Laothian

Lao ພາສາລາວ phaasaa laao
Spoken in:	Laos, Thailand, U.S., France, Canada, China, Australia
Total speakers:	3,188,577 (1991)
Language family:	Tai-Kadai  Kam-Tai   Be-Tai    Tai-Sek     Tai      Southwestern Tai       Lao-Phutai        Lao
Official status
Official language of:	Laos
Regulated by:	no official regulation
Language codes
ISO 639-1:	lo
ISO 639-2:	lao
ISO 639-3:	lao
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Lao (ພາສາລາວ phaasaa laao) also Laotian, is the official language of Laos. It is a tonal language of the Tai family, and is so closely related to the Isan language of the northeast region of Thailand that the two are often classed as one language. The writing system of Lao is an abugida (a writing system composed of signs denoting consonants with an inherent following vowel) and is closely related to the writing system used in Thai.

The Lao language can be divided into five main dialects :

• Vientiane Lao
• Northern Lao (Luang Prabang)
• North-Eastern Lao (Xieng Khouang)
• Central Lao (Khammouan)
• Southern Lao (Champasak)

Vientiane Lao, the predominant dialect due to its use in the capital (whence it gets its name), is widely understood throughout the country, and all the dialects are for the most part mutually intelligible.