FSI integration
The syllable is the tone-bearing unit.
Tone docks on exactly one place — the vowel of each syllable. So you cannot represent tone without first decomposing the word into its syllables, and you cannot do that without the language's Full Syllable Inventory. BantuNomics has assembled 459 of them — the first complete collection in history.
Minimal pairs
Same syllables. Different tone. Different meaning.
Each card is one written word that the FSI decomposes into the same syllable sequence for every meaning. The spelling is identical; the tone — carried in the audio, on the syllable nuclei — is what separates the meanings. Play them back to back.
akanya
2 meanings
a·ka·nya
literally, he will defecate
akanya nga fwaya ukuya kucimbushu
means he will defecate when he feels like going to the toilet
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "494ecb34-4550-4c57-a5fc-a5a94069321e",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "akanya nga fwaya ukuya kucimbushu",
"english_gloss": "He will defecate when he feels like going to the toilet.",
"switch_ms": 9955,
"duration_ms": 20650,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 9955
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 9955,
"t1_ms": 20650
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
literally, she will defecate
akanya nga fwaya ukuya kucimbushu
means she will defecate when she feels like going to the toilet
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "6daa7638-d0be-4609-9d0e-a115bc097c19",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "akanya nga fwaya ukuya kucimbushu",
"english_gloss": "She will defecate when she feels like going to the toilet.",
"switch_ms": 9954,
"duration_ms": 16970,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 9954
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 9954,
"t1_ms": 16970
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
alelanda
2 meanings
a·le·la·nda
He is speaking
Alelanda amashiwi ya Lesa ku bantu ba musumba
means he is speaking the words of god to the people of the village
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "8635baa9-0dcc-4928-baa0-bd4a17c63c8f",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "Alelanda amashiwi ya Lesa ku bantu ba musumba",
"english_gloss": "He is speaking the words of God to the people of the village.",
"switch_ms": 12361,
"duration_ms": 20170,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 12361
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 12361,
"t1_ms": 20170
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
He was speaking
Alelanda ne mfumu nga bafika ku ng'anda
means he was speaking with the chief when they arrived at the house
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "1dec57ce-eaf6-4f9c-85e4-230984aa57b4",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "Alelanda ne mfumu nga bafika ku ng'anda",
"english_gloss": "He was speaking with the chief when they arrived at the house.",
"switch_ms": 10435,
"duration_ms": 17670,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 10435
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 10435,
"t1_ms": 17670
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
ati chisanga aaliisambilila naaliipapa
2 meanings
a·ti
That Chisanga went to learn surprised me
ati chisanga aaliisambilila naaliipapa
means that chisanga went to learn surprised me
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "00a0432b-69ef-4dcb-a81e-919d5084d0bd",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "ati chisanga aaliisambilila naaliipapa",
"english_gloss": "That Chisanga went to learn surprised me",
"switch_ms": 10915,
"duration_ms": 18500,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 10915
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 10915,
"t1_ms": 18500
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
That Chisanga went to study surprised me
ati chisanga aaliisambilila naaliipapa
means that chisanga went to study surprised me
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "61d98ef6-5b3b-4d35-a40a-a722073df2da",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "ati chisanga aaliisambilila naaliipapa",
"english_gloss": "That Chisanga went to study surprised me",
"switch_ms": 10925,
"duration_ms": 17240,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 10925
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 10925,
"t1_ms": 17240
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
ati chisanga aliisambilila mailo caalimpapusha
2 meanings
a·ti
That Chisanga went to learn yesterday surprised me
ati chisanga aliisambilila mailo caalimpapusha
means that chisanga went to learn yesterday surprised me
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "a7bd0ba9-02f3-4539-b128-b7198dcad0fe",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "ati chisanga aliisambilila mailo caalimpapusha",
"english_gloss": "That Chisanga went to learn yesterday surprised me",
"switch_ms": 12357,
"duration_ms": 18820,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 12357
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 12357,
"t1_ms": 18820
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
That Chisanga went to study yesterday surprised me
ati chisanga aliisambilila mailo caalimpapusha
means that chisanga went to study yesterday surprised me
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "b000ffb5-ed03-4904-8691-4aa25aee6880",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "ati chisanga aliisambilila mailo caalimpapusha",
"english_gloss": "That Chisanga went to study yesterday surprised me",
"switch_ms": 12356,
"duration_ms": 18990,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 12356
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 12356,
"t1_ms": 18990
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
ati chisanga alisambilila mailo calimpapusha
2 meanings
a·ti
That Chisanga went to learn yesterday surprised me
ati chisanga alisambilila mailo calimpapusha
means that chisanga went to learn yesterday surprised me
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "624924d2-bd83-41e3-8e69-63ca459b31a9",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "ati chisanga alisambilila mailo calimpapusha",
"english_gloss": "That Chisanga went to learn yesterday surprised me",
"switch_ms": 12352,
"duration_ms": 19080,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 12352
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 12352,
"t1_ms": 19080
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
That Chisanga went to study yesterday surprised me
ati chisanga alisambilila mailo calimpapusha
means that chisanga went to study yesterday surprised me
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "ecd3e8db-a882-4941-8380-27b229652055",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "ati chisanga alisambilila mailo calimpapusha",
"english_gloss": "That Chisanga went to study yesterday surprised me",
"switch_ms": 12361,
"duration_ms": 20290,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 12361
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 12361,
"t1_ms": 20290
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
ati chisanga alisambilila nalipapa
2 meanings
a·ti
That Chisanga went to learn surprised me
ati chisanga alisambilila nalipapa
means that chisanga went to learn surprised me
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "122bb504-2201-408a-88c9-54139c159616",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "ati chisanga alisambilila nalipapa",
"english_gloss": "That Chisanga went to learn surprised me",
"switch_ms": 10912,
"duration_ms": 18100,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 10912
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 10912,
"t1_ms": 18100
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
That Chisanga went to study surprised me
ati chisanga alisambilila nalipapa
means that chisanga went to study surprised me
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "aa6ab271-168b-4332-a719-400da08bb045",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "ati chisanga alisambilila nalipapa",
"english_gloss": "That Chisanga went to study surprised me",
"switch_ms": 10916,
"duration_ms": 16720,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 10916
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 10916,
"t1_ms": 16720
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
bafwile
2 meanings
ba·fwi·le
They have died
Bafwile mu nshita ya nsala ya myaka iyibili
means they died in the famine of two years ago
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "523b8844-bb6c-485c-83c0-3257c16f2da4",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "Bafwile mu nshita ya nsala ya myaka iyibili",
"english_gloss": "They died in the famine of two years ago.",
"switch_ms": 11391,
"duration_ms": 17610,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 11391
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 11391,
"t1_ms": 17610
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
They ought to
Bafwile ukubomba ku munda pa mulungu
means they ought to work in the garden every week
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "c4b301b9-7e30-46c1-b509-6d11a2bf53c8",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "Bafwile ukubomba ku munda pa mulungu",
"english_gloss": "They ought to work in the garden every week.",
"switch_ms": 10434,
"duration_ms": 17640,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 10434
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 10434,
"t1_ms": 17640
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
banamayo bakapela umukate
2 meanings
ba·na·ma·yo·ba·ka·pe·la·u·mu·ka·te
The women will give the bread
banamayo bakapela umukate
means the women will give the bread
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "463b0fdd-8899-4447-b37b-a753827962b6",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "banamayo bakapela umukate",
"english_gloss": "The women will give the bread",
"switch_ms": 9488,
"duration_ms": 14350,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 9488
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 9488,
"t1_ms": 14350
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
The women will give the bread?
banamayo bakapela umukate
means the women will give the bread?
Audio pending.
{
"take_id": "38cb3c30-5ea2-4681-95e0-dcb45076023d",
"language_iso": "bem",
"kind": "sentence",
"bantu": "banamayo bakapela umukate",
"english_gloss": "The women will give the bread?",
"switch_ms": 9478,
"duration_ms": 14460,
"segments": [
{
"lang": "bem",
"t0_ms": 0,
"t1_ms": 9478
},
{
"lang": "en",
"t0_ms": 9478,
"t1_ms": 14460
}
],
"speaker": "Speaker BEM-A04",
"consent": "granted"
}
Why a model can't fake this
Generation is cheap. Certification against native ground truth is not.
A model can output a plausible syllable list; it cannot prove the list is complete, correct, or native, and it cannot produce the consented audio that carries the tone. The FSI plus this audio is the certified standard underneath alignment, ASR, and TTS.