Tai Laing language
Tai Laing, pronounced Tai Lai or regionally Tai Nai, is a Tai language of Burma, related to Khamti. It has its own script, and, though not taught in schools, is experiencing a cultural revival, albeit still small. There is no census of speakers, but they are estimated to number around 100,000.
| Tai Laing | |
|---|---|
| Tai Lai | |
| Tai Nai | |
| Native to | Burma |
| Region | Kengtung, Myitkyina |
Native speakers | 100,000 (2010)[1] |
Kra–Dai
| |
| Burmese script (historical) | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | tjl |
| Glottolog | tail1248 |
Names
Alternate names for Tai Laing are Red Tai, Shan Bamar, Shan Kalee, Shan Ni, Tai Laeng, Tai Lai, Tai Lang, Tai Nai, and Tai Naing (Ethnologue).
Distribution
Tai Laing is spoken in Homalin Township, Sagaing Region, along the Chindwin, Irrawaddy, and Uru rivers. It is also spoken in Kachin State from Bhamo to Myitkyina townships (Ethnologue).
Dialects
There are two subgroups of Tai Laing, namely Tai Nai and Tai Lai. The Tai Nai live along the railway line between Myitkyina and Mandalay. The Tai Lai live along the river south of Myitkyina (Ethnologue).