Kwakum (A91, ISO 639-3 kwu, glottocode kwak1266) is a cluster of Bantu language varieties spoken in the East Province of Cameroon. Ethnologue distinguishes four dialects: Baki, Betɛn, Til and Kwakum, which is the focus of this description. There is a high degree of intelligibility between Kwakum and Til, whereas dialectal variation is stronger between Kwakum, Baki and Betɛn. The Kwakum variety discussed in this chapter is spoken in the Doume sub-division. It is referred to by its speakers as Kwàkúm. Kwakum is in many ways typologically unusual for a Bantu language. In order to characterise the structure of the language within the available space limits, we had to concentrate heavily on the morphology and the tone system. The morphological sections do contain quite a lot of syntactic information. A more thorough analysis of the syntax and segmental phonology of Kwakum is provided in Elisabeth Njantcho’s doctoral dissertation.
