Tai Dón (ꪼꪕꪒꪮꪙꫀ)

Tai Dón is a Southwestern Tai language spoken by about 495,000 people in Vietnam, Laos and China. It is spoken in northern Vietnam by 280,000 people, particularly along the Red River (Sông Hồng) and Black River (Sông Đà) in Lai Châu, Điện Biên, Lào Cai, Lâm Đồng and Sơn La provinces. There are about 200,000 speakers of Tai Dón in northestern Laos, particularly in Houaphan and Phongsali provinces. In China Tai Dón is spoken by about 15,000 people in Honghe Hani and Yi autonomous prefectures in the southeast of Yunnan Province.

Tai Dón is also known as White Tai, Tai Blanc, Tai Kao, Tai Lai, Táy Khao or Thái Tráng. Many Tai Dón people also speak Tai Dam, due to prolonged contact with Tai Dam speakers. The two languages are related, however they are not mutually intelligible. There is also some influence from Lao on the Tai Dón spoken in Laos.

Tai Dón is written Tai Viet script (ꪎꪳ ꪼꪕ), which is thought to have developed from the Old Thai script. There are also ways to write it with the Latin alphabet. There is some written material in Tai Dón, including a dictionary and translations of parts of the Bible.

Tai Viet script for Tai Dón

Tai Viet script for Tai Dón

Latin alphabet for Tai Dón

Latin alphabet for Tai Dón

Download an alphabet chart for Tai Dón (Excel)

Sample text (The Lord's Prayer

Tai Dón sample text

Translation

Our father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Source: https://www.language-museum.com/encyclopedia/t/tai-don.php

Sample video

Links

Information about Tai Dón
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tai_Dón_language
https://www.ethnologue.com/18/language/twh/
http://www.language-archives.org/language/twh
https://www.sil.org/resources/search/language/twh

Tai-Kaidai languages

Ahom, Aiton, Bouyei, Isan, Kam, Khamti, (Tai) Khün, Lao, Lue, Northern Thai (Kam Mueang), Nùng, Shan, Sui, Tai Dam, Tai Dón, Tai Hongjin, Tai Laing, Tai Nuea, Tai Phake, Tai Ya, Thai, Thai Song, Yang Zhuang, Zhuang

Languages writing with the Tai Viet script

Tai Dam, Tai Dón, Thai Song

Page created: 16.08.22. Last modified: 16.08.22

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