Kom

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A language of Cameroon

ISO 639-3
bkm
Alternate Names
Bamekon, Bikom, Kong, Nkom
Population

233,000 (2005 CABTAL), increasing. 30% monolingual. Ethnic population: 233,000.

Location

North West Region, south Boyo division, southeast of Wum town, northeast of Bamenda city. 20,000 in major urban centers.

Language Maps
Language Status

4 (Educational).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Wide Grassfields, Narrow Grassfields, Ring, Center
Dialects

Mbizenaku (Itangimbesa, Mbesa).

Typology

Tonal

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. Oral use in local administration, church, commerce, written use in church, letters. All ages. Very positive attitudes. Also use Cameroon Pidgin [wes], English [eng], French [fra], Bum [bmv], Babanki [bbk], Mmen [bfm], Oku [oku], Lamnso’ [lns].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 10%. Literacy rate in L2: 30%. 5% can write Kom. 35 out of 90 schools have bilingual education. A few high schools have Kom language clubs, and Kom is a subject in extracurricular activities. Poetry. New media. Radio programs. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 2004.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kom
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Christian, traditional religion.