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Kom

A language of Cameroon

ISO 639-3: bkm

Population	233,000 (2005), increasing. 30% monolingual. Ethnic population: 232,600.
Region	North West Province, south Boyo Division; 20,000 in major urban centers.
Language map	Southwestern Cameroon, Enlarged Area, reference number 127
Alternate names	Bamekon, Bikom, Kong, Nkom
Dialects	Mbizenaku (Mbesa, Itangimbesa).
Classification	Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Wide Grassfields, Narrow Grassfields, Ring, Center
Language use	Vigorous. Used by speakers of many other languages (Aghem [agq], Arbore [arv], Babanki [bbk], Bum [bmv], Bussa [dox], Dirasha [gdl], Gawwada [gwd], Koma [kmy], Komo [kmw], Laimbue [lmx], Lengola [lej], Mmen [bfm], Noone [nhu], Ntcham [bud], Tsamai [tsb]). All domains. Oral use in local administration, religious services, commerce, radio programs; written use in church, letters, and primary schools. All ages. Very positive. Also use Cameroon Pidgin [wes], English, French, Bum, Babanki, Mmen, Oku [oku], Lamnso’ [lns].
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 10%. Literacy rate in L2: English 25%–30%, French 5%–10%, Pidgin English 1%–3%. 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. Radio programs. NT: 2005.
Writing system	Latin script.
Comments	Tonal. Agriculturalists. Traditional religion, Christian.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

Jones, Randy, compiler. 2001. Provisional Kom - English lexcion.  

Loh, Pius, Francis Nkuo, and George Shultz. 1989. "Cameroon: an experiment in literacy teaching: how mother-tongue learning aids literacy."

Trudell, Barbara Louise. 2004. The power of the local: education choices and language maintenance among the Bafut, Kom and Nso' communities of Northwest Cameroon.

Trudell, Barbara. 2005. "Language choice, education and community identity."

Trudell, Barbara. 2006. "Language development and social uses of literacy: a study of literacy practices in Cameroonian minority language communities."

Trudell, Barbara. 2006. "Local agency in the development of minority languages: three language committees in Northwest Cameroon."

Trudell, Barbara. 2007. "Local community perspectives and language of education in sub-Saharan African communities."

Trudell, Barbara. 2008. "Language, literacy and equality: minority language communities in the Cameroon."

Vernacular Publications

Agvɨl a to-o. 2001.

Ghesɨ̀nà ye’i itaŋikom 2. 1997.

Ghesɨ̀nà yeʼi itaŋikom 1. 1984.

Ghesɨ̀nà yeʼi itaŋikom 3. 1992.

Guide to the Kom alphabet. 1984.

Guide to the Kom alphabet: Kom language reading and writing book. 1992.

Ikoʼi zɨ̀ a ghɨ n-toŋtɨ na AIDS nɨn ghɨ ghà?. 1999.

Itaŋikom i tɨmlɨnɨ-i 1, 2. 1997.

Itaŋikom i tɨmlɨnɨ-i 3. 2000.

Kɨtî̶ woyn kom 1. 2008.

Ŋwàʼlɨ̀ àkòyn 1. 1993.

Ŋwàʼlɨ̀ Akòyn 2. 2002.

Ŋwà'lì̵ mìlò'òlò'ò mì̵ Kòm (Kom sweet nectar book). 2007.

Ŋwàˀlì̵ mìlòˀòlòˀò mì̵ Kòm 2 (Kom sweet nectar book 2). 2007.

Tɨsaʼ tsɨ̀tɨ a ka ghesɨ̀nà na lemà sɨ na tôʼnɨ̀ nɨ̀ mɨ̀fî mzɨ̀ a mɨ̀ zuetɨ ɨfwo vzɨ̀ a wu n-bebsɨ ngoèsɨ ɨfwo a ghesɨ̀nà a gvêynsɨ̀. 1992.