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Language Family

Tai

Eurasian Language Families

The Tai languages, also known as Zhuang-Tai and Daic languages, are a branch of the Kra-Dai language family. They include the most widely spoken of the Tai-Kadai languages: Standard Thai, the national language of Thailand; Lao, the national language of Laos; Myanmar's Shan language; and Zhuang, a major language of southwestern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region spoken by the Zhuang people, the largest minority ethnic group in China with a population of 15.55 million, living mainly in Guangxi and scattered across Yunnan, Guangdong, Guizhou and Hunan provinces.

Facts
Region
Mainland Southeast Asia, where Standard Thai and Lao are the national languages of Thailand and Laos, extending into Myanmar and into southern China, including Guangxi, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guizhou and Hunan. 1
Proto-Language Status
Proto-Tai has been reconstructed independently by Li Fang-Kuei in 1977 and by Pittayawat Pittayaporn in 2009. Proto-Southwestern Tai has also been reconstructed, by Li Fang-Kuei in 1977 and by Nanna L. Jonsson in 1991. 1
Connections

Includes

Lao, Languages
Source Wikipedia: Lao Language
In the Other Atlases

Cases Where Used

Zhuang

Also in Society and Culture Atlas: used in this subject.

Source Wikipedia: Zhuang peopleLead
Quote, Lead
The Zhuang ( ; Chinese: 壮族; pinyin: Zhuàngzú; Zhuang: Bouxcuengh, [poːu˦˨ ɕeŋ˧], Sawndip: 佈獞) are a Tai-speaking ethnic group who mostly live in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Southern China.

Found In

Asia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

East Asia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Southeast Asia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Wikipedia: Tai Languages
Wikimedia Foundation
  • lead paragraph, second sentence
    Standard Thai, or Siamese, the national language of Thailand; Lao or Laotian, the national language of Laos
  • Reconstruction section
    Proto-Tai has been reconstructed in 1977 by Li Fang-Kuei and by Pittayawat Pittayaporn in 2009. Proto-Southwestern Tai has also been reconstructed in 1977 by Li Fang-Kuei and by Nanna L. Jonsson in 1991.
View the Source
Wikidata: Tai
Wikidata Q749720, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Wikipedia: Lao Language
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Lao, Infobox, Language family
Quote, Includes: Lao, Infobox, Language family
Tai
View the Source
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