O NYwè, wuma o zìˀirə mə̀tiŋə mə bə buma bwo biŋə wwo nə nkàˀa Azhwè zə Nwàˀànə, ghәrә la ngә boŋә bi dzwi nә mə̀cìi aghə̀mə̀ ǹtsə̀mə̀, mbә’ә adasə̀ Azhwè zu zha, nkә nyε’εsә mәmә mborә̀ zhĭ mbəˀə Kristò NYwè wìi. Adzwilǐ.
The Come Holy Spirit Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created.And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray
O God, Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise, and ever to rejoice in His consolation, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, Hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope.To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.Turn then, most gracious Advocate, Thine eyes of mercy toward us,And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus,O Clement O Loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.That we may become worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray
O God whose only begotten Son Has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life. Grant that we beseech Thee, while meditating upon these mysteries In the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary We may both imitate what they contain and obtain What they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
In Nkwen Language
Tsὲ’εtε Mya M̀fò Nwà’ànǝ̌ (Hail Holy Queen)
Tsὲ’ὲtε Mya M̀fò Nwà’ànǝ̌, Mya ǹtsă mә̀liŋәnә̀. Linә medzwinә̀ mi nә ə̀bòŋə̀ wii, nә awiˀitə̀ zii. Bìi kìi ambwo wwò, Bìi boŋә Ifà. Bìi kə̀sə̀ bə̀tswὲrə̀ nə mə̀loŋnə̀ mii fə mәmә nә̀bә̀mә̀ nә nkyi mmi zìi, o àkù-ntuŋə Nywe, kasə la mmi məlìŋnə mwo nnu bìi. Na’a ngә’ә zi zìi lyǝ mye, dəsə Yesù moo-ngonə Nwàˀànə̀ wwò ambwo bìi. O nwàˀànə̀, o ǹkoŋә wii, o ə̀lə̀mtə məngònә̀ Màriyà. Àdzwilǐ.
Shwenǝ ambwo bìi Nwà’ànǝ Mya Nywè (Pray for us o Holy Mother of God)
Ngǝ boŋǝ bìi dzwi nǝ ǝ̀dzuŋǝ dzwu ma Nywè a ka’anǝ wìi wu lǝ. ( That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ)
A binǝ̀ shwenǝ, (Let us pray)
O Nywè-ngòŋǝ̀, mbǝ’ǝ mǝdzwinǝ̀ mǝ moo wwò wi mo’o nǝ nǝ̀wwo zhi nǝ mǝ̀bǝ̀ŋnǝnǝ̀ myi fǝ nǝwwo, o zuu mǝ̀dzwinǝ̀ ma mǝ lyǝ kǝ̌ mye ambwo bìi, bìi ti’i nlontǝ ngǝ ma bìi shwenǝ mǝmǝ ǝ̀dì’ì Rosarǝyà Mariyà nwa’anǝ dzwi li, a bìi ghǝrǝ anyù zu ma ǝ swiŋǝ nkǝ dzwi nǝ ǝ̀kà’anǝ dzwu ma ǝ̀ dzwi wu mǝmǝ. Bìi lontǝ lǐ nǝ ǝ̀lwenǝ moo wwò Yesu Kristò, Adzwilǐ.
Ala’à ntsә̀mә̀ nә mә̀tenә̀, nә àghu’usә̀ dzwi ambwo wwò a tsәtsoŋnә̀ wi nә àghә̀mә̀ ntsә̀mә̀. (For the Kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.)
1.Ŋ̀kanǝ̀ – a monkey 2.Fǝ̀nyǝ – a snake 3.Chùwe – an antelope 4.Ǹnà-ngwe – a lion 5.Àfònǝ – a tiger (a leopard ?) 6.Nǝnaŋǝ – a chameleon 7.Kwimânkò’ò – tortoise 8.Ǹdzǝbǝ̀rǝ̌ – grass cutter 9.Ǹdzǝbǝ̀rǝ̌-ntingùŋǝ – a porcupine 10.M̀byaǹduŋǝ – a giant rat 11.Ŋ̀kâbaŋǝ̀ – a baboon 12.Ǹnǎ-nghǝ̀’ǝ – a monkey 13.Tò’òrǝ̀ – a squirrel 14.Kàŋǝ̀ – a cane rat 15.M̀bǐ-mǝlù’ù – hyna 16.Fǝ̀bu’ù – a gorilla/chimpanzee 17.Ǹnà mǝ̀ŋkàŋǝ̀-mǝŋkàŋǝ – a zebra 18.Fǝ̀kàrǝ̀ – bush baby 19.Ǹgǝmǝ̀ – a python 20. Àliliŋǝ – a bat 21. Ǹnarǝ̀ – giraffe 2́2. Ǹgha – an antelope 23. M̀bòŋǝ̀ – a buffalo 2̌4. Nǝ̀màŋǝ̀ nǝ bushi – a wild cat 25. Swìŋnǝ̀ _ a shrew 26. M̀bya – a mouse 27.Forǝ – a rat 28.Ǹsenǝ̀ – an elephant 29.Babǝngò’ò – a wall gecko 30.Kǝ̀bǝ̀ – a rabbit 31. Swigǝrǝ Ŋkà’a-ŋkà’à – a lizard 32.Àchǝ̌ – a bear 33.Kwunyàmǝ̀-akwo –Rhinoceros
34 Àntswìŋǝ̀ – an ostrich 35.kwùŋǝ̀ – an owl 36.Ŋ̀ko’ondzǝ̀mǝ̀ – a cow 37.M̀byi-ǹdoŋǝ̀ – a goat 38.M̀byi-ǹdzǝ̀rǝ̀ – a sheep 39.Aŋ̀kwùŋǝ̀ – a ram 40.Ǹnà-mǝ̀karǝ – a horse 41.Ngwo – a dog 42.Dzàkashì – a donkey 43.Bushì – a cat 44.Àkwì-mbyi – a nanny goat 45.Mya-ǹgwu – a hen 46.Aŋ̀kǝ̀’ǝ̀ – a roster 47.Dùnfawurǝ̀ – a duck 48.Kwunyàmǝ̀ – a pig 49.Dǝdo’o – a frog 50.Tsǝ̀tsà – a toad 51.Nǝ̀bye – a fish 52.Chichi’i– a tadpole 53.Fǝ̀ngǝ̀gǝ̀rǝ– an ant 54.Ghǝghanǝ – a butrerfly 55.Tɛngǝ̀’ǝ-ngǝ’ǝ nǝsoŋǝ – Dragon fly 56.Kǝfǝ̀mǝ – carpenter bee 57.Ko’ofǐ– a wasp 58. ànchinǝ̌̀ – a cricket 59. Ba’a-Ngwo – a bug 60.Ǹtǝ̀rǝ-tyǝ – head louse 61.Ǹgwìŋnǝ-eku – Ticks or bed bugs 62.Afòŋko’o – Dung beetle 63.ŋ̀kà’à – sticks insect 64. ? – yam beetle 65. fǝ̀ndoŋ-ndoŋǝ̀ -? 66. tɛ̀rǝ̀ – a spider 67. M̀bàrǝ̀nga’à – crocodile
Importance of Teaching/Learning from Nkwen Mother Tongue to the English Language
Nkwen Language is a Mother Tongue spoken by the Nkwen people of Cameroon in Africa. It is one of the many Cameroonian Languages at the verge of development. With many aspects already developed, further research is still recommended towards a full development and preservation of this language and the culture of the Nkwen people embedded in it.
Amongst the many aspects that have been worked on are:
The first edition of the Nkwen Language Alphabet was established by PROPELCA (Operation Research Project for the Teaching of Cameroonian Languages) together with the then Nkwen Language Translation Committee of the Catholic Mission Futru Nkwen in their Summer Linguistic Courses in Aghiati Bafut in the mid 1990s. It was reviewed by S I L (Société International de Linguistique) and some members of the Nkwen Language Committee in a Summer Linguistics Serminar organized by S.I.L. in July 1999 at CBC Nkwen Bamenda. Thus, this second edition of the Nkwen Language Alphabet is made up of 31 sounds as follows:
The double consonants in the Nkwen Language Alphabet are considered as single sounds but are made up of two letters each. When they come at the beginning of a sentence or in proper nouns the two letters are written in caps. They are seven of them as follows.
Priest: Nә әlwenә Ətàà nә wu moo nә̀ wu Àzhwè zә Ŋwà’ànә̀, ( the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit) People: Adzwilìi. (Amen)̄ Priest: Nywè à dzwi nә̀ bùu. (The lord is with you) People: Nkә ndzwi nә àzhwè zhә. (And with your spirit) Priest: Bələmə ba, a binə̀ biŋə ngə binə̀ ghərə əbwu ntiˀi nyεsə atyəmbə̀ŋə̀ zinə̀ zaˀa mboŋə zhìtə̀ mənyù mə ǹkùŋsə̀ Nywè zə ŋwàˀanə̀ zi. (Brethren/brother s and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.)
Priest: O yii mә toŋnә̀ bə bǎ әbwu. Kristò ko mәlìŋnә̀. (You came to call sinners. Christ have mercy.)
All: Kristò ko mәlìŋnә̀. (Christ have mercy)
Priest: O nunә abwo mà’a Ətàà mә lontәnә̀ ambwo bìi. Moo Nywè Ko mәlìŋnә̀. (You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us. Lord have mercy.)
Priest: A Nywè ma a dzwi nə̀ mə̀tὲnə̀ mètsə̀mə̀ ko məliŋnə̀ winə̀, nnaˀa əbwu winə̀ ntiˀi nfya mədzwinə̀ ma mə lyə kə mye ambwo binə̀. (May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins and bring us to everlasting life.)
Nghù’usә dzwi a mbwo Nywe-ngoŋә ma à dzwi fәfә nәkàŋә nә mboonә mbwo ŋù ntsә̀mә̀ fә nshye ma a dzwi nә̀ ntiŋә nshi’inә̀. Bii dorә nә̀ wwò, bii foo wwo, bii myεnә wwo, bii ghu’usә wwo. Bii fya mәyà a mbwo wwò nә nәfonә̀ zhә zә̀ wwε. Nywè Ətàa, Mfò Nә̀kàŋә̀, o Nywè ma ò dzwi nә̀ mә̀tεnә̀ mәtsә̀mә̀. Mfò Yesu Kristò, Moo Ngonә mo’o. Moo Mbyi ǹdzὲrә̀, moo Nywe-ngoŋә Ətaa. O lòo әbwu mbyi ǹtsә̀mә̀, ko mәlìŋnә̀ wìi. O lòo әbwu mbyi ǹtsә̀mә̀, zwi’itә ndzùŋә̀ zìi. Ò nunә abwo mà’à Ətaa, ko mәlìŋnә̀ wìi. Tsuŋ wwò-wwò ma ò bә Ŋwà’ànә, wwò-wwò wimò’ò ma ò bә M̀fò, wwò-wwò ma ò bә M̀fò nwě, Yesu Kristò nә Azhwe zә Ŋwà’ànә̀ mәmә àghu’usә̀ Nywè Ətàa. Adzwi lìi.
AFTER THE FIRST AND SECOND READINGS
Reader: Aboŋnә Nywè. (The word of the Lord) All: Mәyà mbwo Nywè. (Thanks be to God)
Before the Gospel
Priest: Aboŋnә Ətaa winә Yesu Kristò ma _____ (Matiyò, Marәkus, Lukas, Dzon) Nwa’anә a ŋwa’arә̂. (The Holy Gospel According to St. __________Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
People: Mәkwu’utәnә dzwi ambwo wwo, o Mfò wii. (Glory to you o lord)
AT THE END OF THE GOSPEL
Priest: Àbòŋnǝ Yesu Christò. (The Gospel of the Lord) People: Nghu’usǝ̀ dzwì ambwo wwo Mfò Yesu Kristò. (Praise to you lord Jesus Christ)
Mə̀ mbiŋə mbwo Nywè Ətaa, ma a dzwi nә mәtenә mәtsemә. Ma a ghərə nəkaŋə bwo nshye, Ne Moo Ngonә yì wi mò’o M̀fò Yesu Kristo, ma bә tu’unə yi mbə’ə Azhwè zə ƥwa’anǝ̀ Mariyà a jwe yi. A zə ŋgə’ə zhi nshye wi mbwo Bonto Blato, Bә bu’utә̀ yi nә àbàŋnә̀, a kwo bə twiŋə yε. A tso nghə ndzwi ala’a bə̀ ba kwonə̌, njwe tarə a bəŋnə̀ nəwwo. A ko’o nghə̀ nəkàŋə̀ nnunə abwo mà’à Ətàa ma à dzwi nә̀ mә̀tènә mәtsә̀mә̀. A lyə bu yii məsa’anə̀ bə bətsə̀mə̀ fəfə nshye. Bǎ dzwinə nə̀ bǎ kwonə. Mә̀ mbiŋә mbwo Àzhwè zә Ŋwa’anə. Nə ǹkùŋsə̀ ndya Nywè Katorә; Nə nkùŋsə̀ Bә̀ bâ Nwa’anә, nə mә na’anә̀ mә әbwu, nə mə̀zwiŋnə̀, mə mbəŋə̀ ǹnu, nə mə̀dzwinə̀ ma mə lyə kə mye. Adzwilìi.
Priest: Bә̀ləmә ba, a nә̀ taŋә ndzuŋә̀ ŋgә Nywè-Ətàa ma à dzwi nə̀ mətenə mətsə̀mə̀ a kwε mәbεrәtәnә̀ minə̀. (Pray brethren that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God the Almighty Father. People: A Nywe kwε mәbεrәtәnә mìi fә mbwo wwo, nә mәkwu’utәnә nә mәghu’usәnә mә әlwεnә myi, fә nə ə̀bòŋә̀ winə̀ nә əboŋә Ndya-nywe zhi zә Ŋwà’ànә̀ ntsә̀mә̀. (May the lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name for our good and the good of all his Church.)
PREFACE DIALOGUE
Priest: Nywè à dzwi nә bùu. (The lord is with you) People: ŋkә ndzwi nә àzhwè zhә. (And with your spirit) Priest: Nyε’ε nә mәntiŋә mu. (Lift up your hearts) People: Bii nyε’ε mfya ambwo Nywè. (We lift them up to the lord) Priest: A binə̀ fya mәyà ambwo Nywè Ətàa winә̀. (Let us give thanks to the lord our God) People: A bә ŋko’onyù nkә ŋku’unә. (It is right and just)
Priest: Akhә’әnә nyù mә biŋnә. (The Mystery of Faith)
People: Bii swiŋә anyù nәwwo zhә Ətàà, ŋkә lensә mә̀bә̀ŋnәnә̀ mwo fә nәwwo, tyi ò lyә mbù nyìi.(we proclaim your death o lord and profess your resurrection until you come again) Or
Àghә̀mә̀ ntsә̀mә̀ ma bii jyә abanә zi nkә nyә nә̀ nfòŋә̀ wi, bìi swiŋә anyù nәwwo zhә Ətàà ti ò lyә mbù nyìi. (When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death o lord, until you come again,) Or
Kwesә wii Ŋkwesә̀ m̀byi ǹtsә̀mә̀, m̀bә’ә abàŋnә̀ zhә nә̀ mә̀bә̀ŋnәnә̀ nәwwo, o zwìŋsә wii. (Save us saviour of the world for by your cross and resurrection you have set us free.
Ala’à ntsә̀mә̀ nә mә̀tènә̀, nә àghu’usә̀ dzwi ambwo wwò a tsәtsoŋnә̀ wi nә àghә̀mә̀ ntsә̀mә̀. (For the Kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever.)
Moo mbyi-ǹdzὲrə̀, Nywe-ngoŋə̀ ma a lòo əbwu mbyi ǹtsә̀mә̀. (Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world.)
All: ko məlìŋnə̀ wìi. 2x (Have mercy on us) x2
Moo mbyi-ǹdzὲrə̀, Nywè-ngoŋə̀ ma à lòo əbwu mbyi ǹtsә̀mә̀. (Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world.)
All: Fya mboonə ambwo bìi. (Grant us peace)
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
Priests: Li bә Moo Mbyi-Ǹdzὲrә̀ Nywè, li bә zhә ma a lòo әbwu winә̀. Mә̀fonə̀ dzwi a mbwo bә̀ buma bwo kuŋsә mә jyәnә̀ ntarә yi wii. (This is the lamb of God. This is he who takes away the sins of the World. Happy are those who are call to the supper of the lamb.)
People: Nywè, mә̀ bikakә ku’unə̀ ma boŋә o kuu məmə nnu mwo, la swiŋә tsε’ὲ ta’a anyu, ntsuˀu ntiŋә wwa. (Lord I am not worthy that you may enter under my roof but say only a word and my soul shall be healed.)
RECEPTION OF COMMUNION
Priest: M̀bә̀ŋә̀ nnu Kristò. (The body of Christ)
Person: Adzwilìi (Amen)
CONCLUDING RITE
Priests: Nywè a dzwi nә bùu. (The lord is with you)
People: Nkә ndzwi nә àzhwè zhә. (And with your spirit)
Priest: A bùù ghә nә m̀boonә, nkoŋnә Nywè nkә fa’a mbwo zhә. (Go in peace to love and serve the lord.)
The /f/ sound in Nkwen Language is an unvoiced sound made through the mouth without the use of your vocal chords. It is also called a fricative, as it is produced by high pressure air flow between a narrow space made by the front teeth and the lips. It comes at the beginning of some words but mostly occupies the medial positions.
Àfoŋә̀ à fu әghә̌ nkǐ, nyìi nlaŋǝkә yi mânduŋǝ ntәmtә ә̀fә̀fàrә dzwi. À tә̀mә ә̀fә̀fàrè dzwi nә̀fâ nә mә̀nenә mi nәfâ. Ǹnà ә̀fә̀fàrә̀ ә̀ lә̀mtә susu.
Free Translation
Afong delays on his way to the stream because he is hunting Weaver birds. He has shot eight weaver birds and eight grass birds. The flesh of Weaver birds is so tasty.
Photo by Harry Cunningham @harry.digital on Pexels.com
/dz/ is one of the six double consonants sounds; /dz/ /gh/ /kh/ /ny/ /ts/ /zh/, found in the second edition of Nkwen Language Alphabet. These sounds are made up of two consonants but are considered as single sounds. When written in the upper case, the two letters are capitalized as follows; /DZ/ /GH/ /KH/ /NY/ /TS/ /ZH/. E.g.
1. “NYwɛ̀ – God”.
2. “DZà’a- jump” when it comes at the beginning of a sentence. Below are some words and a short reading text with the /dz/ sound.
