diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/AppRepository.java b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/AppRepository.java
index 81f8637..2d65ce5 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/AppRepository.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/AppRepository.java
@@ -46,12 +46,14 @@
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
 import java.util.concurrent.LinkedBlockingQueue;
 import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledExecutorService;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
+import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 
 /**
  * Abstracted application repository as promoted by the Architecture Guide.
@@ -66,8 +68,10 @@ public class AppRepository {
     private final NormDictEntryDao mNormDictDao;
     private LiveData<AppData> mAppData;
     private LiveData<List<com.grammatek.simaromur.db.Voice>> mAllVoices;
+    private LiveData<List<com.grammatek.simaromur.db.NormDictEntry>> mAllUserDictEntries;
     private AppData mCachedAppData;
     private List<com.grammatek.simaromur.db.Voice> mAllCachedVoices;
+    private HashMap<NormDictEntry, Pattern> mAllCachedUserDictEntries;
     private final VoiceController mNetworkVoiceController;
     private final SpeakController mNetworkSpeakController;
     private final ApiDbUtil mApiDbUtil;
@@ -232,6 +236,9 @@ public AppRepository(Application application) throws IOException {
         });
         mAllVoices = mVoiceDao.getAllVoices();
         mAllVoices.observeForever(voices -> {
+            if (voices == null) {
+                return;
+            }
             Log.v(LOG_TAG, "mAllVoices update: " + voices);
             // Update cached voices
             if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.R) {
@@ -240,11 +247,39 @@ public AppRepository(Application application) throws IOException {
                 mAllCachedVoices = Objects.requireNonNullElse(voices, new ArrayList<>());
             }
         });
-
+        mAllUserDictEntries = mNormDictDao.getSortedEntries();
+        mAllUserDictEntries.observeForever(entries -> {
+            if (entries == null) {
+                return;
+            }
+            Log.v(LOG_TAG, "mAllUserDictEntries update: " + entries.size() + " entries");
+            mAllCachedUserDictEntries = createNormDictRegexMap(entries);
+        });
         mMediaPlayer = new MediaPlayObserver();
         mScheduler = Executors.newSingleThreadScheduledExecutor();
         // only do this once at the beginning
         mScheduler.schedule(assetVoiceRunnable, 0, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
+        Log.v(LOG_TAG, "AppRepository() done");
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Create a map of regex patterns for all normalization dictionary entries for fast
+     * lookup during normalization.
+     *
+     * @param entries   list of normalization dictionary entries
+     * @return         map of regex patterns for all normalization dictionary entries
+     */
+    private HashMap<NormDictEntry, Pattern> createNormDictRegexMap(List<NormDictEntry> entries) {
+        HashMap<NormDictEntry, Pattern> regexMap = new HashMap<>();
+        for (NormDictEntry entry : entries) {
+            // make for every NormDictEntry.term a regular expression matching on word boundaries and
+            // case insensitive. Note: we cannot use \b for the word boundary's term end,
+            // because of possible trailing punctuation
+            Pattern regex = Pattern.compile("\\b(?i)" +
+                    Pattern.quote(entry.term.strip().toLowerCase()) + "(?!\\S)");
+            regexMap.put(entry, regex);
+        }
+        return regexMap;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -345,24 +380,17 @@ public LiveData<List<com.grammatek.simaromur.db.Voice>> getAllVoices() {
      *
      * @return List of all current normalization dictionary entries as LiveData
      */
-    public LiveData<List<NormDictEntry>> getNormDictEntries() {
-        return mNormDictDao.getSortedEntries();
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Get a LiveData list of all current normalization dictionary entries.
-     *
-     * @return List of all current normalization dictionary entries as LiveData
-     */
-    public List<NormDictEntry> getNormDictEntriesDirect() {
-        return mNormDictDao.getEntries();
+    public LiveData<List<NormDictEntry>> getUserDictEntries() {
+        Log.v(LOG_TAG, "getUserDictEntries");
+        return mAllUserDictEntries;
     }
 
     /**
      * Creates or updates the given entry inside the Db.
      */
-    public void createOrUpdateNormDictEntry(NormDictEntry entry) {
+    public void createOrUpdateUserDictEntry(NormDictEntry entry) {
         mNormDictDao.insert(entry);
+        mUtteranceCacheManager.clearCache();
     }
 
 
@@ -370,8 +398,21 @@ public void createOrUpdateNormDictEntry(NormDictEntry entry) {
      * Deletes the given entry from the Db.
      * @param mEntry  the entry to be deleted
      */
-    public void deleteNormDictEntry(NormDictEntry mEntry) {
+    public void deleteUserDictEntry(NormDictEntry mEntry) {
         mNormDictDao.delete(mEntry);
+        mUtteranceCacheManager.clearCache();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns map of all observed/cached user normalization dictionary entries and the corresponding
+     * compiled term regular expression pattern. If there are any changes in the model, this map
+     * is updated automatically.
+     *
+     * @return map of all cached voices
+     */
+    public final HashMap<NormDictEntry, Pattern>  getCachedUserDictEntries() {
+        Log.v(LOG_TAG, "getCachedUserDictEntries");
+        return mAllCachedUserDictEntries;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1160,5 +1201,4 @@ protected Void doInBackground(Void... voids) {
             return null;
         }
     }
-
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/NormDictViewModel.java b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/NormDictViewModel.java
index 8e1dc69..14aba03 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/NormDictViewModel.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/NormDictViewModel.java
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public NormDictViewModel(Application application) {
     // Return all entries
     public LiveData<List<NormDictEntry>> getEntries() {
         if (mAllEntries == null) {
-            mAllEntries = mRepository.getNormDictEntries();
+            mAllEntries = mRepository.getUserDictEntries();
         }
         return mAllEntries;
     }
@@ -82,11 +82,11 @@ public void stopSpeaking(Voice voice) {
 
     public void createOrUpdate(NormDictEntry mEntry) {
         Log.v(LOG_TAG, "update: " + mEntry.term + " -> " + mEntry.replacement);
-        mRepository.createOrUpdateNormDictEntry(mEntry);
+        mRepository.createOrUpdateUserDictEntry(mEntry);
     }
 
     public void delete(NormDictEntry mEntry) {
         Log.v(LOG_TAG, "delete: " + mEntry.term + " -> " + mEntry.replacement);
-        mRepository.deleteNormDictEntry(mEntry);
+        mRepository.deleteUserDictEntry(mEntry);
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/Simaromur.java b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/Simaromur.java
index 288dfe7..bc9bef4 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/Simaromur.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/Simaromur.java
@@ -7,16 +7,20 @@
 public class Simaromur extends Activity {
 
   public Simaromur() {
+    /**
     if(BuildConfig.DEBUG)
       StrictMode.enableDefaults();
+    */
   }
 
   @Override
   public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
     super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
+    /**
     StrictMode.setVmPolicy(new StrictMode.VmPolicy.Builder(StrictMode.getVmPolicy())
             .detectLeakedClosableObjects()
             .build());
+    */
     finish();
   }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/TTSService.java b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/TTSService.java
index fba6f8e..e4e54f8 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/TTSService.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/TTSService.java
@@ -41,10 +41,11 @@ public class TTSService extends TextToSpeechService {
     @Override
     public void onCreate() {
         Log.i(LOG_TAG, "onCreate()");
-        StrictMode.setVmPolicy(new StrictMode.VmPolicy.Builder(StrictMode.getVmPolicy())
-                .detectLeakedClosableObjects()
-                .build());
-
+        /**
+            StrictMode.setVmPolicy(new StrictMode.VmPolicy.Builder(StrictMode.getVmPolicy())
+                    .detectLeakedClosableObjects()
+                    .build());
+        */
         mRepository = App.getAppRepository();
         // This calls onIsLanguageAvailable() and must run after Initialization
         super.onCreate();
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/VoiceViewModel.java b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/VoiceViewModel.java
index abc7700..87b2624 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/VoiceViewModel.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/VoiceViewModel.java
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ public class VoiceViewModel extends AndroidViewModel {
 
     // these variables are for data caching
     private AppData mAppData;                       // application data
-    private LiveData<List<Voice>> mAllVoices;       // our current voices model
 
     public VoiceViewModel(Application application) {
         super(application);
@@ -43,18 +42,13 @@ public AppData getAppData() {
 
     // Return all voices
     public LiveData<List<Voice>> getAllVoices() {
-        if (mAllVoices == null) {
-            mAllVoices = mRepository.getAllVoices();
-        }
-        return mAllVoices;
+        return mRepository.getAllVoices();
     }
 
     // Return specific voice
     public Voice getVoiceWithId(long voiceId) {
-        if (mAllVoices == null) {
-            return null;
-        }
-        for(Voice voice: Objects.requireNonNull(mAllVoices.getValue())) {
+        List<Voice> voices = getAllVoices().getValue();
+        for(Voice voice: Objects.requireNonNull(voices)) {
             if (voice.voiceId == voiceId)
                 return voice;
         }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/cache/UtteranceCacheManager.java b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/cache/UtteranceCacheManager.java
index 59b565c..de02a10 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/cache/UtteranceCacheManager.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/cache/UtteranceCacheManager.java
@@ -635,7 +635,6 @@ public static String buildVoiceKey(String voiceName, String voiceVersion) {
         assert(!voiceName.isEmpty());
         assert(!voiceVersion.isEmpty());
         final String key = voiceName + ":" + voiceVersion;
-        Log.v(LOG_TAG, "buildVoiceKey(): " + key);
         return key;
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/Abbreviations.java b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/Abbreviations.java
index 1ca3e73..59da27a 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/Abbreviations.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/Abbreviations.java
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ public Set<String> getNonEndingAbbr() {
     }
 
     private Set<String> readAbbrFromFile(int resID) {
+        // TODO: move to FileUtils
         Set<String> abbrSet = new HashSet<>();
         Resources res = context.getResources();
         String line;
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/NormalizationManager.java b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/NormalizationManager.java
index 96e5bea..ea5dfbe 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/NormalizationManager.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/NormalizationManager.java
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ public class NormalizationManager {
     private static final String POS_MODEL = "pos/is-pos-reduced-maxent.bin";
 
     private final Context mContext;
-    private final POSTaggerME mPosTagger;
+    private POSTaggerME mPosTagger;
     private final TTSUnicodeNormalizer mUnicodeNormalizer;
     private final Tokenizer mTokenizer;
     private final TTSNormalizer mTTSNormalizer;
@@ -39,11 +39,6 @@ public NormalizationManager(Context context, Map<String, PronDictEntry> pronDict
         mUnicodeNormalizer = new TTSUnicodeNormalizer(context, pronDict);
         mTokenizer = new Tokenizer(context);
         mTTSNormalizer = new TTSNormalizer();
-        mPosTagger = initPOSTagger();
-        if (mPosTagger == null) {
-            Log.e(LOG_TAG, "Failed to initialize POS tagger");
-            throw new RuntimeException("Failed to initialize POS tagger");
-        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -113,6 +108,15 @@ private String[] tagText(final String text) {
 
             return tags;
         }
+
+        if (mPosTagger == null) {
+            // this takes ~2 seconds
+            mPosTagger = initPOSTagger();
+            if (mPosTagger == null) {
+                Log.e(LOG_TAG, "Failed to initialize POS tagger");
+                throw new RuntimeException("Failed to initialize POS tagger");
+            }
+        }
         tags = mPosTagger.tag(tokens);
         if (DEBUG) {
             printProbabilities(tags, mPosTagger, tokens);
@@ -127,7 +131,6 @@ private POSTaggerME initPOSTagger() {
             InputStream iStream = mContext.getAssets().open(POS_MODEL);
             POSModel posModel = new POSModel(iStream);
             posTagger = new POSTaggerME(posModel);
-
         } catch(IOException e) {
             e.printStackTrace();
         }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/Pronunciation.java b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/Pronunciation.java
index 5bdde98..8235571 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/Pronunciation.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/Pronunciation.java
@@ -55,10 +55,13 @@ public class Pronunciation {
     }
 
     public Pronunciation(Context context) {
+        Log.v(LOG_TAG, "Pronunciation() called");
         mContext = context;
-        mPronDict = readPronDict();
-        mIpaPronDict = readIpaPronDict();
         mAlphabets = initializeAlphabets();
+        // the following members are lazily initialized:
+        // - mG2P
+        // - mPronDict
+        // - mIpaPronDict
     }
 
     public String transcribe(String text) {
@@ -133,14 +136,15 @@ private String transcribeString(String text) {
         StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
         for (String tok : tokens) {
             String transcr = "";
-            if (mPronDict.containsKey(tok)) {
-                transcr = mPronDict.get(tok).getTranscript().trim();
+            Map<String, PronDictEntry> pronDict = GetPronDict();
+            if (pronDict.containsKey(tok)) {
+                transcr = pronDict.get(tok).getTranscript().trim();
             }
             else if (tok.equals(SymbolsLvLIs.TagPause)){
                 transcr = SymbolsLvLIs.SymbolShortPause;
             }
             else {
-                transcr = mG2P.process(tok).trim();
+                transcr = GetG2p().process(tok).trim();
             }
 
             // bug in Thrax grammar, catch the error here: insert space before C if missing
@@ -182,10 +186,25 @@ private List<String> getValidAlphabets() {
         return List.copyOf(mAlphabets.keySet());
     }
 
-    public void initializeG2P() {
+    private NativeG2P initializeG2P() {
         if (mG2P == null) {
             mG2P = new NativeG2P(this.mContext);
         }
+        return mG2P;
+    }
+
+    private Map<String, PronDictEntry> initializePronDict() {
+        if (mPronDict == null) {
+            mPronDict = readPronDict();
+        }
+        return mPronDict;
+    }
+
+    private Map<String, PronDictEntry> initializeIpaPronDict() {
+        if (mIpaPronDict == null) {
+            mIpaPronDict = readIpaPronDict();
+        }
+        return mIpaPronDict;
     }
 
 
@@ -229,6 +248,7 @@ private Map<String, Map<String, Map<String, String>>> initializeAlphabets() {
     }
 
     private Map<String, PronDictEntry> readPronDict() {
+        Log.v(LOG_TAG, "readPronDict() called");
         Map<String, PronDictEntry> pronDict = new HashMap<>();
         final List<String> fileContent = FileUtils.readLinesFromResourceFile(this.mContext,
                 R.raw.ice_pron_dict_standard_clear_2201_extended);
@@ -242,6 +262,7 @@ private Map<String, PronDictEntry> readPronDict() {
     }
 
     private Map<String, PronDictEntry> readIpaPronDict() {
+        Log.v(LOG_TAG, "readIpaPronDict() called");
         Map<String, PronDictEntry> pronDict = new HashMap<>();
         final List<String> fileContent = FileUtils.readLinesFromResourceFile(this.mContext,
                 R.raw.ice_pron_dict_standard_clear_2201_extended);
@@ -255,14 +276,14 @@ private Map<String, PronDictEntry> readIpaPronDict() {
     }
 
     public NativeG2P GetG2p() {
-        return mG2P;
+        return initializeG2P();
     }
 
     public Map<String, PronDictEntry> GetPronDict() {
-        return mPronDict;
+        return initializePronDict();
     }
     public Map<String, PronDictEntry> GetIpaPronDict() {
-        return mIpaPronDict;
+        return initializeIpaPronDict();
     }
     public Map<String, Map<String, Map<String, String>>> GetAlphabets() {
         return mAlphabets;
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/PronunciationVits.java b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/PronunciationVits.java
index a3d6835..1f3e008 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/PronunciationVits.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/PronunciationVits.java
@@ -65,9 +65,6 @@ public String transcribe(String text) {
      *          relevant phonemes were found.
      */
     public String transcribe(String text, final String voiceType, final String voiceVersion) {
-        // lazy initialization of g2p
-        if (mPronounciation.GetG2p() == null)
-            mPronounciation.initializeG2P();
         mG2P = mPronounciation.GetG2p();
         assert(mG2P != null);
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/TTSNormalizer.java b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/TTSNormalizer.java
index 2646894..437aa8a 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/TTSNormalizer.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/TTSNormalizer.java
@@ -143,29 +143,28 @@ public String preNormalize(String text, boolean doIgnoreUserDict) {
 
     /**
      * Replace abbreviations and other patterns from the normalization dictionary via the
-     * NormDictEntryDao.
+     * NormDictEntry database.
      *
      * @param sentence  input sentence
      * @return         normalized sentence with search terms replaced
      */
     private String replaceFromNormDict(String sentence) {
         // replace abbreviations and other patterns from the normalization dictionary via the
-        // NormDictEntryDao
+        // NormDictEntry Db
         String normalized = sentence;
-        List<NormDictEntry> entries = App.getAppRepository().getNormDictEntriesDirect();
-
-        if (entries != null) {
-            // sort entries descending to match longer strings first. This is important for
-            // abbreviations, e.g. "Donald Trump" should be replaced before "Trump"
-            entries.sort((o1, o2) -> o2.term.length() - o1.term.length());
-            for (NormDictEntry entry : entries) {
-                // make for every entry.term a regular expression matching on word boundaries and
-                // case insensitive
-                Pattern regex = Pattern.compile("\\b(?i)" + entry.term.strip().toLowerCase() + "\\b");
-                if (regex.matcher(normalized).find()) {
-                    //Log.v(LOG_TAG, "replaceFromNormDict() - replacing: " + regex + " with: " + entry.replacement);
-                    normalized = regex.matcher(normalized).replaceAll(entry.replacement);
-                }
+        final HashMap<NormDictEntry, Pattern> entriesMap = App.getAppRepository().getCachedUserDictEntries();
+        final List<NormDictEntry> entries = new ArrayList<>(entriesMap.keySet());
+
+        // sort terms according to their size descendingly to match longer strings first.
+        // This is important for terms that are contained in other terms, e.g. "Donald Duck"
+        // should be replaced before "Duck"
+        entries.sort((o1, o2) -> o2.term.length() - o1.term.length());
+        for (NormDictEntry entry : entries) {
+            Pattern regex = entriesMap.get(entry);
+            assert regex != null;
+            if (regex.matcher(normalized).find()) {
+                //Log.v(LOG_TAG, "replaceFromNormDict() - replacing: " + regex + " with: " + entry.replacement);
+                normalized = regex.matcher(normalized).replaceAll(entry.replacement);
             }
         }
         if (!normalized.equals(sentence)) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/Tokenizer.java b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/Tokenizer.java
index ad87208..0aa1d7d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/Tokenizer.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/grammatek/simaromur/frontend/Tokenizer.java
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@ public Tokenizer(Context context) {
      * @return a list of sentences as strings
      */
     public List<String> detectSentences(String text) {
+        // TODO: if the sentence ends with an abbreviation and a dot, then the dot is
+        //       separated from the abbreviation. We should add a heuristics to check
+        //       if the abbreviation is at the end of a sentence, and if so, keep the dot where
+        //       it is. Example: ".... kl."
         List<String> sentences = new ArrayList<>();
         String[] tokensArr = text.split("\\s");
         StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();