Nkwen Language is a Mother Tongue spoken by the Nkwen people of Cameroon in Africa. It is one of the many Cameroonian Languages on the verge of development. With many aspects already developed, further research is still recommended for the full development and preservation of this language and the culture of the Nkwen people embedded in it.
Among the many aspects that have been worked on are:
THE NKWEN LANGUAGE ALPHABET (Second Edition)
The first edition of the Nkwen Language Alphabet was established by PROPELCA (Operation Research Project for the Teaching of Cameroonian Languages) and 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 Seminar organized by S.I.L. in July 1999 at C.B.C. Nkwen Bamenda. Thus, this second edition of the Nkwen Language Alphabet is made up of 31 sounds as follows:
/a/ /b/ /c/ /d/ /dz/ /ɛ/ /ǝ/ /f/ /g/ /gh/ /i/ /j/ /k/ /kh/ /l/ /m/ /n/ /ŋ/ /ny//r/ /s/ /sh/ /t/ /ts/ /u/ /’/ /w/ /y/ /z/ /zh/
THE SOUNDS IN THEIR UPPER AND LOWER CASES
/Aa/ /Bb/ /Cc/ /Dd/ /DZdz/ /Ɛɛ/ /Əǝ/ /Ff/ /Gg/ /GHgh/ /Ii/ /Jj/ /Kk/ /KHkh/ /Ll/ /Mm/ /Nn/ /Ŋŋ/ /NYny/ /Ɔɔ/ /Rr/ /Ss/ /SHsh/ /Tt/ /TSts/ /Uu/ /’/ /Ww/ /Yy/ /Zz/ /ZHzh
The Nkwen Language Alphabet (Second Edition)
Analysis of the Second Edition of Nkwen Language Alphabet
This second edition of the Nkwen Language Alphabet is made up of 24 Consonants (M̀mi Mǝ Abɔ̀ŋnǝ̀), 6 Vowels (Nji-àbɔ̀ŋnǝ̀) and 1 glotal stop:
The Nkwen Language Consonants.
/b/ /c/ /d/ /dz/ /f/ /g/ /gh/ /j/ /k/ /kh/ /l/ /m/ /n/ /ŋ/ /ny/ /r/ /s/ /sh/ /t/ /ts/ /w/ /y/ /z/ /zh/
The Nkwen Language Vowels:
The Glotal stop:
/’/
This second edition of the Nkwen Language Alphabet has double consonant sounds and some strange sounds as compared to the English Language Alphabet.
The Double Consonant Sounds
The double consonants in the Nkwen Language Alphabet are considered 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.
/dz/ /gh/ /kh/ /ny/ /sh/ /ts/ /zh/
The Strange Sounds are four in number;
Sounds in the English Language Alphabet that are not found in the second edition of the Nkwen Language Alphabet are:
/e/ /h/ /p/ /q/ /v/ /x/
The /ɛ/ and /ǝ/ are more suitable than the English /e/
The letter /h/ does not stand alone but is always supported by other sounds as in /gh/ /kh/ /sh/ and /zh/, in
Ghǝ̌ – to go
khǝ̌ – to run
shǝ̂ – to weed
zhǎ – to comb
The letter /p/ is replaced by /b/ mostly in borrowed words like:
bɔ̀bɔ – pawpaw or papaya.
baba – papa or father
Bità – Peter
sounds closer to the /q/ are spelled with /k/ as in
kwatǝ – to repeat
Kwintà – Queenta
The /v/ and /x/ are not found at all.
| Aa àbà’à (a door) | Bb Bàtə (calabash) | Cc cì’i (to shake) | Dd dədͻ’ͻ (a frog) |
| DZdz ǹdzàà (an axe) | Єε fεrə (a ring) | Əə ə̀lwεnə̀ (a name) | Ff Fͻrə (a rat) |
| Gg gàŋə (to hold) | GHgh Ghəghanə (butterfly) | Ii àliliŋə (a bat) | Jj Ǹjijì’ì (a fly) |
| Kk kaa (a crab) | KHkh ŋ̀kha (a fence) | Ll lə̀ŋə (to stir) | Mm mma (mother) |
| Nn ǹnà (meat) | NYny nyə (to drink) | Ŋŋ Ŋͻrə (moon) | Ͻͻ Ǹtͻ̀ (a pot) |
| Rr ə̀làrə̀ (a bridge) | Ss Sǔ (to wash) | Sh shə̂ (to week) | Tt tanə̀ (five) |
| TSts tsà (a hall) | Uu àkù (foot) | ‘ Àtɔ’ɔ̀ (a tin) | Ww Wàrə̀ (a hawk) |
| Yy Àyiyὲ (a weaver bird) | Zz Zə̀ŋsə̂ ( to bend) | ZH zh Ǹzhà (a cumb) |
Recent Review on the Second Edition of the the Nkwen Language.
It should be noted that the above second edition of the Nkwen Language Alphabet has been recently revised by CABTAL together with some members of the Nkwen Language Committee in a workshop that was aimed at developing the Nkwen Language in the lines of Literacy and Bible Translation. The few changes they have made this time, different from this second edition are:
The open /ɔ/ is now full /o/ eg . mɔɔ – moo (child)
The English /e/ has been added to the list of vowels making them seven in number; /a/ /ɛ/ /ǝ/ /e/ /o/ /u/
Some of the double consonant sounds are now considered as sub-sounds except /gh/ and /ny/ that are still double consonants .
The nasal /ŋ/ should not precede a consonant, e.g. ŋ̀garǝ̀ – ngarǝ̀. This entails subsequent writings in Nkwen Language that will bear these changes. The Nkwen Language Alphabet (Second Edition)
TONE MARKS IN THE NKWEN LANGUAGE
Nkwen is a tone language. The tone marks can change the pronunciation and meanings of words when used in isolation and in sentences. In writing this language the different tone marks must be considered seriously. The following tones marks are observed in the Nkwen language: –
The Low tone (L) `
The high tone (H) ́ (observed but not marked)
The low high tone (L H) ˇ
The high low tone (H L)
1. Words with the low (L) Tone
Àbàà – a bag
kàà – old basket
àkù – a leg
àtͻ̀’ͻ̀ – a raffia bush
àshìshì – thread
bàtə̀ – a wine calabash
ə̀làrə̀ – bridge
àtàà – a snail
nǝ̀kùŋə̀ – long basket
àkàrà – flitters(accra)
ǹdzàŋə̀ – a song
àbà’à – a door
2. Words with the High (H) Tone
Fͻrə – a rat
Ŋͻrə –moon (a month)
Cici’i – tadpole
Kͻ’ͻ – to climb
Səŋə – a bird
Muma – name (m)
Nənaŋə – chameleon
tǝtya – pepper
- The above nouns in isolation take the HH tone pattern but when forming the plurals they change to a LHH pattern, e.g.:-
bə̀səŋə – birds
bə̀fͻrə – rats
bə̀nənaŋǝ – chameleons
bə̀cici’i – tadpoles
bə̀tətya – some pepper
3. Words with the Low-high (L H) Tone
yǐ – come
ghə̌ – go
kǎ – write
khə̌ – run
shə̌ – stab
nyǐ – defecate
bǔ – return
kǐ – refuse
fǔ – to box
sǔ – to wash
fε ̌ – go for a visit
zε̌ – to peal
Words with the High-Low (H L) Tone Pattern
Fyâ – give
Shə̂ – to weed
Kî – to cry
Sû – entertain
Fû – go out
Zε̂ – yawn
Some words also take a Low High Low (L H L) Tone Pattern. Eg
Ŋ̀garə̀ – a gun
fə̀nεnə̀ – grass bird
àbaŋə̀ – a barn
àbanə̀ – fufu corn
àtͻ’ͻ̀ – a tin
àtsaŋə̀ – a prison
ə̀larə̀ – part of the mouth
The Nkwen Language makes a distinction of three main tenses, the Present the Past and the Future Tenses. The past and the future tenses are subdivided into three forms each. In some cases, the differences between these tenses are shown by different tense markers that come before the verb or only tone melody on verbs and nouns.
- Today past tense (p1) Markers : tɛ, ghǝ̌
- Yesterday past tense (̀p2) Marker : Kǝ̀
- The remote past tense (p3) Marker: lyǝ
- Today Future Tense (F1) Marker : bǝ
- Tomorrow Future Tense (F2) Marker: bǝlya
- The remote future – (F3) Marker : bǝlyǝ
The differences between these tenses in some cases are shown by different tense markers that come before the verb or only tone marks on verbs and nouns.
TABLE 1: TENSE MARKERS
| P3 | P2 | P1 | Pr | F1 | F2 | F3 |
| Lyә or 0 + verb | Kә + verb | O, tɛ, ghǝ + verb | O + verb | Bә + verb | Be lya + verb | Bә lyә + verb |
Events or situations associated with this tense take place at the moment of speaking. In English, it is the present progressive tense. There is no marker in this case, but there are tonal changes on verbs and nouns with the high tone dominating. E.g.
Mǝ lǝ̀ŋǝ abanǝ̀ _ I’m cooking corn fufu.
O lǝ̀ŋǝ abanǝ̀ _ You are cooking corn fufu.
A lǝ̀ŋǝ abanǝ̀ _ He /she/it is cooking corn fufu.
Bìi lǝ̀ŋǝ abanǝ̀ _ We are cooking corn fufu.
Bùu lǝ̀ŋǝ abanǝ̀ _ You (pl) are cooking corn fufu.
Bwo lǝ̀ŋǝ abanǝ̀ _ They are cooking corn fufu.
- Ngefo sǔ ǝkaŋǝ̀. Ngǝfo is cleaning the dishes.
- Ǹdìfò cuwa ǝdìi. Ndifɔ is clearing the grass.
- Ndemǝ wwa sǔ nnu. My brother/sister is bathing.
- Bǝ̀lǝmǝ ba dorǝ. or Bǝ̀lǝmǝ ba dorǝ wwa. My brothers/sisters are playing.
- Ətàa wwa fà’a afò. My father is working on the farm.
- Mǝkuŋǝ mya bɛnǝ. The masquerade(s)/ dance groups is/are performing or dancing.
- Ə̀bǝnkhǝ dorǝ wwa. The children are playing.
- Mabrǝ wàa mǝmbǒ. Mother is harvesting bananas.
This tense marks actions or situations earlier than the moment of speaking and may be translated into English as the Present Perfect Tense. There are two tense markers, (tɛ̌ and ghǝ̌) that stress the time of action. In some cases, there are tonal differences in verbs and nouns (without any marker), with the low tone dominating. E.g.
- ‘Talà kwùrә ǹnà.
Talà eaten meat (word for word translation)
Tala has eaten meat. (free translation)
2. Ngәlà cù’u àkù’u
Ngәla pounded achu.
Ngǝla has pounded achu.
NB: There is no tense marker in the above examples but low tone dominating)
3. Ətàa tɛ̌ njyǝ.
Father p1 eaten
Father has eaten.
4.Talà tɛ̌ ǹtswì’ì nǝbyɛ̌.
Tala p1 fished fish
Tala has just done fishing.
5. Ngәlͻ ghǝ ntͻŋә àzu’u.
Ngәlͻ p1 dug yam
Ngәlͻ has dug a yam. (some hours back)
6. Talà ghǝ̌ bà’à mәlù’ù.
Tala p1 tapped wine
Tala has tapped wine. (some hours ago)
A marker ‘kә ̀ sequentially lexicalizes the yesterday past tense’. This tense marks actions which took place not only yesterday but as far back as last year. E.g.
-Talà kә̀ kwurә nna әzͻ̌.
Tala p2 eat meat yesterday.
Tala ate meat yesterday.
-Talà kǝ̀ ba’a mәlù’u ŋghà yi.
Tala p2 tapped wine last week.
Tala tapped wine last week.
-Talà kә̀ tswì’i nә̀byε ŋgù’u yi.
Tala p2 fished fish year last
Tala did fishing last year
-Ngәlà kә̀ cù’u akù’u njwε yi.
Ngәla p2 pounded achu’u day before yesterday.
Ngәla pounded achu day before yesterday.
This tense marks event that took place in the distant past or when the definiteness of the time is not of significant consequence at the moment of speaking. It is lexicalized by a marker ‘lyә’ or only by a tone melody. E.g.
- Tala lyә kwurә nnà ŋgù’u tsә.
Talà p3 ate meat year certain.
Tala ate meat a certain year.
Or
Talǎ kwurә ǹnǎ ŋgù’u tsә̌.
Tala ate meat year certain. Tala ate meat a certain year.
2.Ngәlͻ lyә tͻŋә әdzu’u ŋgù’u tsә̌.
Ngәlͻ p3 dug yams year certain
Ngәlͻ dug yams a certain year.
Or
Ngәlͻ̌ tͻŋә әdzu’u ŋgù’u tsә̌.
Ngәlͻ dug yams year certain
Ngәlͻ dug yams a certain year.
Marked by “bə“, the events or situations in this tense are to be completed a few minutes or a few hours from the moment of speaking on the same day. The certainty that the action will take place is very high. Eg
a) Ngǝfò bə cu’u akù’u.
Ngefor F1 pound achu
Ngefor will pound achu.
b)Talà bə bà’à məlù’ù fǝ’ǝ̀ ǹkwǐfò.
Tala F1 tap wine time evening.
Tala will tap wine in the evening.
This tense is lexicalized by ” bǝ lya,” which occurs before the verb. It relates actions or events that will occur tomorrow, next week, next month or next year. The time limit cannot be extended too far into the future. Eg
- Lə̀mə̀ bə lya laa əkù’u əzͻ.
Lem p2 cook achu tomorrow.
Lem will cook achu tomorrow
2) Lə̀mə̀ bə lyǎ làa mma yi nghà.
Lem p2 dead celebration mother her next week.
Leme will celebrate the dead of her mother next week.
3) Lə̀mə̀ be lya ghə ntεnə ŋͻrə yε̌.
Lem p2 go coast month that.
Lem will go to the coast next month.
4. Lə̀mə̀ bə lya ŋwà’àrə nlwitə̀ àkwà’anə̀ yi ŋgù’u.
Lem p2 write final exams her year.
lem shall write her final exams next year.
To know whether ŋgu’u (year) refers to next or last year the tense markers “be lya” (future) and “kə̀” (Past) must be considered, e.g
Lə̀mə̀ kə̀ li’i nsùŋə yi ŋgù’u. (past)
Lem cultivated her farm last year
Lə̀mə̀ bə lya li’i nsuŋə yi ŋgù’u. (future) – Lem shall cultivate her farm next year.
The remote future tense is lexicalized by ‘bə lyə‘ and is associated with events that are to take place in the most distant future. They are mostly wise sayings and proverbs. The certainty of the action to be accomplished is not high. It is more on the negative than on the positive. This tense expresses an irrealis mood. Eg
a. Talà bə lyə bù’u nyù.
Tala p3 do thing.
Tala shall do a terrible thing. (because of the unacceptable things that Tala does)
‘Bù’u’ and ‘ghə̀rə’ are synonyms for the verb ‘to do’ when directly translated, but ‘bu’u’ is to do something terrible while ‘ghərə’ is to do a normal thing.
b) Ǹtswǔ Ngənə̀fə̀mə̀ be lyə tsu mmu. (wise saying)
Mouth Ngenefemə p3
peak fire.
Ngenefem’s mouth shall peak fire. (because Ngenefemə is a talkative.
c) Àya’à (nə̀dorə) be lyə jwε moo. (proverb)
Play p3 give birth child.
– Play shall give birth to a child.
- Nouns That Form Their Plurals By Adding The Prefix ‘mə̀’ or ‘m’
Singular – Plural
ǹtsù – mə̀ntsù (mouth/mouths)
ǹtiŋə – mǝ̀ntiŋǝ̀ (heart/hearts)
ǹshi – mǝ̀nshi (face faces)
nǝ̀bǝǝ̀ – m̀bǝǝ̀ (breast/breasts
nə̀li – m̀mi (eye/eyes)
àbwo – m̀bwo (hand/hands)
nə̀gə̀ɂə̀ – mǝ̀gǝ̀ɂǝ̀ (jaw/jaws)
nə̀tòŋə – mǝ̀tòŋǝ (navel/navels)
nə̀sâ – mǝ̀sâ (buttocks/buttocks)
nə̀lui – mǝ̀lui (nose/noses)
nə̀sòŋə – mǝ̀sòŋǝ (tooth/teeth)
àkù – mǝ̀kù (foot/feet)
ànyì – mǝ̀nyì (finger nail/finger nails)
ǹfὲnə – mǝ̀fɛ̀nǝ (sheen/sheens)
nə̀tùɂù – mǝ̀tùɂù (thigh/thghs)
nə̀twuɂù – mǝ̀twuɂù (night/nights)
nə̀fuŋə̀ – mǝ̀fuŋǝ̀ (fat/fats)
nə̀kâ – mǝ̀kâ (car/cars)
nə̀lòŋə – mǝ̀lòŋǝ (radio/radios)
nə̀boɂo – mǝ̀boɂo (pumpkin/pumpkins)
àfwǒ – mǝ̀fwǒ (medicine/mǝdicines)
ǹdyâ – mǝ̀la’à (house/houses)
ǹsùŋə – mǝ̀nsùŋǝ (farm/farms)
ǹtaɂà – mǝ̀ntaɂa (hill/hills)
fə̀nyə – mǝ̀nyǝ (snake/snakes)
fə̀nkəbə̀ – mǝ̀nkǝbǝ̀ (statue/statues)
fə̀sàŋə̀ – mǝ̀sàŋǝ̀ (star/stars)
fǝ̀saŋǝ– mǝ̀saŋǝ (broom/brooms)
nə̀fâ – mǝ̀fâ (twin/twins)
ǹnà – mǝ̀nà (animal/animals)
Nouns That Form Their Plurals By Adding The Prefix (ə̀)
Singular – Plural
àbàɂà – ə̀bàɂà (door/doors)
àkaŋə̀ – ə̀kaŋə̀ ( pan/pans)
àlə̀ŋə – ə̀lə̀ŋə (chair/chairs)
àliliŋə – ə̀liliŋə (bat/bats)
àbàrə – ə̀bàrə (insane person/insane persons)
àtsəɂə – ə̀tsǝ̀ɂə dress/dresses
àso – ə̀so (hoe/hoes)
Nouns That Form Their Plurals By Adding The Prefix ‘bə̀’
Singular – Plural
m̀fò – bə̀fò (king/kings)
ǹkə̀mə – bə̀kə̀mə (noble/nobles)
ǹcǐ – bə̀ncǐ (in-law/in-laws)
forə – bə̀forə (rat/rats)
wàrə̀ – bə̀wàrə̀ (hawk/hawks)
kàŋə̀ – bǝ̀kaŋǝ̀ (squirrel/squirrels)
ǹtò – bə̀ntò (pot/pots)
luɂu – bə̀luɂu (dishing spoon/dishing spoons)
bàtə̀ – bə̀bàtə̀ (wine calabash/wine calabashes)
ǹdìŋə̀ – bə̀lìŋə̀ (witch/witches)
fεrə – bə̀fεrə (ring/rings)
dədoɂo – bə̀dədoɂo (frog/frogs)
ŋù – bǝ̀ (person/people
Collective nouns
nkàa nyǔ – a swamp of bees
àtàrə nkɔ’ɔndzə̀mə̀ – a herd of cattle
ngəŋə məmbɔ̌ – a bunch of bananas
ngəŋə nəngùŋə – a bunch of plantains
àtàrə̀ bəsəŋə – a flock of birds
ǹno bə – a crowd of people
àkà bəzεrə – a gang of thieves
nə̀bəŋə nə ndə̀ŋə – a bunch of bamboos
nə̀bəŋə nə əbi – a bundle of̌ grass
àkwo ətǐ – a forest of trees
Nouns that do not change their forms
| ngwu mbyi ngwo nkabè | Fowls goats Dogs money |
| nkyǐ | water |
| ngwàsaŋə | corn |
| fǝ̀li’ì | smoke |
| fə̀ngwaŋə | salt |
| mə̀wurə | oil |
| mə̀lù’ù | wine |
| ə̀liŋə̀ | blood |
Mə̀lwì – anger
Mə̀lìŋnə̀ – sorrow
Mə̀cìi – wisdom
Mə̀tὲnə̀ – power
Ǹjî – hunger
àkwὲrəntiŋə̀ – perseverance
Nə̀bͻ̀ŋə̀ – beauty
A TABLE OF NOUN PREFIXES IN NKWEN LANGUAGE
| Class | Noun prefix r | Examples | Free Translation | |
| 1. | Ǹ (ǹ, m̀, ŋ̀) | m̀fͻ̀ m̀byî m̀bɛrǝ | chief goat lazy-one | |
| Ǹta’à ǹnà ǹcǐ ǹsa’à ǹzɛrǝ̀ ǹsùŋə | Hill, animal faher-in-law injection thief farm | |||
| nkyî ngwͻ ŋ̀garǝ̀ ŋ̀kǝ̀mə nkɛnǝ̀ ŋ̀fɔ̀ŋǝ | Water dog gun noble message cup | |||
| 2. | Bə | Bə̀fͻ̀, bə̀kə̀mə, bə̀ntͻ̀, bǝ̀zɛ̀rǝ | Chiefs nobles pots thieves | |
| 3. | ə | ə̀kɔ’ͻ̀, ə̀làrə̀, ə̀lὲrə̀ ǝ̀twɛ̀’ɛ̀ | ladder bridge twain pilar | |
| 4. | Nə̀ | Nə̀sa, nə̀lͻ̀ŋə, nə̀fâ nǝ̀là’a | Buttock radio twin net | |
| 5. | Mə̀ | Mə̀nta’à, mǝ̀kù mǝ̀sâ mǝkû, mə̀fâ mǝ̀là’a | Hills legs buttocks beans twins nets | |
| 6. | à̀ | àkù, àtî, àfwͻ̂ àkaŋǝ̀ àlǝ̀ŋǝ | Foot tree leave pan chair | |
| 7. | ǝ̀ | ə̀sͻ, ə̀tsə̀’ə ə̀bà’à ǝ̀lǝ̀ŋǝ ǝ̀kaŋǝ̀ | Hoes, clothes, doors chairs pans | |
| 8. | Fə̀ | Fə̀ŋkəbə̀, fəkəbə, fə̀ŋnyə fǝ̀sàŋǝ̀ | Statue, spoon, snake star | |
| 9. | ф | Kàŋə̀ fͻrə bàtǝ̀ wàrə̀ taŋkǎ yɛ̀rǝ̀ | Squirrel rat wine- calabash hawk friend earing |
Different markers are use to indicate cohesion (unity) in various noun phrases. Some of them can be expressed as follows.
Ǹkə̀mə̀ wuma bə kə zͻ’ͻ. –The noble that was installed.
M̀fͻ wuma bə kə nùsə. – The chief that was enthroned.
Ǹcì wuma a kə yìi. – The Father-in-law who came.
Kàŋə̀ wuma Talà kə kͻ. – The squirrel that Tala caught.
Əkù wuma Ndì kə kuŋə. – The bed that Ndi made.
Nta’a wuma bə kə tͻ. – The hill that was burnt.
Ŋkyi wuma ə ŋwa’a. – The water that is clean.
Nə̀lͻ̀ŋə̀ zuma bə bu’u a.
– The radio that is played.
Nə̀fa zuma nə kwͻ (yɛnə).
– The twin that is dead.
Àkù zuma ə zaŋə.
– The foot that is paining.
Àtì zuma be wa.
– The tree that is cut.
Ǹnà zuma bə kə̀ kͻ.
– The animal that was caught.
Bə̀fͻ̀ bu ma bə zͻ’ͻ.
– The chiefs who are enthroned.
Bə̀kə̀mə̀ bu ma be zͻ’ͻ.
– The nobles that are installed.
Bə̀fͻrə bu ma bə kə kͻtə. – The rats that are caught.
Bə̀ntͻ̀ bu ma bə ŋwa’a.
– The pots which are clean.
Bə̀kàŋə̀ buma bə kͻtə.
– The squirrels that are caught.
Fə̀ŋnyə fu ma fə tya yi .
– The snake that has bitten him/her.
Fə̀ŋkəbə fu ma be kuŋə .
– The statue that is calved.
Əsͻ dzwu ma bə zû .
– The hoes that are bought.
Ətsə’ə dzwu ma bə ta.
– The dresses that are sown.
əba’a dzwu ma bə nyεsə.
– The doors that a renovated.
əkaŋə dzwu ma bə mε’ε.
– The pan (dishes) that are thrown.
N.B: N.B: “Buma and dzwu ma” make cohesion in the plural classes’ nouns while “wuma, zuma and fuma” are markers for nouns in the singular classes.
| PERSONAL PRONOUNS | ||
| Singular | Plural | Person |
| Mə (Subject) mwͻ (object) I | Bìi – we | 1st person |
| Ͻ (Subject) wwͻ̀ (object) You | Bùu – you | 2nd person |
| À , ə (Subjects) zhə (object) he/she/it | Bwͻ – they/them | 3rd person |
Mə ghə mətanə. I am going to the market.
ͻ ghə mətanə. You are going to the market
A ghə mətanə. He/she is going to the market
Ə ghe mətanə. It is going to the market.
Bìi ghə mətanə. We are going to the market.
Bùu ghə mətanə. You are going to the market.
Bwͻ ghə mətanə They are going to the market.
Fyâ nə mwͻ. Give me.
Mə bə fya ambwͻ wwͻ̀. I will give them.
Ɔ̀ bə fya ambwͻ zhə. You will give it to her/him.
Bwͻ bə fya ambwͻ bwͻ. They will give it to them.
M̀fͻ̀ wwà my chief m̀fͻ̀̀ wi bə wwà – this chief is mine.
M̀fͻ̀ wwͻ̀ your chief m̀fͻ̀ wi bə wwͻ – this chief is yours.
M̀fͻ̀ yε his/her chief m̀fͻ̀ wi bə yε – this chief is his/hers
M̀fͻ̀ wìi our chief m̀fͻ̀ wi bə wìi – this chief is ours.
M̀fͻ̀ wwu your chief m̀fͻ̀ wi bə wwu – this chief is yours.
M̀fͻ̀ wwa their chief m̀fͻ̀ wi bə wwa – this chief is theirs.
Noun | 1st person singular | 2nd person singular | 3rd person singular | 1st person plural | 2nd person plural | 3rd person plural |
| my/mine | your/yours | his/her/hers | Our/ours | your/yours | their/theirs | |
| m̀fͻ̀ chief | Wa | wwͻ̀ | yε | wìi | wwu | wwa |
| fəkəbə spoon | wa | wwͻ̀ | yε | wìi | wwu | wwa |
| bə̀ntͻ̀ pots | bâ | bwͻ | bi | bii | bu | byâ |
| bə̀səŋə birds | bâ | bwͻ | bi | bii | bu | byâ |
| nə̀sͻ̀ŋə tooth | za | zhə | zhi | zii | zu | zha |
| nə̀lͻ̀ŋəRadio | za | zhə | zhi | zii | zuu | zha |
| mə̀sͻ̀ŋə teeth | ma | mwͻ | mi | mii | muu | mya |
| mə̀kû beans | ma | mwͻ | mi | mii | muu | mya |
| ǹtaməshoes | dzwa | jwͻ | jwi | dzwi | dzwu | jwa |
| ngwû fowls | dzwa | jwͻ | jwi | dzwi | dzwu | jwa |
| fə̀nkəbə̀ statue | fa | fwͻ | fi | Fii | fuu | fya |
| fə̀ŋnyə snake | fa | fwͻ | fi | Fii | fuu | fya |
Sequential Pronouns
Ləm à ghə nkha adzͻ, mbû nsû, nti’i nniŋə a məme àkaŋə nkwusə. (Lem went and harvested plums, came back, prepared it, put it in a dish and covered.)
The sequential markers m, n, as illustrated above, refer to the same subject “Ləm.” Without these markers, the sentence cannot be coherent. Thus there is a degree of cohesion between these markers and the subject for several verbs in a sequence.
Simple Greetings and Response
Take note of the word for word translation and the free translation of the phrases.
Ǹjwε làa? À a. Ǹjwε làa.
Day break? Yes. Day break?
Good morning. Yes. Good morning.
A bə la? A bͻŋə̀.
It how is? It fine.
How are you I’m fine.
Bùù sa’à kə̀? bii bͻnə. Kə̀ sà’a bùù lə?
You happen what? We fine. Or happen yours?
How are you people? We are fine. And you?
Ɔ̀ zìi À a. Ɔ̀ bùu?
You spend the day? Yes. You back?̇
Good afternoon (Evening). Yes. Welcome back!
Ɔ̀ bùu? À a. Ɔ̀ dzwi wu?
You back? Yes. You are there?
Məyà wwͻ̀. À a. Nə wwͻ̀.
Thank you. Yes. And yours
Thank you. Yes. Thank you too.
Fəlyε fwͻ. À a. Nə fwͻ
Sleep yours Yes. And yours
Good night. Yes. Good night.
Yìi nshi’ìnə. À a məyà wwͻ̀.
Come good Yes. Thank you.
Welcome Yes. Thank you.
Mə tsὲ’ὲtə̌ À a. A be la?
Am greeting Yes. It how is
Greetings to you. Yes. How are you?
