Kenyang Lexicon

The Kenyang language (Nyang, Banyang, Manyang) is the principal Southern Bantoid language of the Mamfe family. It is spoken by the populations of the Manyu and Meme departments of the Southwest Region of Cameroon. Kenyang is one of the 286 languages of Cameroon, and is spoken by about 65,000 people. Not all speakers of Kenyang are proficient in French and English (Cameroon’s official languages), and the use of Kenyang facilitates communication in the region. The language has two major dialects: Lower (or Central) Bayang and Upper Bayang. The number of Kenyang speakers is falling, and it is primarily spoken in rural areas.