Oroko language

Oroko, also Bakundu-Balue or Balundu-Bima, is a Sawa Bantu dialect cluster spoken in Cameroon.

Oroko
Balondo
Native toCameroon
RegionSouthwest and Kribi
Native speakers
110,000 (2000)[1]
Dialects
  • Kundu
  • Lue
  • Mbonge
  • Ekombe
  • Londo ba Nanga
  • Londo ba Diko
  • Ngolo
  • Bima
  • Tanga or Batanga
  • Koko
Language codes
ISO 639-3bdu
Glottologorok1266
A.101 (ex-A.11,12)[2]

Varieties are Kundu/Nkundu (Lokundu, Bakundu), Lue (Lolue, Balue), Mbonge, Ekombe, Londo (Londo ba Nanga; cf. Londo), Londo ba Diko, Ngolo (Longolo; cf. Ngolo dialect), Bima, Tanga (Lotanga, Batanga), and Koko (Lokoko, Bakoko: distinct from Bakoko language). Maho (2009) treats these as ten distinct languages.

Phonology

Consonants

Bilabial Labio-
dental
Alveolar Post-alv./
Palatal
Velar Labial-
velar
plain lab.
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Plosive/
Affricate
voiceless p t t͡ʃ k [lower-alpha 1] k͡p
voiced b d d͡ʒ ɡʷ
prenasal ᵐb ⁿd ᶮd͡ʒ ᵑɡ ᵑɡʷ[lower-alpha 2] ᵑᵐɡ͡b
Fricative voiceless ɸ[lower-alpha 3] f s
voiced/pren. β[lower-alpha 4] ᶬf, ᶬv[lower-alpha 5]
prenasal ⁿf[lower-alpha 6], ⁿv[lower-alpha 7]
Liquid l ~ r
Approximant j w
  1. is heard in the dialects of Londo, Lokundu, Longolo, Lokoko, Lotanga.
  2. is heard in the Lotanga dialect.
  3. is a realization of /f/ across dialects.
  4. is a realization of /b/ across dialects.
  5. is heard in the Longolo dialect.
  6. is heard in the Lokoko dialect.
  7. is heard in the Bima and Londo dialects.
  • [r] is used interchangeably with /l/ among speakers.[3]

Vowels

Front Central Back
Close i u
Close-mid e o
Open-mid ɛ ɔ
Open a

Writing system

Oroko alphabet[4]
abcɗe ɛfijk kpmmbnnd ngngbnjnyŋ oɔstu wy

References

  1. Oroko at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
  3. Friesen, Dan T. (2002). Oroko orthography development: Linguistic and sociolinguistic factors. University of North Dakota.
  4. Oroko Language Development Committee (OLDC) (November 2004). ABC wa Oroko - The Oroko alphabet chart. OLDC.


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