Oku (əblam əbkwo)

Oku is a member of the Central Ring Grassfields group of Southern Bantoid languages. It is spoken by about 87,000 people in the southwest of the Bui Division of the North West Region of Cameroon.

Oku is also known as Ebkuo, Ekpwo, Ukfwo, Bvukoo or Kuɔ. Oku people call it əblam əbkwo ("language of the Oku"). It is closely related to Kom, Mbizenaku, Babanki and Lamnso, which are spoken nearby.

Oku can be written with the Latin alphabet, and there is a translation of the New Testament in the language. It is taught in some schools and used on one radio station. A grammar of the language was published in 2009.

Oku alphabet

Oku alphabet and alphabet and pronunciation

Notes

Oku has an acute accent (á) to mark high tones, and a grave accent (à) to mark low tones. There is also a mid tone and a falling tone, which are not always marked.

Download an Oku alphabet chart (Excel)

Sample text (The Lord's Prayer - Luke 11: 2-4)

  1. Əb suuy se ghene ge: Ghɛne loo jem, ghɛn yɛ suuy ge: Ba ə wɛs, nɛɛy é ghele yɛ ngvəmle ɛyghel ə yiɛ, nɛɛy é ɛysak ə yiɛ gwiy se ghele.
  2. Fó əbfua-əbyíɛ́ne se ghɛs kechii kejim,
  3. è lɛyse mbee ə sɛs, bek ge ghɛse lɛyse sɛ ghel ɛjime ghɛ ɛ́ jasen se ghɛs, Nɛɛy é ghɛs jia lii se ɛymomse.

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/2622/LUK.11.OKU

Translation

  1. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
  2. Give us day by day our daily bread.
  3. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/1/LUK.11.KJV

Sample video in Oku

See also: https://youtu.be/DB5PbpANCvk?si=PGGmZ3fAD_jpbLTt

Links

Information about Oku
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oku_language
http://olac.ldc.upenn.edu/language/oku
https://www.sil.org/resources/search/language/oku
https://www.researchkey.net/oku-phonology-and-its-impact-on-the-english-language/

Bantoid languages

Awing, Bafanji, Bamum, Bamunka, Feʼfeʼ, Ghomalaʼ, Kenswei Nsei, Limbum, Medumba, Mmen, Nso, Oku, Pinyin, Tiv, Vengo

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 12.12.23. Last modified: 13.12.23

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