Lao language, also called Laotian, one of the Tai languages of Southeast Asia, and the official language of Laos. Lao occurs in various dialects, which differ among themselves at least as much as Lao as a group differs from the Tai dialects of northeastern Thailand.

Are people from Laos called Lao or Laotian?

A common mistake is to call people from Laos 'Lao'. The correct term for people that live in Laos is 'Laotian'. The term 'indigenous peoples' is not used by the Laotian government. Instead, they refer to non-Lao people as 'ethnic minorities'.

How many languages does Laos have?

Lao, also called Laotian, is the official as well as the dominant language in Laos. Migration and conflict have resulted in the present ethnic composition of Laos and to the geographical diffusion of its ethnic groups. 86 languages have so far been documented in the country as used by its various ethnic groups.

Can KHMU understand Lao?

The Khmu of Laos, for example, speak Lao when dealing with government officials, engaging in commerce with the lowland Lao, or if attending school. Trade with other highland groups may necessitate knowledge of additional languages, such as Hmong, unless Lao can be used a lingua franca by both groups.

Is Laotian similar to Thai?

Lao and Thai languages are very similar to each other. In fact, the two languages are linguistically similar, though their writing script varies a bit. Thai is the native language of Thailand and is spoken in minority in Cambodia. ... Hence, the people in Laos are very familiar with the Thai language.

Is the Lao language similar to Thai

Where is Laotian?

Laos, landlocked country of northeast-central mainland Southeast Asia. It consists of an irregularly round portion in the north that narrows into a peninsula-like region stretching to the southeast. Overall, the country extends about 650 miles (1,050 km) from northwest to southeast.

Does Laos speak English?

Lao is the official and the most widely spoken language of Laos. ... 86 languages have so far been documented in the country as used by its various ethnic groups. French and English are identified as minority languages in Laos.

Do Laos speak French?

French is spoken by a significant minority in Laos. Laos has the second largest Francophone community in Southeast Asia, the others being found in Vietnam and Cambodia. French is used as a diplomatic and commercial language and is also studied by over a third of students in Laos.

How different are Lao and Thai?

When it comes to tones, the two differ quite a bit. While Thai uses five tones, Laos uses six. The tones in Lao are also different from those in Thai, where Thai has low, mid, high, rising, and falling tones, Lao has mid, high, rising, low falling, and high falling tones.

Is Lao hard to learn?

Lao does not take really long to learn (compared to other languages that might take many years or decades). ... Both Lao and Thai are from the Tai-kadai language class, so by learning Lao first as the foundation, you'll be able to understand a variety of Lao regional dialects and Thai quicker.

What is the meaning of Laotian?

1 : a native or inhabitant of Laos also : lao sense 1.

Where did Laotian people come from?

The Lao people were a tribe originally from Yunnan, China, who were pushed south to the border of the Khmer empire in the 13th century. The first Lao kingdom, called Lan Xang or “land of the million elephants,” was founded by Fa Ngum in 1353.

Is Lao in Thailand?

Laos, officially known as the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), is one of the most peaceful and least explored nations in Southeast Asia. A mountainous and landlocked country, Laos shares borders with Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, Thailand to the west, and Myanmar and China to the north.

Is Lao similar to Vietnamese?

It is a tonal and analytic language, similar to other Kra-Dai languages as well as to Chinese and Vietnamese. ... These languages are written with slightly different scripts but are linguistically similar and effectively form a dialect continuum.

What country speaks Laotian?

Lao language, also called Laotian, one of the Tai languages of Southeast Asia, and the official language of Laos. Lao occurs in various dialects, which differ among themselves at least as much as Lao as a group differs from the Tai dialects of northeastern Thailand.

What race is Lao?

The Lao people are a Tai ethnic group native to Southeast Asia, who speak the eponymous language of the Kra–Dai languages, originating from present-day southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Laos, making up 53.2% of the total population.

Who colonized Laos?

The French protectorate of Laos was a French protectorate in Southeast Asia of what is today Laos between 1893 and 1953—with a brief interregnum as a Japanese puppet state in 1945—which constituted part of French Indochina.

Can Laos understand Thai?

– Thai Vs Lao Language: From a study by Chiang Mai University in Thailand, it was estimated that over 60% of the people of Laos, understand at least 60% of the Thai Language. So yes for the most part. ... In addition, to being close neighbours, Laos Language is heavily influenced by Thai media, music, books and culture.

Is Lao easier than Thai?

In terms of vocabulary both languages share a lot of vocabulary roots. However, Thai has more loanwords from Pali and Sanskrit than Lao does. In truth around 70% of the vocabulary is the same. ... Lao however is a simpler and more phonetic script and Thai is closer to the Sanskrit script.

What language family does Burmese belong to?

Burmese and most of the other languages belong to the Tibeto-Burman subfamily of Sino-Tibetan languages. The Shan language belongs to the Tai family. Languages spoken by the Mon of southern Myanmar and by the Wa and Palaung of the Shan Plateau are members of the Mon-Khmer subfamily of Austroasiatic languages.