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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.

Iintanga 3 meanings
i·i·nta·nga
Age mates
Iintanga
means age mates

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: Lee-ntah-ngah

Grazing Outpost
Iintanga
means grazing outpost

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: Lee-ntah-ngah

Pumpkin Seeds
Iintanga
means pumpkin seeds

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: Lee-ntah-ngah

Ukubamba 3 meanings
u·ku·ba·mba
Arrest
Isela libanjwe ngama polisa
means the thief was arrested by the police

Audio pending.

To substitute or hold fort
Ukubamba
means to substitute or hold fort

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: oo-koo-bah-mbah

Touch
Musa ukubamba izitya ezishushu
means don't touch the hot dishes

Audio pending.

Ibala 2 meanings
i·ba·la
A yard
Ibala
means a yard

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: EE-bah-lah

Colour
Ndiyalithanda ibala lale gusha
means I like the colour of this sheep

Audio pending.

Imbiza 2 meanings
i·mbi·za
Herbal tonic
Imbiza
means herbal tonic

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: EEM-bee-zah

Pot
Umama ubeke imbiza enkulu eziko upheka inyama
means my mother put a big pot on the fire to cook meat

Audio pending.

Intsika 2 meanings
i
Pillar
Intsika
means pillar

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: een-Tsi-kah

Pillar of strength
Intsika
means pillar of strength

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: een-Tsi-kah

Iphondo 2 meanings
i·pho·ndo
Horn
Inkomo inesiphondo eside kakhulu kwicala lasekhohlo
means the cow has a very long horn on the left side

Audio pending.

Province
Ndihlala kwiphondo lase Mpuma Koloni
means I live in the Eastern Cape province

Audio pending.

Isango 2 meanings
i·sa·ngo
Gate
Nceda uvale isango ukuze izinja zingaphumi ebaleni
means please close the gate so that the dogs do no leave the yard

Audio pending.

Opportunity
Isango
means opportunity

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: EE-SAA-ngoh

Isibane 2 meanings
i·si·ba·ne
Guidance
Isibane
means guidance

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: ee-see-ba-neh

Lamp or Light
Isibane
means lamp or light

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: ee-see-ba-neh

Isikhwama 2 meanings
i·si·khwa·ma
A bag
Ndishiye isikhwama sam ngaphakathi emotweni
means I left my bag inside the car

Audio pending.

Financial fund or Budget
Isikhwama
means financial fund or budget

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: oo-koo-zar-lah

Ithanga 2 meanings
i·tha·nga
Pumpkin
Umama upheke ithanga elimnandi namhla
means my mother cooked a delicious pumpkin today

Audio pending.

Thigh
Ithanga
means thigh

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: EE-tah-ngah

Ityala 2 meanings
i·tya·la
Debt
Ndinetyala ezininzi ekufuneka ndizihlawule
means I have many debts I need to pay

Audio pending.

Law suit or Case
Ityala
means law suit or case

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: EE-chya-lah

Ukubeka 2 meanings
u·ku·be·ka
Put down
Ukubeka
means put down

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: OO-koo-beh-kah

Respect
Kubalulekile ukubeka abazali bakho
means it is important to respect your parents

Audio pending.

Ukubila 2 meanings
u·ku·bi·la
Sweat
Ukubila
means sweat

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: OO-koo-bee-lah

To boil
Amanzi ayabila eketelini, ungenza iti ngoku
means the water is boiling in the kettle, you can make a tea now

Audio pending.

Ukuchola 2 meanings
u·ku·cho·la
Pick up
Ndichole imali ebaleni ekuseni
means I picked up money on the ground in the morning

Audio pending.

Tidy up
Yiza ukuqoqosha la maphepha asabalele apha phantsi
means come and tidy up these papers scattered here on the floor

Audio pending.

Ukugwaza 2 meanings
u·ku·gwa·za
Stab
Isela lazama ukugwaza iphoyisa
means the thief tried to stab the police officer

Audio pending.

To bribe
UNtando wazama ukugwaza igosa likarhulumente ukuze afumane ilayisenisi yokushayela.
means ntando tried to bribe the government official in order to get a driving license

Audio pending.

Ukukhama 2 meanings
u·ku·kha·ma
Strangle
Ukukhama
means strangle

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: OO-KOO-KAR-MAH

To squeeze or wring out
Ukukhama
means to squeeze or wring out

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: OO-KOO-KAR-MAH

Ukukhula 2 meanings
u·ku·khu·la
To grow up or Mature
Ukukhula
means to grow up or mature

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: OO-KOO-COO-LAH

To increase
Ukukhula
means to increase

Audio pending.

Native pronunciation note: OO-KOO-COO-LAH

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.

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