Suundi-TTS-Dataset
License:
NOODL-1.0
Steward:
Institute of African Digital Humanities
Task: TTS
Release Date: 12/11/2025
Format: WAV, TSV
Size: 240.50 MB
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Description
The dataset consists of paired audio and text data on Suundi (sdj), a language spoken in Congo. The audio corpus consists of 4,187 clips read by one speaker totaling 188 min 22.68 sec. The dataset also contains a mapping file of audio and text with 4,185 lines. Each line begins with the name of an audio file, followed by a tab and then the corresponding text excerpt. This dataset is suitable for TTS tasks.
Specifics
Licensing
Nwulite Obodo Open Data Licence 1.0 (NOODL-1.0)
https://licensingafricandatasets.com/nwulite-obodo-licenseConsiderations
Restrictions/Special Constraints
Although the transcription of the audio recording was created using a standardised writing system, it may not reflect the standard used by the wider Suundi community. This is often the case in communities using a low-resource language, where different writing standards may be in use. Therefore, this should be taken into account when using this dataset for TTS and ASR tasks. Ideally, the resulting TTS or ASR models should explicitly state which writing system was used.
Forbidden Usage
Generative AI, reproduction, duplication, modification, augmentation, copying, distribution, transmission, display, sale, transfer, publication or creation of derivative works without the explicit permission of the the legal owner of the dataset.
Processes
Intended Use
The dataset is suitable for speech-related tasks. - Automatic speech recognition (ASR): Audio–text alignment allows the training or evaluation of speech recognition models for Suundi, which is a valuable tool for language technology. Please be aware that the read sentences are written in a writing standard, which may co-exist with other writing standards within the Suundi community. - Text-to-speech (TTS): The dataset contains clean sentence–audio pairs read by the same speaker, totalling 4.7 hours. This makes the dataset suitable for the evaluating of text-to-speech models. Again, note that the writing standard may be just one of several in use within the community.
Metadata
Language
Suundi (also spelled Sundi or Nsundi) is a Bantu language of the large Niger–Congo family, spoken by the Sundi people — a subgroup of the Kongo ethnic community — primarily in the Republic of the Congo and extending into parts of Angola (especially Cabinda). As a member of the Kongo (Zone H.10) group of Bantu languages, Suundi shares key structural features typical of this branch, such as noun class systems and agglutinative verbal morphology, which are widespread across Bantu languages. While traditionally unwritten, the language has been documented in wordlists and community materials, reflecting its stable intergenerational transmission even though it lacks institutional support in formal education and media.
Variants
Alphabet
The alphabet used in the transcription of audio resources in this dataset is as follows: a, b, bw, d, e, f, fw, g, gw, h, i, k, kw, l, m, mb, mf, mp, mw, n, nd, ng, nk, ns, nt, nz, nw, o, p, r, s, sw, t, ts, tw, u, v, w, y, z, zv.
Source
This dataset was created using self-audio recordings of a male native speaker. The speaker then transcribed the recordings. This task aimed to produce datasets suitable for developing text-to-speech models for the Suundi language. The speaker was guided through the process using open questions provided by the research coordinator.
Domain
The questions which prompted the speech recorded by the native speaker of Suundi covered a variety of domains relevant to the cultural practices of the Suundi community, and pertained to mostly the following genres: procedural, opinion and philosophical.
Size
Total size is 240,50 MB
Structure
The audio corpus consists of 4,187 clips read by one speaker totaling 188 min 22.68 sec. The dataset also contains a mapping file of audio and text with 4,185 lines. Each line begins with the name of an audio file, followed by a tab and then the corresponding text excerpt
Sample
Suundi_TTS_01_T859_T860.wav ba fumu buala buwe buwe ba na kuwe sadidi
Suundi_TTS_01_T860_T861.wav buwe buwe ba na kuwe vuga moyo
Suundi_TTS_01_T840_T841.wav kassi gue we kuela kuaku muketo ya kissita
Suundi_TTS_01_T828_T829.wav kassi fo pa ba zaba ke yeto ku tsoeto
Suundi_TTS_01_T813_T814.wav fo laba na ludedomo missamu miweno
Suundi_TTS_01_T775_T776.wav mu makuela bosso kuedidi muketo
Suundi_TTS_01_T769_T770.wav makuela yidia kima ya betebete ko
Suundi_TTS_01_T745_T746.wav tsodiani wa na kuwe fuyidi passi
Suundi_TTS_01_T723_T724.wav baneto zi ba boga ba yeni ku banawu
Suundi_TTS_01_T702_T703.wav buwe buwe bakulu ba be kuwe bedi