Questions and answers
1) Why should I learn to speak and understand Isaan Thai?
2) Isn't the language Isaan people speak just Lao?
3) Just how different is the Isaan Thai language to Central Thai?
4) Just how different is Isaan Thai to Lao?
1) Why should I learn to speak and understand Isaan Thai
Central Thai is the official language that is used by government and mass media, and the language that is taught in schools. However people from the North East of Thailand (Isaan) speak a language that has distinct differences to Central Thai. The differences are so great that anyone who has learnt Central Thai will have great difficulty in understanding and communicating with people from Isaan. This is because their language of first choice, and the language they speak to each other, is IsaanThai.
Isaan people make up 35% of Thailand population.They are widely dispersed throughout Thailand, and a very high percentage work in the tourist related industries in Bangkok and the major tourist resorts in search of work. Wherever you go, it’s highly likely the Thai you come in contact with is in fact an Isaan Thai, be it hotel staff, restaurant workers, taxi drivers, street vendor or bar girl.
To communicate effectively with Isaan people and understand what is being said, you need to be able to Speak Isaan Thai. This is particularly true if you are visiting or living in N.E Thailand.
2)Isn’t the language Isaan people speak just Lao?
Yes and no. Whilst the core elements of Isaan Thai originates from the Lao language, over the last 40 years or so there has been a significant Thai-ification of the language spoken by people from N.E Thailand. In Laos, the Lao language has also evolved from it's origins due to French, Vietnamese and Marxist - Leninst influences. As a result there is now some divergence between the Isaan Thai and Lao languages. Today, Isaan Thai is effectively made up of a mix of Lao, Central Thai and Isaan origin words and phrases.
Distinctions between what words constitutes Lao elements of the Isaan Thai language and what constitutes Thai is also blurred by the fact that Central Thai is a close cousin of its Lao counterpart. The origins of both languages are the same. Both Thai and Lao are members of the Thai half of the Kadai family of languages. As a consequence, both Central Thai and Lao feature common words, albeit with different word tones. Both languages also incorporate a significant number of words taken from Sanskrit (the classic language of India) and Pali (the vernacular language of Buddhism).
3) Just how different is the Isaan Thai language to Central Thai?
4) Just how different is Isaan Thai to Lao?
There are some significant differences between the Isaan Thai and Lao languages. Whilst Isaan Thai incorporates many words and characteristics common with the Lao language, learning Lao with the intention of speaking Isaan Thai is problematic for the reasons given below.
o Different written script: Isaan Thai uses the Central Thai script for spelling words.
o Different words in the Lao language: The Lao language contains many words not actively used in Isaan Thai.
o Different words in the Isaan Thai language: Isaan Thai contains many Central Thai words and phrases that do not feature in the Lao language.
o Different word tones: Both Isaan Thai and Lao are tonal languages where the tone of a word determines it’s meaning. The tone of words common to both Isaan Thai and Lao are pronounced with completely different tones in the vast majority of cases.
o Different number of tones: Isaan Thai features five tones; low, mid, high, rising, falling. Lao features six , two of which don't feature in the Isaan Thai language (although there is some debate on this. It has been argued that Northern Lao has 6 tones, the rest of the country 5). However, Vientiane Lao, the dialect most Lao books teach, is generally taught with 6 tones – low, mid, high, rising, low falling, and high falling.
The differences between Isaan Thai and Lao are such that Isaan Thai people struggle to understand what is being said when they visit Lao. Therefore, learning Lao with the intention of speaking Isaan Thai is not going to ensure that you are fully understood in Isaan.
Still not convinced that you should learn Isaan Thai? Why not buy our Speak Thai book and DVD language learning solution instead?
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