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]

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

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 kʷ[a] k͡p
voiced b d d͡ʒ ɡʷ
prenasal ᵐb ⁿd ᶮd͡ʒ ᵑɡ ᵑɡʷ[b] ᵑᵐɡ͡b
Fricative voiceless ɸ[c] f s
voiced/pren. β[d] ᶬf, ᶬv[e]
prenasal ⁿf[f], ⁿv[g]
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.

Vowels

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

Writing system

Oroko alphabet[4]
a b c ɗ e ɛ f i j k kp m mb n nd ng ngb nj ny ŋ o ɔ s t u w y

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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