Oroko language

Bantu dialect cluster spoken in Cameroon

Oroko
Balondo
Native to	Cameroon
Region	Southwest and Kribi
Native speakers	110,000 (2000)^[1]
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Bantu (Zone A) Sawabantu (A.10) Oroko
Dialects	Kundu Lue Mbonge Ekombe Londo ba Nanga Londo ba Diko Ngolo Bima Tanga or Batanga Koko
Language codes
ISO 639-3	`bdu`
Glottolog	`orok1266`
Guthrie code	`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
		Bilabial	Labio- dental	Alveolar	Post-alv./ Palatal	plain	lab.	Labial- velar
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

^ is heard in the dialects of Londo, Lokundu, Longolo, Lokoko, Lotanga.
^ is heard in the Lotanga dialect.
^ is a realization of /f/ across dialects.
^ is a realization of /b/ across dialects.
^ is heard in the Longolo dialect.
^ is heard in the Lokoko dialect.
^ 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]
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

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

Languages of Cameroon

Official languages

Major languages

Pidgins

Indigenous languages

Sign languages

Immigrant languages

Narrow Bantu languages (Zones A–B) (by Guthrie classification)

Zone A

A10	A11[101] Londo A12[101] Barue A13 Balong A14 Bonkeng A15 Mbo [A141 Bafo A151 Nkongho
A20	A21 Bomboko A22 Baakpe A23 Su A24 Duala A25 Oli A26 Pongo A27 Mulimba [A221 Bubia A231 Kole
A30	A31a North Bobe A31b Southwest Bobe A31c Southeast Bobe A32a Banoo A32b Bapoko A33a Yasa A33b Kombe A34 Benga
A40	A41 Lombi A42 Bankon A43a Mbene A43b North Kogo A43c South Kogo A44 Banen A45 Nyokon A46 Mandi [A441 Aling'a A461 Bonek A462 Yambeta
A50	A51 Fa’ A52 Kaalong A53 Kpa A54 Ngayaba [A501 Hijuk
A60	A61[601] Ngoro A62 Yambasa A63 Mangisa A64[601] Bacenga A65 Bati [A621 Baca A622 Gunu A623 Mbule
A70	A71 Eton A72a Ewondo A72b Mvele A72c Bakja A72d Yangafek A73a Bëbëlë A73b Gbïgbïl A74 Bulu A75 Fang [A751 South-West Fang
A80	A81 Mvumbo A82 So A83 Makaa A84 Njem A85a Konabem A85b Bekwil A86a Medjime A86b Mpompo A86c Mpiemo A87 Bomwali [A801 Gyele A802 Ukwedjo A803 Shiwe A831 Byep A832 Bekol A841 Bajue A842 Koonzime
A90	A91 Kwakum A92a Pol A92b Pomo A93 Kako

Zone B

B10	B11a Mpongwe B11b Rongo B11c Galwa B11d Dyumba B11e Nkomi
B20	B21 Sekiyani B22a West Kele B22b Ngom B22c Bubi B23 Mbangwe B24 Wumbvu B25 Kota [B201 Ndasa B202 Sighu B203 Sama B204 Ndambomo B205 Metombola B221 Molengue B251 Shake B252 Mahongwe
B30	B31 Tsogo B32 Kande [B301 Viya B302 Himbaka B303 Bongwe B304 Pinzi B305 Vove
B40	B41 Sira B42 Sangu B43 Punu B44 Lumbu [B401 Bwisi B402 Varama B403 Vungu B404 Ngubi B411 Bwali
B50	B51 Duma B52 Nzebi B53 Tsaangi [B501 Wanzi B502 Mwele B503 Vili
B60	B61 Mbete B62 Mbaama B63 Nduumo [B602 Kaning'i B603 Yangho (spurious)
B70	B71a Tege-Kali B71b Njiningi B72a Ngungwele B72b Mpumpu B73a Tsaayi B73b Laali B73c Yaa B73d Kwe B74a Ndzindziu B74b Boma B75 Bali B76a Musieno B76b Ngee B77a Kukwa B77b Fumu B78 Wuumu [B701 Tsitsege
B80	B81 Tiene B82 Boma B83 Mfinu B84a[84] Mpuon B84b[84] Mpuun B85a Mbiem B85b East Yans B85c Yeei B85d Ntsuo B85e Mpur B86 Di B87[84] Mbuun [B821 Mpe B822 Nunu B861 Ngul (Ngwi) B862 Lwel B863 Mpiin B864 West Ngongo B865 Nzadi

Italics indicate extinct languages.
Languages between parentheses are varieties of the language on their left.

The Guthrie classification is geographic and its groupings do not imply a relationship between the languages within them.

Narrow Bantu languages by Guthrie classification zone templates: Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones A–B); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones C–D); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones E–H); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones J–M); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones N–S)