Kako language

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Kako (also Mkako) is a Bantu language spoken mainly in Cameroon, with some speakers in the Central African Republic and the Republic of the Congo. In Cameroon, most Kako speakers live in the East Region, especially Batouri and Ndélélé.

Family and varieties:
- Kako is part of the Niger-Congo language family, within Bantu.
- There are three closely related, mutually intelligible dialects:
- eastern Bεra (Bèra) near the Cameroon–CAR border
- middle Mgbwako (Mgbako) around Batouri
- western Mbo-Ndjo'o (Mbo-Ndjokou) around Bertoua-Doumé
The biggest differences are between eastern Bεra and western Mbo-Ndjo'o; Mgbwako is in between.

Other names and similarities:
- Other names: Bo-Rong, Lossou, Ngwendjè, Mbéssembo.
- The Seki language in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea is very similar to Kako.
- Some Kako communities in Kadey south of Batouri stayed; others shifted to a Gbaya language (Dóóka).

Geography and history:
- Kako is spoken in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and the Republic of the Congo. A small group has moved to Gabon (Batouri–Mbitam area).
- Kako has borrowed many words from Gbaya languages due to long contact.

Writing system:
- There are two alphabets, one for East Kako and one for West Kako.
- East Kako marks nasal vowels with a cedilla: a̧, ɛ̧, i̧, o̧, u̧. West Kako uses: a̧, i̧, u̧.
- Tones are usually not marked, but grammatical tone can be shown with accents when needed.

Number of speakers:
- Estimates vary, but there are roughly between 70,000 and 120,000 native speakers.