Strategies for Developing Acoustic Model to Pronounce Names in Low-Resourced Languages

Names in Namibian culture are deeply rooted and carry profound meaning, reflecting a person's language, culture, and identity. Incorrect pronunciation distorts the meaning and can be offensive to native speakers. The preservation of indigenous knowledge and the pride associated with family names motivate the development of tools for accurate pronunciation. Namibian names are rooted in indigenous languages, hold cultural significance, convey identity and history. Incorrect pronunciation of names is a widespread issue, and the lack of tools to aid in correct articulation poses challenges. This study aims to describe the strategies involving review, methodology, implementation and evaluation guidelines for developing an acoustic model to pronounce low-resourced Namibian names in Oshiwambo, Otjiherero and Khoekhoe gowab languages. The study utilizes literature survey methodology to focus on Bantu Namibian names, including those with click sounds from the Khoekhoegowab language. In the implementation guidelines, it was recommended that ccommonly mispronounced names, including those with click sounds, should be collected through an online survey, thereafter, users will generate a list of phonemes and record the pronunciations for each name. These names, phonemes and recordings would then be used to construct an acoustic model, which is a key component of the pronunciation tool. This research contributes to providing guidelines associated with providing tools for proper name pronunciation in a multilingual society, with a specific focus on Namibian names. In conclusion, the development of an acoustic model for accurate Namibian name pronunciation holds significant implications for the Namibian community. It promotes cultural appreciation, intercultural understanding, linguistic preservation, individual and institutional benefits, and the broader society.