태국 이산지방의 언어자료(영문)

 

 

Isan's total population as of 2000 was 20,825,000. 40% of the population is concentrated in the provinces of Khorat, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani and Khon Kaen. These provinces surround the four major cities of the same names; as of 2000, their populations were: Udon Thani 220,493; Khorat 204,391; Khon Kaen 141,034; and Ubon Ratchathani 106,552. However, as of 1996 only 6.3% of the region's population lived in municipal areas. Khon Kaen was the most urbanised province (with 12.4% in municipal areas), and Roi Et the least (2.8%). Thus, the population is still largely rural, but concentrated around the urban centres.

 

The main language of the region is Isan, which is a dialect of the Lao language. Northern Khmer, a dialect of the Khmer language of Cambodia, is also spoken in the southeast. Standard Thai is understood by everyone and is used for all official matters. The number of speakers of Isan has been estimated at between 15 million and 23 million, the majority of these being in Isan.

The Khorat dialect, spoken by around 400,000 people, occupies a linguistic position somewhere between Isan and standard Thai.

There is a substantial Khmer minority, concentrated in the southern provinces of Buriram, Surin, and Sisaket, and some Vietnamese refugees in Mukdahan and Nakhon Phanom.

Other languages spoken in Isan, mainly by tribal minorities, are as follows:

 

Language	Family	Speakers	Distribution
Aheu	Mon-Khmer	750	Sakon Nakhon
Eastern Bru	Mon-Khmer	5000	Sakon Nakhon
Western Bru	Mon-Khmer	20,000	Mukdahan, Amnatcharoen, Ubon
Khmer Surin	Mon-Khmer	1,000,000	Surin, Sisaket, Buriram, Khorat
Kuy	Mon-Khmer	300,000	Buriram, Surin, Sisaket, Ubon, Roi Et
Nyah Kur	Mon-Khmer	Unknown	Khorat, Chaiyaphum
Nyaw	Kradai	50,000	Sakon Nakhon, Nong Khai, Nakhon Phanom
Nyeu	Mon-Khmer	Unknown	Sisaket
Phu Thai	Kradai	156,000	Nakhon Phanom, Ubon, Kalasin, Sakon Nakhon
Phuan	Kradai	Unknown	Udon, Loei
Saek	Kradai	11,000	Nakhon Phanom
So	Mon-Khmer	55,000	Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Nong Khai, Kalasin
Tai Dam	Kradai	20,000	Nong Khai, Khorat, Loei (plus Saraburi)
Yoy	Kradai	5,000	Sakon Nakhon