Pökoot

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A language of Kenya

ISO 639-3
pko
Alternate Names
Pakot, Pokot, Pökot, Suk, ng’ala Pokot
Autonym
ngala Pökot
User Population

778,000 in Kenya (2019 census), increasing, based on ethnicity. Total users in all countries: 883,000.

Location

Baringo, Turkana and West Pokot counties; Nakuru and Nyandarua counties: northeast of Nakuru town.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Nilo-Saharan, Satellite-Core, Core, Eastern Sudanic, Southern (n languages), Nilotic, Southern, Kalenjin, Pokot
Dialects

East Pokot, West Pokot. A member of macrolanguage Kalenjin [kln].

Language Use

Vigorous. Home, social gatherings. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use English [eng], especially for education and communication with outsiders. Also use Swahili [swh], especially for education and communication with outsiders. Used as L2 by Turkana [tuv].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 15%–25%. Efforts underway to develop functional literacy in Pökoot for all ages. Literature. Radio. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 2009.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Pökoot
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Seminomadic. Traditional religion, Christian.

Also spoken in:

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