Kaloeng (Kalerng, Kaleung) is a Southwestern Tai language of

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

and

Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...

Distribution

In Thailand, Kaloeng is spoken in

Sakon Nakhon Province Sakon Nakhon (, ; , ) is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (''changwat''). It lies in upper northeastern Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Kalasin, and Udon Thani ...

Nakhon Phanom Province Nakhon Phanom province (, , ; , ) is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (''changwat'') lies in upper northeastern Thailand also called Isan. Directly adjacent provinces are (from south clockwise): Mukdahan, Sakon Nakhon, and Bueng Kan. ...

, and Mukdahan Province (Trongdee 2016). In Laos, it is spoken in Khammouan Province.

External classification

Mudjalin Luksanawong classifies the Kaloeng language as part of the

Sakon Nakhon Sakon Nakhon (, ; sometimes written Sakhon Nakhon) is a city (thesaban nakhon) in Thailand within the Isan region, and capital city of Sakon Nakhon Province as well as Mueang Sakon Nakhon District, with a population of approximately 76,000. Sako ...

subbranch of the Southwestern Tai. *Nakhon Phanom **''

Nakhon Phanom Nakhon Phanom (, ; , ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in northeastern Thailand, capital of Nakhon Phanom Province. The town covers ''tambons'' Nai Mueang and Nong Saeng and parts of ''tambons'' At Samat and Nong Yat, all in Mueang Nakhon Phano ...

'' *Sakon Nakhon **Yoy-Yooy-Kalööng ***'' Yoy'' ***''Yooy'' ***''Kalööng'' In the Sakon Nakhon languages,

Proto-Tai Proto-Tai is the reconstructed proto-language (common ancestor) of all the Tai languages, including modern Lao, Shan, Tai Lü, Tai Dam, Ahom, Northern Thai, Standard Thai, Bouyei, and Zhuang. The Proto-Tai language is not directly attes ...

*hw- and *w- (Pittayaporn 2009:134-135) became /ph/- (Trongdee 2016:55). Also, the Sakon Nakhon languages display the uncommon labiovelar initial clusters thw-, cw-, sw-, hw-, ŋw-, lw-, ʔw- (Trongdee 2016:56).

Internal classification

Thananan Trongdee classifies the Kaloeng dialects as follows according to the evolution of the Proto-Kaloeng

diphthong A diphthong ( ), also known as a gliding vowel or a vowel glide, is a combination of two adjacent vowel sounds within the same syllable. Technically, a diphthong is a vowel with two different targets: that is, the tongue (and/or other parts of ...

*-aɯ. *Group 1: *-aɯ > -aɯ (all spoken in Laos) ** Hinboun District: Pha Wang; Nong Hoi ** Yommalath District: Phon Bok ** Nong Bok District: Nong Bok ** Boualapha District: Kha Yu ** Kounkham District: Kong Lo *(''branch'') **Group 2: *-aɯ > -əi *** Mueang Sakon Nakhon District: Muanglai ม่วงลาย *** Kut Bak District: Ban Bua บ้านบัว ***

Kusuman District Kusuman (, ; , ) is a district (''amphoe'') of Sakon Nakhon province, Thailand. Geography Neighboring districts are (from the south clockwise) Phon Na Kaeo and Mueang Sakon Nakhon of Sakon Nakhon Province, Na Wa, Phon Sawan, Mueang Nakhon Ph ...

: Saen Phan แสนพัน *** Khamcha-i District: Non Sang Si **Group 3: *-aɯ > -ai *** Mueang Sakon Nakhon District: Na Yo นายอ; Dong Mafai ดงมะไฟ *** Phanna Nikhom District: Choeng Chum เชิงชุม ***

Mueang Nakhon Phanom District Mueang Nakhon Phanom (, ; , ) is the capital district ('' amphoe mueang'') of Nakhon Phanom province, northeastern Thailand. Geography Neighboring districts are (from the south clockwise): That Phanom, Renu Nakhon of Nakhon Phanom Province; ...

: Kurukhu กุรุคุ; Khamtoei คำเตย *** Phon Sawan District: Phon Bok โพนบก *** Tha Uthen District: Na Sok นาโสก ***

Pla Pak District Pla Pak (, ; , ) is a district (''amphoe'') in the province Nakhon Phanom in northeast Thailand. Geography Neighboring districts are (from the north clockwise): Mueang Nakhon Phanom, Renu Nakhon, Na Kae, and Wang Yang of Nakhon Phanom Provinc ...

: Kutakai ปลาปาก *** Na Kae District: Phra Song พระซอง *** Yommalath District, Laos: Don Pueai *** Nong Bok District, Laos: Dong Phak Pue

References

{{Tai-Kadai languages Languages of Thailand Languages of Laos Southwestern Tai languages