Boko

A language of Benin

Bo’o, Bokonya

Autonym

Bòó

User Population

100,000 in Benin (2013 R. Jones). 28,800 monolinguals. Total users in all countries: 150,000.

Location

Alibori and Borgou departments: Kalale and Segbana communes.

Language Maps

5 (Developing).

Niger-Congo, Mande, Eastern, Eastern, Busa

Dialects

None known. Lexical similarity: 87% with Bisã [bqp], 89% with Bokobaru [bus], 62% with Shanga [sho], 59% with Kyanga [tye], 62% with Bisa [bib] in Burkina Faso and Ghana.

Typology

SOV; noun heads initial; up to 5 suffixes on verb; postpositions; logophoricity; 4 level tones; CV, CVV, CCV.

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Baatonum [bba]. Also use French [fra]. Also use Hausa [hau]. Also use Yoruba [yor]. Used as L2 by Mokole [mkl].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 10%. Literacy rate in L2: 6%. Literature. Radio. Dictionary. Texts. Bible: 1992–2010.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Boko

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Muslim, traditional religion.