Oroko

Oroko is a Bantu language spoken by about 110,000 people in southern Cameroon, particularly in the Meme and Ndian divisions of the Southwest Region, and also in Kribi in ths South Region. Oroko is used by people of all ages, however children and young people are more likely to use Cameroon Pidgin, as that is the language of instruction in school, and many feel ashamed of their own language.

Oroko is also known as Balondo, Bakundu-Balue or Balundu-Bima. Dialects include Lokoko, Lokundu, Londo, Lolue, Lotanga, Bima, Ekombe, Mbonge and Longolo. They are more or less mutually intelligible.

Oroko can be written with the Latin alphabet. There are several different spelling systems. Oroko people are happy that their language is being written and taught in schools, however they do not wish it to slow their childrens' progess in English, which is perceived as the language of economic advancement and progress.

Oroko alphabet and pronunciation

Oroko alphabet and pronunciation

Note

Some versions of the Oroko alphabet use d, while others use ɗ.

Download an alphabet chart for Oroko (Excel)

Sample text

Ngɔ e laka mboli. One momana fɛ a lu ngɔ. A mo lua dikɛlɛ. A mo lua mboli. Nga a ma bula nina o maliba, e buleli ea a maliba ama “How?” Nga mɔ a mati dikɛlɛ or nga anji ngɔ a tombani monɛ ŋili maliba onɛ, mboli eni e ko da dikɛlɛ dini, kwɔta-kwɔta.

Translation

Everyone knows that leopards eat goats. Once there was a man who had a leopard, a plantain stalk and a goat. When he reached a stream, he wondered how he would cross. If he left the plantains and took the leopard across, the goat would eat the plantains and he would not have any plantains left.

Source: Oroko orthography development: Linguistic and sociolinguistic factors by Dan T. Friesen.

Sample videos in Oroko

Links

Information about Oroko
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oroko_language
http://abcwaoroko.blogspot.com/p/abc-chart.html
https://commons.und.edu/theses/4481/
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/bdu/
https://orokousa.org/danlisa-oroko-dialect/

Bantu languages

Bangi, Basaa, Bemba, Bena, Benga, Bhaca, Bukusu, Bulu, Central Teke, Chichewa, Chokwe, Chuwabu, Comorian, Digo, Duala, Eton, Ewondo, Fang, Ganda/Luganda, Gogo, Gusii, Gwere, Haya, Hehe, Herero, Ibinda, Ikizu, Jita, Kamba, Kiga, Kikuyu, Kimbundu, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Kisi, Kongo, Konjo, Koti, Kukuya, Kunda, Kuria, Lambya, Lingala, Loma, Lozi, Luba-Katanga, Luchazi, Lunda, Luvale, Makaa, Makonde, Makhuwa, Mandekan, Maore, Masaaba, Mbukushu, Mbunda, Mende, Mongo, Mushungulu, Mwani, Nambya, Nande, Nkore, North Teke, Northern Ndebele (South Africa), Northern Ndebele (Zimbabwe), Northern Sotho, Nyamwezi, Nyakyusa, Nyemba, Nyole, Nyungwe, Nzadi, Oroko, OshiWambo, Pagibete, Punu, Ronga, Safwa, Sena, Sengele, Shona, Soga, Songe, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Sukuma, Swahili, Swati, Tanga, Tembo, Tonga, Tshiluba, Tsonga, Tswa, Tswana, Tumbuka, Umbundu, Venda, Vwanji, Xhosa, Yao, Yasa, Zigula, Zinza, Zulu

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 02.08.23. Last modified: 04.08.23

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