto-update cannot erase dictation language");
+});
diff --git a/tests/dictation-picker.test.tsx b/tests/dictation-picker.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..97cb1d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/dictation-picker.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,300 @@
+import React, { act } from "react";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { afterEach, test } from "node:test";
+import { parseHTML } from "linkedom";
+import { setDictationActive } from "../components/dictation-state.ts";
+import { notifySettingsSaved } from "../components/settings-signal.ts";
+import { AUTH_KEYS, DICTATION_LANGUAGES, type AuthKeyStatus, type ModelCatalogEntry, type UserSettings } from "../src/core/index.ts";
+import { ModelMenuList } from "../components/settings/model-menu.tsx";
+
+let dispose: (() => Promise<void>) | undefined;
+let restore: (() => void) | undefined;
+const byTest = (id: string) => document.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>(`[data-testid="${id}"]`)!;
+const trigger = () => byTest("dictation-language");
+const input = () => document.querySelector<HTMLInputElement>('input[aria-label="Search dictation languages"]')!;
+const menu = () => document.querySelector('[data-testid="dictation-language-menu"]');
+const click = async (element: HTMLElement) => { assert(element); await act(async () => { element.click(); }); };
+async function key(element: HTMLElement, value: string) {
+	await act(async () => {
+		const event = new window.Event("keydown", { bubbles: true, cancelable: true });
+		Object.assign(event, { key: value });
+		element.dispatchEvent(event);
+	});
+}
+async function search(value: string, element = input()) {
+	await act(async () => {
+		Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(window.HTMLInputElement.prototype, "value")!.set!.call(element, value);
+		element.dispatchEvent(new window.Event("input", { bubbles: true }));
+	});
+}
+
+async function fixture(failRead = false) {
+	const { window: win, document: doc } = parseHTML("<html><body><div id='root'></div></body></html>");
+	let active: Element = doc.body;
+	Object.defineProperty(doc, "activeElement", { get: () => active });
+	Object.assign(doc, { oninput: null });
+	Object.assign(win, { innerWidth: 1280, innerHeight: 900 });
+	win.HTMLElement.prototype.focus = function () { active = this; };
+	win.HTMLElement.prototype.scrollIntoView = () => {};
+	win.HTMLElement.prototype.getBoundingClientRect = () => ({ top: 200, bottom: 230, left: 400, right: 500, width: 100, height: 30, x: 400, y: 200, toJSON() {} });
+	const state = {
+		record: { version: 1, dictation: { language: "en" } } as UserSettings,
+		writes: [] as string[], failWrite: false, outerEscapes: 0,
+		failRead,
+		keys: [] as AuthKeyStatus[],
+		nextWrite: undefined as Promise<Response> | undefined,
+	};
+	const previous = new Map<string, PropertyDescriptor | undefined>();
+	for (const [name, value] of Object.entries({
+		React, window: win, document: doc, Element: win.Element, HTMLElement: win.HTMLElement,
+		HTMLInputElement: win.HTMLInputElement, HTMLTextAreaElement: win.HTMLTextAreaElement,
+		Event: win.Event, CustomEvent: win.CustomEvent, IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT: true,
+		ResizeObserver: class { observe() {} unobserve() {} disconnect() {} },
+		requestAnimationFrame: (callback: FrameRequestCallback) => setTimeout(() => callback(0), 0),
+		cancelAnimationFrame: clearTimeout,
+		fetch: async (url: string, init?: RequestInit) => {
+			if (url === "/api/keys") return Response.json({ keys: state.keys, providers: [] });
+			if (url === "/api/settings") return state.failRead ? Response.json({}, { status: 500 }) : Response.json({ settings: state.record });
+			assert.equal(url, "/api/settings/dictation");
+			const body = JSON.parse(init!.body as string);
+			state.writes.push(body.language);
+			if (state.nextWrite) { const next = state.nextWrite; state.nextWrite = undefined; return next; }
+			if (state.failWrite) return Response.json({}, { status: 500 });
+			state.record = { ...state.record, dictation: body };
+			return Response.json({ settings: state.record });
+		},
+	})) {
+		previous.set(name, Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(globalThis, name));
+		Object.defineProperty(globalThis, name, { configurable: true, writable: true, value });
+	}
+	restore = () => {
+		for (const [name, descriptor] of previous) {
+			if (descriptor) Object.defineProperty(globalThis, name, descriptor);
+			else delete (globalThis as Record<string, unknown>)[name];
+		}
+	};
+	// Register the outer dialog listener first: one Escape must close only
+	// the language menu, even when the settings dialog owns another listener.
+	doc.addEventListener("keydown", (event) => { if ((event as KeyboardEvent).key === "Escape") state.outerEscapes++; });
+	const { createRoot } = await import("react-dom/client");
+	const { DictationLanguageSetting } = await import("../components/dictation-language.tsx");
+	let root = createRoot(doc.getElementById("root")!);
+	const mount = async () => { await act(async () => { root.render(<DictationLanguageSetting />); }); };
+	dispose = async () => { await act(async () => { setDictationActive(false); root.unmount(); }); };
+	await mount();
+	// Fixtures represent distinct server records; remounts within a fixture
+	// deliberately keep the window-lifetime confirmed preference.
+	await act(async () => { notifySettingsSaved("dictation"); });
+	return {
+		state,
+		render: async (element: React.ReactNode) => { await act(async () => { root.render(element); }); },
+		remount: async () => { await dispose!(); root = createRoot(doc.getElementById("root")!); await mount(); },
+	};
+}
+
+afterEach(async () => { await dispose?.(); restore?.(); dispose = undefined; restore = undefined; });
+
+test("an initial load failure is visible and opening the menu again can retry", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture(true);
+	await click(trigger());
+	assert.match(menu()!.querySelector('[role="alert"]')!.textContent!, /Could not load/);
+	f.state.failRead = false;
+	await click(trigger());
+	await click(trigger());
+	assert.equal(menu()!.querySelector('[role="alert"]'), null);
+	await search("Polish");
+	await key(input(), "Enter");
+	assert.match(trigger().textContent!, /Polish/);
+});
+
+test("the real picker searches by language, chooses with Arrow/Enter, and restores focus", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	assert.match(trigger().textContent!, /English/);
+	for (const token of ["h-7", "rounded-sm", "border-border", "bg-background", "font-ui", "text-xs"]) {
+		assert.ok(trigger().className.split(" ").includes(token), `shared settings trigger: ${token}`);
+	}
+	await click(trigger());
+	assert.match(input().className, /lh-input/);
+	assert.equal(document.activeElement, input());
+	assert.equal(document.querySelector('[data-testid="dictation-language-list"] button')!.textContent, "Multilingual");
+	await search("Polish");
+	assert.equal(document.querySelectorAll('[data-testid="dictation-language-list"] button').length, 1);
+	await key(input(), "ArrowDown");
+	await key(input(), "Enter");
+	assert.deepEqual(f.state.writes, ["pl"]);
+	assert.match(trigger().textContent!, /Polish/);
+	assert.equal(menu(), null);
+	assert.equal(document.activeElement, trigger());
+	await f.remount();
+	assert.match(trigger().textContent!, /Polish/);
+});
+
+test("Enter on a focused option preserves native button activation", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	await click(trigger());
+	const option = byTest("dictation-language-multi");
+	option.focus();
+	let prevented = false;
+	await act(async () => {
+		const event = new window.Event("keydown", { bubbles: true, cancelable: true });
+		Object.assign(event, { key: "Enter" });
+		option.dispatchEvent(event);
+		prevented = event.defaultPrevented;
+		// linkedom does not implement native keyboard activation. Follow the
+		// browser's default action only if the handler left it uncancelled.
+		if (!prevented) option.click();
+	});
+	assert.equal(prevented, false, "focused option Enter must retain its native click");
+	assert.deepEqual(f.state.writes, ["multi"]);
+	assert.equal(menu(), null);
+	assert.match(trigger().textContent!, /Multilingual/);
+});
+
+test("empty results cannot save; Escape and outside click close the menu without closing settings", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	await click(trigger());
+	await search("zzzz-no-language");
+	assert.match(menu()!.textContent!, /No languages match/);
+	await key(input(), "Enter");
+	assert.deepEqual(f.state.writes, []);
+	await key(input(), "Escape");
+	assert.equal(menu(), null);
+	assert.equal(f.state.outerEscapes, 0);
+	await click(trigger());
+	await key(trigger(), "Escape");
+	assert.equal(menu(), null);
+	assert.equal(f.state.outerEscapes, 0);
+	await click(trigger());
+	await act(async () => { document.body.dispatchEvent(new window.Event("pointerdown", { bubbles: true })); });
+	assert.equal(menu(), null);
+});
+
+test("failed saves retain the confirmed choice and the same menu can retry", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	f.state.failWrite = true;
+	await click(trigger());
+	await search("Polish");
+	await key(input(), "Enter");
+	assert.match(trigger().textContent!, /English/);
+	assert.match(menu()!.querySelector('[role="alert"]')!.textContent!, /Could not save/);
+	f.state.failWrite = false;
+	await click(byTest("dictation-language-pl"));
+	assert.equal(menu(), null);
+	assert.match(trigger().textContent!, /Polish/);
+	assert.deepEqual(f.state.writes, ["pl", "pl"]);
+});
+
+test("a remounted picker stays disabled throughout an outstanding save", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	let complete!: (response: Response) => void;
+	f.state.nextWrite = new Promise((resolve) => { complete = resolve; });
+	await click(trigger());
+	await click(byTest("dictation-language-multi"));
+	assert.equal(trigger().disabled, true);
+	await f.remount();
+	assert.equal(trigger().disabled, true);
+	await click(trigger());
+	assert.equal(menu(), null);
+	f.state.record.dictation = { language: "multi" };
+	await act(async () => { complete(Response.json({ settings: f.state.record })); });
+	assert.equal(trigger().disabled, false);
+	assert.match(trigger().textContent!, /Multilingual/);
+	assert.deepEqual(f.state.writes, ["multi"]);
+});
+
+test("capture locks the row and dismisses an open language menu until capture ends", async () => {
+	await fixture();
+	await click(trigger());
+	await act(async () => { setDictationActive(true); });
+	assert.equal(trigger().disabled, true);
+	assert.match(byTest("row-dictation-language").className, /opacity-40/);
+	assert.equal(menu(), null);
+	await act(async () => { setDictationActive(false); });
+	assert.equal(trigger().disabled, false);
+	await click(trigger());
+	assert(menu());
+});
+
+for (const source of ["none", "file", "env"] as const) test(`Language is below the full key row for ${source}-owned keys, including editing`, async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	f.state.keys = [{
+		id: "DEEPGRAM_API_KEY", info: AUTH_KEYS.find((key) => key.id === "DEEPGRAM_API_KEY")!,
+		present: source !== "none", masked: source === "none" ? null : "…test (32 chars)",
+		source, shadowedByEnv: false,
+	}];
+	const { KeysSection } = await import("../components/settings/keys-section.tsx");
+	await f.render(<KeysSection />);
+	const group = byTest("group-dictation");
+	const rows = group.lastElementChild!.children;
+	assert.equal(rows[0]!.getAttribute("data-testid"), "key-deepgram_api_key");
+	assert.equal(rows[1]!.getAttribute("data-testid"), "row-dictation-language");
+	assert.equal(rows[2]!.getAttribute("data-testid"), "dictation-setup-hint");
+	assert.equal(byTest("dictation-setup-hint").textContent, "Create a Deepgram API key with the Member role or higher, then add it above.");
+	assert.match(byTest("dictation-setup-hint").className, /text-muted-foreground/);
+	assert.equal(byTest("dictation-setup-hint").querySelector("a")!.href, "https://console.deepgram.com/");
+	assert.equal(byTest("dictation-setup-hint").querySelector("a")!.textContent, "Deepgram API key");
+	assert.equal(byTest("dictation-setup-hint").querySelectorAll("a").length, 1);
+	assert.match(rows[1]!.querySelector(".font-prose")!.className, /text-\(length:--lh-prose-size\)/);
+	assert.equal(trigger().disabled, false, "language is independent of key ownership");
+	await click(byTest("key-deepgram_api_key-row"));
+	if (source !== "env") assert.ok(byTest("key-deepgram_api_key-editor"));
+	assert.ok(byTest("dictation-setup-hint"), "guidance remains visible while the key is edited");
+	await click(trigger());
+	assert(menu());
+	await key(input(), "Escape");
+	assert.equal(menu(), null);
+	assert.equal(f.state.outerEscapes, 0);
+	if (source !== "env") assert.ok(byTest("key-deepgram_api_key-editor"), "first Escape closes only the menu");
+});
+
+test("the shared model menu preserves ranking, provider identity, keyboard clamping, and row content", async () => {
+	const f = await fixture();
+	const model = (id: string, provider: string): ModelCatalogEntry => ({
+		id, provider, name: `Model ${id}`, contextWindow: 32000, maxTokens: 4096,
+		cost: { input: 1, output: 2, cacheRead: 0, cacheWrite: 0 },
+		input: ["text"], reasoning: false, supportedLevels: [],
+	});
+	const models = [model("beta", "p1"), model("alpha", "p1"), model("alpha", "p2")];
+	const picked: ModelCatalogEntry[] = [];
+	await f.render(<ModelMenuList models={models} effectiveId="alpha" effectiveProvider="p2" onPick={(m) => picked.push(m)} footer="Model footer" />);
+	const modelInput = document.querySelector<HTMLInputElement>('[data-testid="model-search"]')!;
+	const options = () => [...document.querySelectorAll<HTMLButtonElement>('[data-testid="model-list"] button')];
+	assert.equal(document.activeElement, modelInput);
+	assert.match(options()[0]!.textContent!, /p1 · alpha/);
+	assert.match(options()[1]!.textContent!, /p2 · alpha/);
+	assert.ok(!options()[0]!.className.includes("bg-muted/60"));
+	assert.ok(options()[1]!.className.includes("bg-muted/60"));
+	assert.match(options()[0]!.textContent!, /\$1\.00\/\$2\.00/);
+	assert.match(options()[0]!.textContent!, /32k/);
+	assert.match(document.body.textContent!, /Model footer/);
+	await key(modelInput, "Enter");
+	assert.equal(picked[0], models[1], "Enter without walking selects the first ranked result");
+	await key(modelInput, "ArrowUp");
+	await key(modelInput, "Enter");
+	assert.equal(picked[1], models[0], "ArrowUp enters at the last result");
+	await key(modelInput, "ArrowDown");
+	await key(modelInput, "ArrowDown");
+	await key(modelInput, "Enter");
+	assert.equal(picked[2], models[0], "ArrowDown clamps at the last result");
+	await search("p2", modelInput);
+	assert.equal(options().length, 1);
+	await key(modelInput, "Enter");
+	assert.equal(picked[3], models[2], "search resets the walked index and includes provider identity");
+	await search("no-model-matches", modelInput);
+	await key(modelInput, "Enter");
+	assert.equal(picked.length, 4);
+	assert.match(document.body.textContent!, /No models match/);
+});
+
+test("clearing each search restores the complete catalog order with Multilingual first", async () => {
+	await fixture();
+	await click(trigger());
+	const order = () => [...document.querySelectorAll('[data-testid="dictation-language-list"] button')].map((item) => item.getAttribute("data-testid")!.replace("dictation-language-", ""));
+	const expected = DICTATION_LANGUAGES.map((item) => item.code);
+	assert.deepEqual(order(), expected);
+	for (const query of ["en", "multi", "Polish", "zzzzz"]) {
+		await search(query);
+		await search("");
+		assert.deepEqual(order(), expected, `catalog order after clearing ${query}`);
+	}
+});
diff --git a/tests/dictation-preference.test.ts b/tests/dictation-preference.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..233c276
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/dictation-preference.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { test } from "node:test";
+import { createDictationLanguageStore } from "../components/dictation-preference.ts";
+
+test("all readers immediately receive the confirmed write without another GET", async () => {
+	let reads = 0;
+	let notifications = 0;
+	let failReads = false;
+	const store = createDictationLanguageStore(async (_url, init) => {
+		if (init?.method === "PUT") return Response.json({ settings: { version: 1, dictation: JSON.parse(init.body as string) } });
+		reads++;
+		return failReads ? Response.json({}, { status: 500 }) : Response.json({ settings: null });
+	}, () => { notifications++; });
+	assert.equal(await store.load(), "en");
+	const observed: string[] = [];
+	const off = store.subscribe(() => { observed.push(`${store.getSnapshot().language}:${store.getSnapshot().saving}`); });
+	failReads = true;
+	assert.equal(await store.save("multi"), true);
+	assert.equal(await store.getLanguage(), "multi");
+	assert.equal(reads, 1);
+	assert.equal(notifications, 1);
+	assert(observed.includes("multi:true"));
+	assert.equal(observed.at(-1), "multi:false");
+	off();
+});
+
+test("ordinary loads and repeated recordings reuse the initial confirmed value", async () => {
+	let reads = 0;
+	const store = createDictationLanguageStore(async () => {
+		reads++;
+		if (reads > 1) throw new Error("should not reread");
+		return Response.json({ settings: { version: 1, dictation: { language: "fr" } } });
+	});
+	assert.deepEqual(await Promise.all([store.getLanguage(), store.load()]), ["fr", "fr"]);
+	for (let i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
+		const unsubscribe = store.subscribe(() => {});
+		assert.equal(await store.getLanguage(), "fr");
+		assert.equal(await store.load(), "fr");
+		unsubscribe();
+	}
+	assert.equal(reads, 1);
+});
+
+test("a failed external refresh invalidates the cache until a successful retry", async () => {
+	let fail = false;
+	const store = createDictationLanguageStore(async () => fail
+		? Response.json({}, { status: 500 })
+		: Response.json({ settings: { version: 1, dictation: { language: "pl" } } }));
+	await store.load();
+	fail = true;
+	await assert.rejects(store.load(true), /Could not load/);
+	await assert.rejects(store.getLanguage(), /Could not load/);
+	fail = false;
+	assert.equal(await store.getLanguage(), "pl");
+	assert.equal(store.getSnapshot().error, null);
+});
+
+test("stale reads cannot overwrite a newer write and subscribers see busy before transport runs", async () => {
+	let stale!: (response: Response) => void;
+	let nextRead: Promise<Response> | undefined;
+	const store = createDictationLanguageStore(async (_url, init) => {
+		if (init?.method === "PUT") return Response.json({ settings: { version: 1, dictation: { language: "multi" } } });
+		if (nextRead) { const response = nextRead; nextRead = undefined; return response; }
+		return Response.json({ settings: { version: 1, dictation: { language: "pl" } } });
+	});
+	await store.load();
+	nextRead = new Promise((resolve) => { stale = resolve; });
+	const oldRead = store.load(true);
+	await Promise.resolve();
+	let startedDuringPublish: Promise<string> | undefined;
+	const off = store.subscribe(() => {
+		if (store.getSnapshot().saving && !startedDuringPublish) startedDuringPublish = store.getLanguage();
+	});
+	assert.equal(await store.save("multi"), true);
+	stale(Response.json({ settings: { version: 1, dictation: { language: "pl" } } }));
+	assert.equal(await oldRead, "multi");
+	assert.equal(await startedDuringPublish, "multi");
+	assert.equal(store.getSnapshot().language, "multi");
+	off();
+});
+
+for (const newestFirst of [false, true]) test(`overlapping reads keep the newest value, newest resolves first: ${newestFirst}`, async () => {
+	const responses: ((response: Response) => void)[] = [];
+	const store = createDictationLanguageStore(() => new Promise((resolve) => { responses.push(resolve); }));
+	const first = store.load();
+	await Promise.resolve();
+	const second = store.load(true);
+	await Promise.resolve();
+	const old = Response.json({ settings: { version: 1, dictation: { language: "pl" } } });
+	const fresh = Response.json({ settings: { version: 1, dictation: { language: "multi" } } });
+	if (newestFirst) { responses[1]!(fresh); responses[0]!(old); }
+	else { responses[0]!(old); responses[1]!(fresh); }
+	assert.deepEqual(await Promise.all([first, second]), ["multi", "multi"]);
+	assert.equal(await store.getLanguage(), "multi");
+});
+
+test("capture also waits for a write initiated as a pending read publishes its result", async () => {
+	const store = createDictationLanguageStore(async (_url, init) => Response.json({ settings: {
+		version: 1, dictation: { language: init?.method === "PUT" ? "multi" : "en" },
+	} }));
+	let started = false;
+	const off = store.subscribe(() => {
+		if (!started && store.getSnapshot().language === "en") {
+			started = true;
+			void store.save("multi");
+		}
+	});
+	assert.equal(await store.getLanguage(), "multi");
+	off();
+});
diff --git a/tests/render-settings.test.tsx b/tests/render-settings.test.tsx
index 6c21490..370bb12 100644
--- a/tests/render-settings.test.tsx
+++ b/tests/render-settings.test.tsx
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ import { KeyboardSection } from "../components/settings/keyboard-section.tsx";
 import type { GraphSettings } from "../src/core/index.ts";
 import { SettingsDialogBody, SettingsDialogProvider } from "../components/settings/settings-dialog.tsx";
 import { KEYBOARD_ACTIONS } from "../src/core/index.ts";
+import { DictationLanguageSetting } from "../components/dictation-language.tsx";
+import { SettingsMenuTrigger } from "../components/settings/controls.tsx";
+import { SubscriptionConnections } from "../components/settings/subscription-connections.tsx";
 
 /** The full opening tag of the element carrying a testid — attribute
  *  order in React output is not contractual, so assertions run on the
@@ -60,6 +63,52 @@ describe("SettingsDialog (the designed surface, SSR)", () => {
 	});
 });
 
+describe("the shared settings dropdown trigger", () => {
+	it("Agent, Appearance and dictation use the same compact dark mono trigger", () => {
+		const surfaces = [
+			[renderToStaticMarkup(<AgentSection agent={undefined} models={undefined} graph={undefined} onSectionChange={() => {}} onModelsChange={() => {}} />), "slot-model-strong"],
+			[renderToStaticMarkup(<AppearanceSection appearance={undefined} onSectionChange={() => {}} />), "font-trigger"],
+			[renderToStaticMarkup(<DictationLanguageSetting />), "dictation-language"],
+		] as const;
+		for (const [html, id] of surfaces) {
+			const tag = tagOf(html, id);
+			const classes = tag.match(/class="([^"]+)"/)![1]!.split(" ");
+			for (const token of ["h-7", "rounded-sm", "border", "border-border", "bg-background", "px-1.5", "font-ui", "text-xs", "hover:border-muted-foreground/50"]) {
+				assert.ok(classes.includes(token), `${id}: ${token}`);
+			}
+			assert.ok(html.includes("▾"), `${id}: shared dropdown indicator`);
+		}
+	});
+
+	it("preserves native disabling separately from callers' existing click-gated unavailable state", () => {
+		const disabled = tagOf(renderToStaticMarkup(<SettingsMenuTrigger value="English" disabled data-testid="disabled-trigger" />), "disabled-trigger");
+		const unavailable = tagOf(renderToStaticMarkup(<SettingsMenuTrigger value="Automatic" unavailable data-testid="unavailable-trigger" />), "unavailable-trigger");
+		assert.ok(disabled.includes('disabled=""'));
+		assert.ok(!unavailable.includes('disabled=""'));
+		assert.ok(unavailable.includes("cursor-not-allowed"));
+		assert.ok(!unavailable.includes("hover:border-muted-foreground/50"));
+	});
+});
+
+describe("Providers settings-label typography", () => {
+	it("Language uses the standard sans SettingsRow label without changing its mono trigger", () => {
+		const html = renderToStaticMarkup(<DictationLanguageSetting />);
+		assert.ok(html.includes('<span class="block font-prose text-(length:--lh-prose-size)">Language</span>'));
+		assert.ok(tagOf(html, "dictation-language").includes("font-ui text-xs"));
+	});
+
+	it("only Providers subscription labels use sans; setup labels retain their compact mono styling", () => {
+		const settings = renderToStaticMarkup(<SubscriptionConnections />);
+		const setup = renderToStaticMarkup(<SubscriptionConnections setup />);
+		for (const label of ["ChatGPT", "GitHub Copilot", "Grok"]) {
+			assert.ok(settings.includes(`<span class="font-prose text-(length:--lh-prose-size) text-foreground">${label}</span>`), `${label}: settings sans label`);
+			assert.ok(setup.includes(`<span class="font-ui text-xs text-foreground">${label}</span>`), `${label}: unchanged setup label`);
+		}
+		assert.equal((settings.match(/>Connect<\/button>/g) ?? []).length, 3);
+		assert.equal((setup.match(/>Connect<\/button>/g) ?? []).length, 3);
+	});
+});
+
 describe("AgentSection (thin SSR)", () => {
 	it("renders the three model SLOT rows (slots-only, fix wave: unpicked reads —, no Default option)", () => {
 		const html = renderToStaticMarkup(<AgentSection agent={undefined} models={undefined} graph={undefined} onSectionChange={() => {}} onModelsChange={() => {}} />);
diff --git a/tests/settings-body.test.ts b/tests/settings-body.test.ts
index e543d45..16c0ac9 100644
--- a/tests/settings-body.test.ts
+++ b/tests/settings-body.test.ts
@@ -234,12 +234,12 @@ describe("parseCompactionSettingsBody (owner round 14)", () => {
 });
 
 describe("SETTINGS_SECTIONS (the route's section map)", () => {
-	it("maps exactly the seven record sections", () => {
+	it("maps exactly the eight record sections", () => {
 		// compaction joined (owner round 14): its own section PUT — the
 		// threshold is engine behavior, not an agent-section key.
 		assert.deepEqual(
 			Object.keys(SETTINGS_SECTIONS),
-			["general", "chat", "agent", "appearance", "graph", "compaction", "models"],
+			["general", "chat", "agent", "appearance", "graph", "compaction", "models", "dictation"],
 		);
 	});
 });