The Tai Dam language is similar to Thai and Lao (including Isan), but it is not close enough to be readily understood by most Thai and Lao (Isan) speakers. In particular, the Khmer, Pali and Sanskrit additions to Thai and Lao (Isan) are largely missing from Tai Dam.[2]
Geographical distribution
Tai Dam is spoken in Vietnam, China, Laos, and Thailand. In central and western Thailand, it is known as Thai Song.
Tai Dam speakers in China are classified as part of the Dai nationality along with almost all the other Tai peoples. But in Vietnam they are given their own nationality (with the White Tai) where they are classified (confusingly for English speakers) as the Thái nationality (meaning Tai people).
In China, Tai Dam (Chinese: 傣朗姆) people are located in the following townships of Yunnan, with about 20,000 people in Yunnan (Gao 1999).[3]
Maguan County 马关县: Muchang Township 木厂乡, Dalishu Township 大栗树乡, and Pojiao Township 坡脚乡
Wenshan County 文山县: Dehou Township 德厚乡, Panzhihua Township 攀枝花乡
Hekou County 河口县: Qiaotou Town 桥头镇 (in Baihei Village 白黑村 and Gantianzhai 甘田寨)
Yuanjiang County 元江县: Dashuiping Township 大水平乡 (in Gaozhai 高寨 and Yangmahe 养马河)
Official status
In Vietnam, all Tai peoples are taught a standardized Tai language based on the Tai Dam language, using the standardized Tai Viet script.[4]
Sounds /b/ and /d/ can fluctuate to voiced implosive sounds [ɓ], [ɗ]. /d/ may also fluctuate to a lateral sound [l]. /v/ can fluctuate to sounds [b~ɓ].
In some rare cases /j/ can be realized as a [z] sound.
The Khmer, Pali and Sanskrit additions to Thai and Lao (Isan) are generally absent from Tai Dam.[2] Tai Dam lacks many of the Khmer and Indic (via Khmer) loanwords found in Thai, Lao and Isan.
Lack of Khmer and Indic (via Khmer) loan words in Tai Dam
^1 Khmer tônlé generally signifies 'lake' or 'large canal'. Similarly, the Tai Dam term for the sea means 'large lake'.
^2 Sanskrit source of following Khmer word. Thai and Lao adopted Sanskrit terms via Khmer, but restored their vowels pronunciations.
^3 The term rak was borrowed from Proto-Mon-Khmer *r[a]k meaning 'to love, beloved, dear' although now the term raek means 'friendly, cordial, pleasant; intimate, affectionate' in modern Khmer.
Grammar
Pronouns
Pronoun
Formal
Informal
I
ꪄ꫁ꪮꪤ (xɔy3)
ꪀꪴ (ku1)
We
ꪏꪴꪙ ꪄ꫁ꪮꪤ (sun4 xɔy3)
ꪏꪴꪣ ꪠꪴ (sum4 fu1)
You
ꪹꪊ꫁ꪱ (caw3)
ꪣꪳꪉ (mueng4)
You (plural)
ꪏꪴꪙ ꪹꪊ꫁ꪱ (sun4 caw3)
ꪎꪴ (su1)
He/ she
ꪹꪝ꪿ꪙ (puean5)
ꪣꪽ (man4)
They
ꪏꪴꪙ ꪹꪝ꪿ꪙ (sun4 puean5)
ꪹꪎꪱ (saw1)
For the word "I"
When addressing parents the word ꪩꪴ꪿ꪀ (luk5) is used instead.
When addressing grandparents the word ꪨꪰꪣ (lam1) is used instead.
Pronoun
Formal
Informal
My
ꪄꪮꪉ ꪄ꫁ꪮꪤ (xɔng1 xɔy3)
ꪄꪮꪉ ꪀꪴ (xɔng1 ku1)
Our
ꪄꪮꪉ ꪏꪴꪙ ꪄ꫁ꪮꪤ (xɔng1 sun4 xɔy3)
ꪄꪮꪉ ꪏꪴꪣ ꪠꪴ (xɔng1 sum4 fu1)
Your
ꪄꪮꪉ ꪹꪊ꫁ꪱ (xɔng1 caw3)
ꪄꪮꪉ ꪣꪳꪉ (xɔng1 mueng4)
Your (plural)
ꪄꪮꪉ ꪏꪴꪙ ꪹꪊ꫁ꪱ (xɔng1 sun4 caw3)
ꪄꪮꪉ ꪎꪴ (xɔng1 su1)
His/ her
ꪄꪮꪉ ꪹꪝ꪿ꪙ (xɔng1 puean5)
ꪄꪮꪉ ꪣꪽ (xɔng1 man4)
Their
ꪄꪮꪉ ꪏꪴꪙ ꪹꪝ꪿ꪙ (xɔng1 sun4 puean5)
ꪄꪮꪉ ꪹꪎꪱ (xɔng1 saw1)
For the word "my"
When addressing parents the word ꪄꪮꪉ ꪩꪴ꪿ꪀ (xɔng1 luk5) is used instead.
When addressing grandparents the word ꪄꪮꪉ ꪨꪰꪣ (xɔng1 lam1) is used instead.
Syntax
Tai Dam uses an SVO word order.
Writing system
A text in Tai Viet scriptTai Dam Manuscript
The Tai Dam language has its own system of writing, called Tai Viet, which consists of 31 consonants and 14 vowels. At the beginning, there was no tone marker although the language is tonal. Tone markers emerge in the 1970s in two sets: combining marks like Thai/Lao, and modifiers like New Tai Lue/Tai Nuea which are now less popular. According to Thai authors, the writing system is probably derived from the old Thai writing of the kingdom of Sukhotai.[2]
