BTS-E100-001
The Bantu Syllable Equation
σ → N₀ C₀ H₀ G₀ V
mba = m·b·a; mwa = m·w·a
A well-formed Bantu syllable has up to four ordered optional onset slots followed by an obligatory vowel nucleus.
BTS-E100 · Released v2.1
The formal equation registry for Bantu language structure.
BantuNomics Equations turns Bantu syllables, morphology, numerals, and syntax into stable, citable, implementable formulas. This is the layer AI systems need when they must generate, inspect, test, and constrain Bantu structure.
This page is a public preview: the standard, the four sets with their counts, the notation, 3 sample equations in full, and a live Bemba noun demo. The complete 82-equation registry, the API, and the data exports are available to evaluated partners.
What this fixes
Equations make structure inspectable.
A model trained on flat text can memorize words while missing the grammar that produced them. BTS-E100 states the structure as equations: syllable legality, inventory cardinality, noun assembly, verb slots, numeral recursion, and question templates.
BTS-E100-000
Syllable & phonotactics
Defines the syllable as the operational alphabet of Bantu language technology.
BTS-E100-100
Morphology
Defines how words carry meaning through noun, verb, adjective, copular, relative, and demonstrative structure.
BTS-E100-200
Numerals & measure
Defines number generation, arithmetic language, agreement, and register switching.
BTS-E100-300
Syntax
Defines question forms and clause patterns precise enough to implement and test.
BTS-E100-400
Tone
Will formalize tone equations once the tone layer is released.
BTS-E100-500
Orthography to phonology
Will formalize orthography-to-sound mapping, including flat-text enrichment.
Sample equations
A taste of the standard, shown in full.
These 3 equations — the flagship syllable law plus a noun and a verb equation — are the public sample. The remaining 79 released equations, the per-set browse, and the machine-readable API and exports are gated.
BTS-E100-101
NP01
BASIC_NOUN
NOUN = (AUG(cl))₀ + (PREFIX(cl))₀ + STEM
u + mu + ntu → umuntu · AUG = the pre-prefix; ₀ = optional — some languages do not use it
A noun surface form is assembled from class-governed pieces.
BTS-E100-115
V9SLOT
INDICATIVE
VERB = (S1[PreInit])₀ + (S2[SM])₀ + (S3[TAM])₀ + (S4[OM])₀ + S5[Root] + (S6[Ext1])₀ + (S7[Ext2])₀ + S8[FV] + (S9[Loc])₀
nalebomba = I am working · ₀ = optional slot; the minimal verb is Root + FV (bomba!)
Bantu verbs are slot-governed structures, not flat strings.
Executable demo · Bemba
Equations that run.
BTS-E100 equations are executable structures, not decorative labels. This public demo composes a Bemba noun from a stem and one of 4 noun classes. The full Lab (all classes) and the compose API are gated.
Example surface form (BTS-E100-101)
umuntu
u
mu
ntu
Notation
How to read the equations
The registry is designed to be readable by engineers and linguists. Symbols are explicit; IDs are stable; templates map to implementation.
σ
a syllable
X₀
subscript 0 means the element is optional
· / +
concatenation
FSI / NSI / ASI
Full, Native, and Augmented Syllable Inventory
|X|
cardinality of a set
⊔
disjoint union
∀ / ∃ / ∈ / ∉
for all, exists, in, not in
AUG / PREFIX / SM / TAM / OM / FV
augment (the pre-prefix), class prefix, subject marker, tense-aspect-mood, object marker, final vowel
(cl) / (nc) / (pl_cl) / (loc_cl)
class parameters — the noun class that selects the form of the piece; pl_cl = the paired plural class, loc_cl = a locative class
Xₚₗ
subscript pl means the plural form of the place word
NUM / POW10(k) / MODIFIER(k,d) / CONJ / OP / COP
rendered numeral, k-th power-of-ten word, agreeing place multiplier, additive connector, operation lexeme, result copula; REM_CONJ = remainder linker, θ = the language's numeral-agreement threshold
Get access
Evaluate the full BTS-E100 registry.
The complete 82-equation registry across all four released sets, the full executable Lab, the JSON/CSV/JSONL exports, and the API are available to evaluated partners. Start an evaluation to browse and license the full standard.