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’

Phrases
  • Beri wo. Thank you.
  • Wikijung. 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.

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
  • lang: 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)

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

References
  1. Nsɔ at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)
  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.

Bibliography
  • 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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