Yong language explained

Yong
Nativename:Nyong
States:Thailand
Date:2000
Ref:e18
Familycolor:Tai–Kadai
Fam2:Tai
Fam3:Southwestern (Thai)
Fam4:?
Iso3:yno
Glotto:yong1277
Glottorefname:Yong

Yong (Nyong) is a Southwestern Tai language of Thailand. It is used by Tai Yong people, who are descended from Tai Lue people from Xishuangbanna, China and Kengtung, Myanmar. Ethnologue reports that Yong is phonologically similar to the Tai Lue language. Most Yong speakers are multilingual and speak Northern Thai and Standard Thai. There were 12,600 speakers as of 2000.

Distribution

Yong is spoken in San Kamphaeng District, Chiang Mai Province, and Pa Sang District, Mae Tha District, and Mueang Lamphun District, Lamphun Province (Ethnologue).

Phonology

Yong has six tones: mid-rising, mid, low, high, mid-falling and high-falling. As of 2019, there appears to be a generational change occurring where the high tone is merged with the high- and mid-falling tones due to language contact with Northern Thai and Standard Thai.[1]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Intajamornrak . Chommanad . Tonal Variation Caused by Language Contact: A Case Study of the Yong Language . 13th ICLEHI 2019 Osaka 013-012 . April 2019 . 12 July 2022.