Mpo Language
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Mpumpong (Mpongmpong) is a
Bantu language The Bantu languages (English: , Proto-Bantu language, Proto-Bantu: *bantʊ̀), or Ntu languages are a language family of about 600 languages of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern, East Africa, Eastern and Southeast Africa, South ...
of Cameroon. Maho (2009) considers Mpiemo to be a dialect. The digraph is pronounced like an English ''p''.


Varieties

Varieties of Mpo are Mezime, Mpobyáng, Mpopó, Bagéto, Kunabeeb, Mpyámó, Mpomam, Esel, and Bijugi. There is intermediate intercomprehension among these language varieties. Mpo is closely related to
Nzime The Nzime are a Bantu ethnic group inhabiting the rain forest zone of southeastern Cameroon. The Nzime live along the road running south of Abong-Mbang, through Mindourou and Lomié, and forking to Zoulabot and Zwadiba. Their territory lies ...
. According to certain Mpobyáng speakers, notably from the villages of Mpak and Zumzazó in the arrondissement of
Abong-Mbang Abong-Mbang is a town and commune in the Haut-Nyong department, East Region of Cameroon. Abong-Mbang is located at a crossroads of National Route 10 and the road that leads south to Lomié. Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, is 178 km to th ...
, department of
Haut-Nyong Haut-Nyong is a department of East Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 36,384 km and as of 2001 had a total population of 216,768. The capital of the department lies at Abong-Mbang. Subdivisions The department is divide ...
, Eastern Region, Mpo is the eponymous ancestor of the various Mezime clans: *Byon (commune of
Abong-Mbang Abong-Mbang is a town and commune in the Haut-Nyong department, East Region of Cameroon. Abong-Mbang is located at a crossroads of National Route 10 and the road that leads south to Lomié. Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, is 178 km to th ...
,
Haut-Nyong Haut-Nyong is a department of East Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 36,384 km and as of 2001 had a total population of 216,768. The capital of the department lies at Abong-Mbang. Subdivisions The department is divide ...
department, Eastern Region) *Mpopyeet (commune of Mbang,
Kadey Kadey (also spelled Kadéï, Kadéi, Kadeï or Kadei) is a department of East Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 15,884 km and as of 2001 had a total population of 192,927. The capital of the department lies at Batouri. Su ...
department) *Mpopó (commune of
Yokadouma Yokadouma is a town and Catholic bishopric in eastern Cameroon, lying near the border with the Central African Republic. It was an early French administrative centre. During the colonial period, Yokadouma was the centre for a widespread but ill-f ...
, department of
Boumba-et-Ngoko Boumba-et-Ngoko is a department of East Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 30,389 km and as of 2001 had a total population of 116,702. The capital of the department lies at Yokadouma. Subdivisions The department is div ...
, Eastern Region) *Kunabeeb (commune of
Yokadouma Yokadouma is a town and Catholic bishopric in eastern Cameroon, lying near the border with the Central African Republic. It was an early French administrative centre. During the colonial period, Yokadouma was the centre for a widespread but ill-f ...
, department of
Boumba-et-Ngoko Boumba-et-Ngoko is a department of East Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 30,389 km and as of 2001 had a total population of 116,702. The capital of the department lies at Yokadouma. Subdivisions The department is div ...
, Eastern Region) *Mpyámo (commune of
Yokadouma Yokadouma is a town and Catholic bishopric in eastern Cameroon, lying near the border with the Central African Republic. It was an early French administrative centre. During the colonial period, Yokadouma was the centre for a widespread but ill-f ...
, department of
Boumba-et-Ngoko Boumba-et-Ngoko is a department of East Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 30,389 km and as of 2001 had a total population of 116,702. The capital of the department lies at Yokadouma. Subdivisions The department is div ...
, Eastern Region) *Mpomam (communes of
Lomié Lomié is a town in the Lomié District in the Upper Nyong division of the East Province of Cameroon. An article in the ''Mail & Guardian Online'' describes it as having "no telephone connection to the outside world, and a single access road that ...
and
Ngoïla Ngoila, also spelled Ngoyla and Ngoida, is a village in the East Province of Cameroon, located at 2.617° N, 14.017° E. The primary ethnic group is the Njem. Ngoila is the capital of the Ngoila subdivision of the Haut-Nyong division. See also ...
, department of
Haut-Nyong Haut-Nyong is a department of East Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 36,384 km and as of 2001 had a total population of 216,768. The capital of the department lies at Abong-Mbang. Subdivisions The department is divide ...
, Eastern Region) Each clan bears the name of one of the eight sons of Mpo; Esál and Bijugi would have appeared later in the genealogy. Mpo occupies much of the southeastern corner of Cameroon, i.e. most of
Boumba-et-Ngoko Boumba-et-Ngoko is a department of East Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 30,389 km and as of 2001 had a total population of 116,702. The capital of the department lies at Yokadouma. Subdivisions The department is div ...
department and the southern edge of
Kadey Kadey (also spelled Kadéï, Kadéi, Kadeï or Kadei) is a department of East Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 15,884 km and as of 2001 had a total population of 192,927. The capital of the department lies at Batouri. Su ...
department. Mezime (Medjime) and Bagéto (Bangantou) live in the southern part of Mbang commune (department of
Kadey Kadey (also spelled Kadéï, Kadéi, Kadeï or Kadei) is a department of East Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 15,884 km and as of 2001 had a total population of 192,927. The capital of the department lies at Batouri. Su ...
), respectively to the west and east of the main town of Mbang. All other groups live in the department of
Boumba-et-Ngoko Boumba-et-Ngoko is a department of East Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 30,389 km and as of 2001 had a total population of 116,702. The capital of the department lies at Yokadouma. Subdivisions The department is div ...
(Eastern Region): *The Mpyámo (Mbimou) live in the commune of
Gari-Gombo Gari-Gombo is a town and commune in Cameroon. See also * Communes of Cameroon The Divisions of Cameroon are the third-level units of administration in Cameroon. They are organised by divisions and sub divisions of each province (now Region ...
along the road from Gribi to
Yokadouma Yokadouma is a town and Catholic bishopric in eastern Cameroon, lying near the border with the Central African Republic. It was an early French administrative centre. During the colonial period, Yokadouma was the centre for a widespread but ill-f ...
. *The Mpopó (Mbombo) live to the west and immediately south of the main town of
Yokadouma Yokadouma is a town and Catholic bishopric in eastern Cameroon, lying near the border with the Central African Republic. It was an early French administrative centre. During the colonial period, Yokadouma was the centre for a widespread but ill-f ...
. *The Bijugi (Bidjouki) live to the east of the main town of
Yokadouma Yokadouma is a town and Catholic bishopric in eastern Cameroon, lying near the border with the Central African Republic. It was an early French administrative centre. During the colonial period, Yokadouma was the centre for a widespread but ill-f ...
. *The Kunabeeb (Konabembé) live to the south of the main town of
Yokadouma Yokadouma is a town and Catholic bishopric in eastern Cameroon, lying near the border with the Central African Republic. It was an early French administrative centre. During the colonial period, Yokadouma was the centre for a widespread but ill-f ...
. In the commune of
Moloundou Moloundou is a town and ''arrondissement'' (district) in the Boumba-et-Ngoko Division of southeastern Cameroon's East Province. Moloundou sits on the north bank of the Dja River, also known as the ''Ngoko River'', which forms the Cameroon–Rep ...
, there are the Mpomam (Boman) to the north, the Esál (Essel) to the east along the Ngoko River, and the Kunabeeb to the west along the Dja River. The local government administration has sometimes confused the name "Bangantou" with the Mpo-speaking Bageto (in the commune of Mbang) together with the
Ubangian The Ubangian languages form a diverse linkage of some seventy languages centered on the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They are the predominant languages of the CAR, spoken by 2–3 million people, including ...
-speaking Bangandu living north of
Moloundou Moloundou is a town and ''arrondissement'' (district) in the Boumba-et-Ngoko Division of southeastern Cameroon's East Province. Moloundou sits on the north bank of the Dja River, also known as the ''Ngoko River'', which forms the Cameroon–Rep ...
. The Mpo population is estimated at 45,000 speakers.


References

{{Narrow Bantu languages (Zones A–B) Languages of Cameroon Makaa-Njem languages