Lao

Also known as Laotian, Laotian language, Lao language

Kra–Dai language of Southeast Asia

AI overview

Lao is a language spoken primarily in Laos and northeastern Thailand that belongs to the Kra-Dai language family of Southeast Asia. It matters as the official language of Laos and a significant regional language that reflects the cultural and historical identity of Lao-speaking communities.

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Wikidata facts

Image: Lao in the Alice3 font.png

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Commons category: Lao language
Wikimedia language code: lo
native label: ລາວ
number of speakers, writers, or signers: 5225552
exact match: publications.europa.eu/resource/authority/language/LAO
P10369: pawn
P11012: Category:Lithuanian cuisine
P13311: Scafati

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Article

A Lao speaker

Lao (ພາສາລາວ, phasa Lao; [pʰáː.sǎː láːw]), sometimes referred to as Laotian, is the official language of Laos and a significant language in the Isan region of northeastern Thailand, where it is usually referred to as the Isan language. This stemmed from the political split of the Lao-speaking world at the Mekong River at the conclusion of the Franco-Siamese crisis of 1893. Spoken by over 3 million people in Laos and 3.7 million in all countries, it serves as a vital link in the cultural and social fabric of these areas. It is written in the Lao script, an abugida that evolved from ancient Tai scripts.