Diboum-ALCAM-MultimodalDataset

Diboum_ALCAM-MultimodalDataset is a richly curated, multimodal linguistic dataset dedicated to the documentation and technological enhancement of the Diboum variety of Basaa (ISO 639-3: bas), a Bantu language of Cameroon. Diboum is a localised and socially embedded speech form that is rarely represented in standard grammatical descriptions or lexicographical resources. The dataset comprises three closely aligned components: (i) a structured datasheet containing carefully selected example sentences reflecting casual, albeit non-authentic, usage in the Diboum variety; (ii) high-quality audio recordings of these sentences, produced by a native speaker; and (iii) an explicit audio–sentence mapping file enabling precise alignment between the textual and acoustic data. The dataset's primary added value lies in its explicit focus on the Diboum variety of Basaa. Diboum is classified as a dialect of Basaa (bas) both by the Ethnologue (ethnologue.com) and in the standard reference atlases of Cameroon's languages: the Atlas Linguistique du Cameroun by Breton and Bikia Fohtung (1991) and the Atlas Linguistique de l'Afrique Centrale: le Cameroun by Bibam Bikoi (2012). Like many other geographically and socially situated varieties of Basaa, Diboum typically remains invisible in reference grammars, dictionaries and educational materials that often privilege more standardised or better-documented forms of the language. The dataset captures micro-variation in phonetics, phonology, morphosyntax and lexical choice that are essential for understanding socially situated linguistic practices rather than a homogeneous, abstract system. In this sense, the dataset contributes to a more inclusive representation of linguistic diversity within the Basaa speech community. From a methodological perspective, the dataset is designed to bridge the gap between language documentation and language technology. The parallel availability of text in the Diboum variety and in French, alongside aligned speech, makes the dataset suitable for a wide range of applications, including automatic speech recognition (ASR), text-to-speech (TTS), machine translation (MT), forced alignment, pronunciation modelling and multimodal language learning tools. At the same time, the structured datasheet supports linguistic analysis, contrastive studies with other language varieties and pedagogical uses in teacher training and language revitalisation contexts. More broadly, the Diboum_ALCAM-MultimodalDataset exemplifies an approach to African language resources that highlights fluidity, longitudinal variation, orality and community-based practice.