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Kenswei Nsei (Kensense), also Nsei or Mesing (Bamessing), is a Grassfields Bantu language of Cameroon.

Phonology

Consonants

1. /ɣ/ becomes [ɰ] before back vowels.
2. [j] is in free variation with [ʒ].

Vowels

1. /ɨ̝/ becomes [ɨ] before /ŋ/.
2. /e/ becomes [ɪ] in short open syllables.
3. /ə/ becomes [ɵ] before a pause when friction is present.
4. /o/ becomes [ʊ] before a pause when friction is present.
5. /ä/ becomes [ɒ] before [w].

Tone

Nsei has both lexical and grammatical tone. There are at least two level tones (high, low, and possibly mid) and two contour tones (falling and rising).

References

1. Nsei at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
2. ^ DeVries 2008.
3. DeVries 2008, pp. 17–18.

Further reading

• Akeriweh (2000). A step towards the standardisation of Kə̀nswéynséy: (a grassfield bantu language (MA thesis). Yaoundé: Université de Yaoundé I.
• DeVries, Aaron (2008). Kenswey Nsey (Bamessing): A Phonological Sketch (PDF). Yaoundé: SIL Cameroun. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 December 2023.
• Lonbeck, Janelle (2013). The Noun Phrase in Kenswei Nsei (Bamessing) (PDF). Yaoundé: SIL Cameroon. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 December 2023.
• Lonfo, Bertrand (2007). Morphologie nominale du kensweynse (MA thesis). Université de Yaoundé I.

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