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<!DOCTYPE HTML> <html> <head> <title>Oroko language and alphabet</title> <meta name="copyright" content="Oroko is a Bantu language spoken mainly in the Southwest Region of Cameroon." />  <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-WB7PSHBG');</script>  <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.omniglot.com/images/logos/omniglot_thumbnail.jpg" /> <meta property="og:type" content="https://www.facebook.com/pg/Omniglot-100430558332117/posts/" /> <link href="/styles/style.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <script src="https://the.gatekeeperconsent.com/cmp.min.js" data-cfasync="false"></script> <script async src="//www.ezojs.com/ezoic/sa.min.js"></script> <script> window.ezstandalone = window.ezstandalone || {}; ezstandalone.cmd = ezstandalone.cmd || []; </script></head> <body> <div id="header"> <a id="top"></a>  <noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-WB7PSHBG" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <p><a href="/index.htm"><img src="/images/logos/header_omniglot.png" width="600" height="70" alt="Omniglot - the online encyclopedia of writing systems & languages" /></a></p> <ul> <li><a href="/index.htm">Home</a></li> <li><a href="/writing/index.htm">Alphabets</a></li> <li><a href="/conscripts/index.htm">Constructed scripts</a></li> <li><a href="/writing/languages.htm">Languages</a></li> <li><a href="/language/phrases/phraseindex.htm">Phrases</a></li> <li><a href="/language/numbers/index.htm">Numbers</a></li> <li><a href="/language/ml.htm">Multilingual Pages</a></li> <li><a href="/search.htm">Search</a></li> <li><a href="/news/index.htm">News</a></li> <li><a href="/about.htm">About</a></li> <li><a href="/contact.htm">Contact</a></li> </ul></div> <div id="bodybox"> <span style="text-align:center;"><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-162"></div> <script> ezstandalone.cmd.push(function() { ezstandalone.showAds(162); }); </script></span><div id="body"> <h1>Oroko</h1> <p>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. </p> <p><iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2034300.4824883447!2d8.000657804014674!3d5.224452687374149!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x1060c73a5f087d47%3A0xee0c09102e60f13!2sSouthwest%2C%20Cameroon!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1690978040259!5m2!1sen!2suk" width="400" height="300" style="border:0;" allowfullscreen="" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></iframe> </p> <p>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. </p> <p>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. </p> <h2>Oroko alphabet and pronunciation</h2> <p><img src="../images/writing/oroko.gif" width="584" height="384" alt="Oroko alphabet and pronunciation" /> </p> <h3>Note</h3> <p>Some versions of the Oroko alphabet use d, while others use ɗ. </p> <p><a href="../charts/oroko.xls">Download an alphabet chart for Oroko</a> (Excel) </p> <h2>Sample text</h2> <p>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. </p> <h3>Translation</h3> <p>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. </p> <p>Source: <em><a href="https://commons.und.edu/theses/4481/">Oroko orthography development: Linguistic and sociolinguistic factors</a></em> by Dan T. Friesen. </p> <h2>Sample videos in Oroko</h2> <div class="intrinsic-container intrinsic-container-16x9"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o2N1I3u6rKo" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> <div class="intrinsic-container intrinsic-container-16x9"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lrQES8sLwzQ" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> <div class="intrinsic-container intrinsic-container-16x9"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sETtYd_r2hQ" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> <h2>Links</h2> <p>Information about Oroko <br /> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oroko_language">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oroko_language</a><br /> <a href="http://abcwaoroko.blogspot.com/p/abc-chart.html">http://abcwaoroko.blogspot.com/p/abc-chart.html</a><br /> <a href="https://commons.und.edu/theses/4481/">https://commons.und.edu/theses/4481/</a><br /> <a href="https://www.ethnologue.com/language/bdu/">https://www.ethnologue.com/language/bdu/</a><br /> <a href="https://orokousa.org/danlisa-oroko-dialect/">https://orokousa.org/danlisa-oroko-dialect/</a> </p> <h2>Bantu languages</h2> <p><a href="/writing/bangi.htm">Bangi</a>, <a href="/writing/basaa.php">Basaa</a>, <a href="/writing/bemba.php">Bemba</a>, <a href="/writing/bena.htm">Bena</a>, <a href="/writing/benga.htm">Benga</a>, <a href="/writing/bhaca.htm">Bhaca</a>, <a href="/writing/bukusu.htm">Bukusu</a>, <a href="/writing/bulu.htm">Bulu</a>, <a href="/writing/centralteke.htm">Central Teke</a>, <a href="/writing/chichewa.php">Chichewa</a>, <a href="/writing/chokwe.htm">Chokwe</a>, <a href="/writing/chuwabu.htm">Chuwabu</a>, <a href="/writing/comorian.htm">Comorian</a>, <a href="/writing/digo.htm">Digo</a>, <a href="/writing/duala.php">Duala</a>, <a href="/writing/eton.htm">Eton</a>, <a href="/writing/ewondo.php">Ewondo</a>, <a href="/writing/fang.htm">Fang</a>, <a href="/writing/ganda.php">Ganda/Luganda</a>, <a href="/writing/gogo.htm">Gogo</a>, <a href="/writing/gusii.htm">Gusii</a>, <a href="/writing/gwere.htm">Gwere</a>, <a href="/writing/haya.htm">Haya</a>, <a href="/writing/hehe.htm">Hehe</a>, <a href="/writing/herero.php">Herero</a>, <a href="/writing/ibinda.htm">Ibinda</a>, <a href="/writing/ikizu.htm">Ikizu</a>, <a href="/writing/ikoma.htm">Ikoma</a>, <a href="/writing/jita.htm">Jita</a>, <a href="/writing/kamba.htm">Kamba</a>, <a href="/writing/kiga.htm">Kiga</a>, <a href="/writing/kikuyu.htm">Kikuyu</a>, <a href="/writing/kimbundu.htm">Kimbundu</a>, <a href="/writing/kinyarwanda.htm">Kinyarwanda</a>, <a href="/writing/kirundi.php">Kirundi</a>, <a href="/writing/kisi.htm">Kisi</a>, <a href="/writing/kongo.htm">Kongo</a>, <a href="/writing/konjo.htm">Konjo</a>, <a href="/writing/koti.htm">Koti</a>, <a href="/writing/kukuya.htm">Kukuya</a>, <a href="/writing/kunda.htm">Kunda</a>, <a href="/writing/kuria.htm">Kuria</a>, <a href="/writing/lambya.htm">Lambya</a>, <a href="/writing/lingala.htm">Lingala</a>, <a href="/writing/loma.htm">Loma</a>, <a href="/writing/lozi.htm">Lozi</a>, <a href="/writing/lubakatanga.htm">Luba-Katanga</a>, <a href="/writing/luchazi.htm">Luchazi</a>, <a href="/writing/lunda.htm">Lunda</a>, <a href="/writing/luvale.htm">Luvale</a>, <a href="/writing/makaa.htm">Makaa</a>, <a href="/writing/makonde.htm">Makonde</a>, <a href="/writing/makhuwa.php">Makhuwa</a>, <a href="/writing/nko.htm">Mandekan</a>, <a href="/writing/maore.htm">Maore</a>, <a href="/writing/masaaba.htm">Masaaba</a>, <a href="/writing/mbukushu.htm">Mbukushu</a>, <a href="/writing/mbunda.htm">Mbunda</a>, <a href="/writing/mende.htm">Mende</a>, <a href="/writing/mongo.htm">Mongo</a>, <a href="/writing/zigula.htm">Mushungulu</a>, <a href="/writing/mwani.htm">Mwani</a>, <a href="/writing/nambya.htm">Nambya</a>, <a href="/writing/nande.htm">Nande</a>, <a href="/writing/ngoni.htm">Ngoni</a>, <a href="/writing/nkore.htm">Nkore</a>, <a href="/writing/northteke.htm">North Teke</a>, <a href="/writing/northernndebele.htm">Northern Ndebele (South Africa)</a>, <a href="/writing/sindebele.htm">Northern Ndebele (Zimbabwe)</a>, <a href="/writing/nsotho.htm">Northern Sotho</a>, <a href="/writing/nyamwezi.htm">Nyamwezi</a>, <a href="/writing/nyakyusa.htm">Nyakyusa</a>, <a href="/writing/nyemba.htm">Nyemba</a>, <a href="/writing/nyole.htm">Nyole</a>, <a href="/writing/nyungwe.htm">Nyungwe</a>, <a href="/writing/nzadi.htm">Nzadi</a>, <a href="/writing/oroko.htm">Oroko</a>, <a href="/writing/oshiwambo.php">OshiWambo</a>, <a href="/writing/pagibete.htm">Pagibete</a>, <a href="/writing/punu.htm">Punu</a>, <a href="/writing/ronga.htm">Ronga</a>, <a href="/writing/safwa.htm">Safwa</a>, <a href="/writing/sena.htm">Sena</a>, <a href="/writing/sengele.htm">Sengele</a>, <a href="/writing/shona.php">Shona</a>, <a href="/writing/soga.htm">Soga</a>, <a href="/writing/songe.htm">Songe</a>, <a href="/writing/ndebele.php">Southern Ndebele</a>, <a href="/writing/sesotho.htm">Southern Sotho</a>, <a href="/writing/sukuma.htm">Sukuma</a>, <a href="/writing/swahili.htm">Swahili</a>, <a href="/writing/swati.php">Swati</a>, <a href="/writing/tanga.htm">Tanga</a>, <a href="/writing/tembo.htm">Tembo</a>, <a href="/writing/tonga.htm">Tonga</a>, <a href="/writing/tshiluba.php">Tshiluba</a>, <a href="/writing/tsonga.php">Tsonga</a>, <a href="/writing/tswa.htm">Tswa</a>, <a href="/writing/tswana.php">Tswana</a>, <a href="/writing/tumbuka.htm">Tumbuka</a>, <a href="/writing/umbundu.htm">Umbundu</a>, <a href="/writing/venda.htm">Venda</a>, <a href="/writing/vwanji.htm">Vwanji</a>, <a href="/writing/xhosa.htm">Xhosa</a>, <a href="/writing/yao.htm">Yao</a>, <a href="/writing/yasa.htm">Yasa</a>, <a href="/writing/zigula.htm">Zigula</a>, <a href="/writing/zinza.htm">Zinza</a>, <a href="/writing/zulu.htm">Zulu</a></p> <p><a href="/writing/langalph.htm#latin">Languages written with the Latin alphabet</a> </p><p><em>Page created: 02.08.23. 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