Nso language

Nso (Lamnso, Lamnsɔ’) is the Grassfields language of the Nso people of western Cameroon. A few may remain in Nigeria. It has ten major noun classes.[3] The ISO 639-3 code is lns.[4] Nso is spoken by over 100,000 people.[5]

Nsɔ
Lamnsɔ’
Native toCameroon
Native speakers
240,000 in Cameroon (2005)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3lns
Glottologlamn1239
Nsọ[2]
PeopleNsọ
LanguageLam-Nsọ’

Writing System

Nso uses an orthography based on the General Alphabet of Cameroon Languages (AGLC). An orthography had initially been created before being modified to follow the recommendations of the AGLC.[6]

Nso alphabet
abcde əfghi jklmn ŋoprs tuvwy zʼ

Nso uses 23 digraphs ⟨bv, dz, gb, gh, gv, gw, jw, kf, kp, kw, mb, mf, mt, mv, nj, ns, nt, ny, ŋg, ŋk, ŋw, sh, ts⟩ and 7 trigraphs ⟨ghv, mbv, ndz, nsh, ŋgv, ŋgw, shw⟩. Long vowels are indicating by doubling the vowel ⟨aa, ee, əə, ii, oo, uu⟩. Diphthongs are noted ⟨ay, ey, əy, oy, uy, iy⟩.[7]

The high tone is indicated with the acute accent and the low tone with the grave accent on the vowel.

Phrases
  • Beri wo. Thank you.
  • Wiykijung. You are welcome.
  • A sahka? What news? (Greeting).
  • Sah ka yo dzə. No news (Reply) or M bo sa. I am fine.
  • Yirannia. Good morning.
  • A sahka mbuni. How did you sleep?
  • Aresi nia. Good afternoon.
  • yi ginia. Good evening.
  • Buni kijung. Sleep well.
  • A ber ni kibveshi. Good bye until tomorrow.
  • Njemse jungsi. Sweet dreams.
  • Wuna wosa. And to you.
  • Nyuy sævi wo. God bless you (Greeting).
  • Vishi vejungvi. Good luck.
  • Ghan kijung. Safe journey.
  • Fo mo. Give me.
  • A du fe? Where are you going?
  • Yir yee dzə la? What is your name?
  • Yir yem dzə Luckong. My name is Luckong.
  • A dzə wan la? Whose child are you?
  • M dzə wan Lukong. I am Lukong's child.
  • Fon Nso dze la? Who is the traditional ruler of Nso?
  • Jing yar mo. I am hungry.
  • Ki long ki yum mo. I am thirsty.
  • M kong wo. I love you.
  • Marir mo. Marry me.
  • A do fe. Where are you going?

Animal names
  • baa: leopard
  • jwi: dog
  • kan: monkey
  • kitam: elephant
  • bvèreh: lion
  • shishuiy: duiker
  • bvey: goat
  • njii: sheep
  • nyaar: buffalo
  • buhn: squirrel
  • yo: serpent
  • kinchiiy: cricket
  • taa ngam: spider
  • ngam: tarantula
  • kuurra: hyena
  • ngvev: chicken
  • kibev: he-goat
  • kibar: lizard
  • kiliim: bat

Other nouns
  • shuy: sun
  • mindzev: water
  • ngwa: book
  • nanar: pineapple
  • lav: house
  • kitukelav: roof
  • nsaalav: floor
  • shulav: door
  • ntah: chair
  • gham: rug
  • nton: cooking pot
  • bowl: (typically a small bowl)
  • bar: cup
  • nkaa: basket
  • sum: farm
  • minkkah: firewood
  • shishuur: pepper
  • chinyuu: spoon
  • mintanin: junction
  • la' cu: house of worship (church)
  • kitengteng: vehicle
  • sang: rice
  • kitukelav: roof
  • saav: file
  • tu': Irish potato
  • mbulam: sweet potato
  • kiku': cocoyam
  • kingom: banana
  • nyam: meat
  • mbang: walking stick
  • yiy: mom (mother)
  • tar: dad (father)
  • jemir: sister (relative)
  • tamir: brother (relative)
  • feer: relative (A general sense. Example: * M dze feer wo: I am your relative)

Tatakong:Stick insect

Adjectives
  • lum: hot
  • rə : cold
  • Dzer: Heavy.
  • Sen: Dark.
  • Fer: White
  • Shi'ir: Bitter.
  • Nyom: Sweet.

References
  1. Nsɔ at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
  3. Laura W. McGarrity and Robert Botne. "BETWEEN AGREEMENT AND CASE MARKING IN LAMNSO" (PDF).
  4. "ISO 639 code sets". www.sil.org. Retrieved 2017-06-21.
  5. paul peek. "Lamnso". Flw.com. Retrieved 2011-10-21.
  6. "Orthography and identity in Cameroon | Cameroon". www.silcam.org.
  7. Banyee 2015.

Bibliography
  • Banyee, William (25 November 2015). "Spelling and pronunciation in Lamso". The Nso heritage. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  • McGarrity, Laura and Botne, Robert (2001). Between Agreement and Case Marking in Lamnso. IUWPL 3: Explorations in African Linguistics: From Lamnso' to Sesotho (2001), edited by Robert Botne and Rose Vondrasek, pp. 53–70. Bloomington, IN: Noun classes and categorization: Proceedings of a symposium on categorization and noun classification, Eugene, Oregon, October 1983. Amsterdam: J. Benjamins.


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