Thai language

Languages and dialects

Standard Thai, also known as Central Thai or Siamese, is the official language of Thailand, spoken by about 25 million people (1990) including speakers of Bangkok Thai (although the latter is sometimes considered as a separate dialect). Khorat Thai is spoken by about 400,000 (1984) in Nakhon Ratchasima; it occupies a linguistic position somewhere between Central Thai and Isan on a dialect continuum, and may be considered a variant or dialect of either.

Related Topics:
Official language - Khorat Thai - Nakhon Ratchasima - Isan - Dialect continuum - Variant - Dialect

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In addition to Standard Thai, Thailand is home to several other related Tai languages, including:

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• Isan (Northeastern Thai), the language of the Isan region of Thailand, is considered by some to be a dialect of the Lao language, which it closely resembles. It is spoken by about 15 million people (1983).
• Lü (Tai Lue, Dai), spoken by about 78,000 (1993) in northern Thailand.
• Northern Thai (Lanna, Kam Mueang, or Tai Yuan), spoken by about 6 million (1983).
• Phuan, spoken by an unknown number of people in central Thailand and Isan.
• Phu Thai, spoken by about 156,000 around Nakhon Phanom province (1993).
• Shan (Thai Luang, Tai Long), spoken by about 56,000 in north-west Thailand (1993).
• Song, spoken by about 20,000 to 30,000 in central and northern Thailand(1982).
• Southern Thai (Pak Dtai or Dambro), spoken about 5 million (1990).
• Tai Dam, spoken by about 20,000 (1991) in Isan and Saraburi province.

Statistics are from Ethnologue 2003-10-4.

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Many of these languages are spoken by larger numbers outside Thailand. Most speakers of dialects and minority languages speak Central Thai in addition.

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Standard Thai is composed of several distinct registers, forms for different social contexts:

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• Street Thai: informal, without polite terms of address, as used between close relatives and friends.(ภาษาพูด)
• Elegant Thai: official and written version, includes respectful terms of address; used in simplified form in newspapers.(ภาษาเขียน)
• Rhetorical Thai: used for public speaking.
• Sacred Thai.
• Royal Thai. (ราชาศัพท์)

Less-educated Thais can speak only at the first level. Few can speak the Sacred or Royal forms.

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