Lao Language Lesson 1: The Lao Writing System

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Transcript of Lesson 1: The Lao Writing System Lao writing is a direct descendant of a script from India, borrowed and adapted over the centuries by several groups in Southeast Asia. Thus, the Lao writing system is similar to many of its neighbors, such as Cambodian, Thai and Burmese. Though they are similar, there are differences in the shapes of the letters, and of course, differences in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar exist between each language. Of all these similar scripts, Lao has been adapted and simplified the most, making it one of the easier scripts to learn. You will notice that Lao sometimes has two symbols for the same consonant sound. (kh) for example, can be written either ຂ or ຄ. The same holds true for the sounds which we transcribe as (s), (th), (ph), (f), and (h). Each has two Lao alphabet symbols to represent it. The significance of this arrangement becomes evident when we remember that Lao is a tonal language and that there must be some way for the writing system to indicate the tone of a syllable. One way in which the alphabet does this is by grouping its consonants into three classes. The sound written ຂ (kh) belongs to what the Lao call the High class of consonants. This class also includes ສ (s), ຖ (th), ຜ (ph), ຝ (f), and ຫ (h). On the other hand, ຄ (kh) belongs to Low class of consonants. Others in this class are ຊ (s), ທ (th), ພ (ph), ຟ (f), ຮ (h). Included also are ງ (ng), ຍ (ny), ນ (n), ມ (m), ຣ (r), ລ (l), ວ (v), but there is no corresponding High class symbol for these. There is a third group of consonants, called the Middle class, which includes ກ (k), ຈ (ch or j), ດ (d), ຕ (t), ບ (b), ປ (p), ຢ (y), ອ (aw). Below is a chart for easy reference with the letters arranged according to the consonant class to which they belong. (This is not meant to show the order of the consonants as they would appear in a dictionary.) When a consonant letter stands alone, it is pronounced with the vowel (aw). High ຂ (kh) ສ (s) ຖ (th) ຜ (ph) ຝ (f) ຫ (h) Middle ກ (k) ຈ (ch or j) ດ (d) ຕ (dt) ບ (b) ປ (hard p) ຢ (y) ອ (aw) Low ຄ (kh) ຊ (s) ທ (th) ພ (ph) ຟ (f) ຮ (h) ງ (ng) ຍ (ny) ນ (n) ມ (m) ຣ (l) ລ (l) ວ (v) Later you will learn how this system works in the actual spelling of words. For now, just know that memorizing the consonants by class, High, Low or Middle will make a big difference later on when you learn about how tones are incorporated into the Lao writing system. Also note that in the introductory lessons, the consonants and vowels have corresponding transcriptions to help you learn the system. The transcriptions are a crutch that is best discarded as soon as possible. Your time will be much better spent memorizing the actual Lao script than wasting it learning the transcription system. The first group of consonants you will learn are the high class consonants. This group consists of ຂ (kh) ສ (s) ຖ (th) ຜ (ph) ຝ (f) ຫ (h). Consonants are pronounced using their consonant sound with the ອໍ (aw) vowel sound. The vowel is the little circle above the ອ, while the ອ consonant stands in where any other consonant could be written. As you will hear, this vowel sounds somewhat like the (aw) sound in the English word (paw). Listen to the consonants in the video as many times as necessary. Remember, memorizing the consonant groups together will help you later when you learn the Lao tone system. The second group of consonants you will learn are the middle class consonants. This group consists of ກ (k) ຈ (ch or j) ດ (d) ຕ (dt) ບ (b) ປ (hard p) ຢ (y) ອ (aw). These consonants are also pronounced using their consonant sound with the ອໍ (aw) vowel sound. Listen to the consonants as many times as necessary. Again, memorizing the consonant groups together will help you later when you learn the Lao tone system. The third group of consonants you will learn are the low class consonants. This group consists of ຄ (kh) ຊ (s) ທ (th) ພ (ph) ຟ (f) ຮ (h) ງ (ng) ຍ (ny) ນ (n) ມ (m) ຣ (l) ລ (l) ວ (v) These consonants are also pronounced using their consonant sound with the ອໍ (aw) vowel sound. Listen to the consonants as many times as necessary. Again, memorizing the consonant groups together will help you later when you learn the Lao tone system. In the introduction to this section you were briefly introduced to the consonant pairing system between high and low class consonants. (kh) for example, can be written either ຂ or ຄ. This is because the Lao tonal system has been written into the alphabet. The next lesson will go over the tonal system. For now, just concentrate on memorizing the consonants. Because there are more low class consonants than high class consonants, the Lao writing system has come up with a way to add more high class consonants by placing the consonant ຫ in front of the low class consonants that do not already have a corresponding high class partner. The ຫ in front is silent. It does not change the sound of the consonant, only the tone. Can you hear the difference between the high and low classes? That is the tonal system coming into play. Do not worry if it is not immediately clear, it will take some time to fully hear the tones. Also notice the subtle but important differences in how several of the consonants are written. Often, as with ພ (ph) and ຟ (f), the only difference is the extended tail on ຟ (f), or with ພ (ph) and ຜ (ph), the only difference is the direction the small circle points. Vowels in the Lao writing system mostly come in pairs of long and short. Again, the ອ is meant to show the place where the consonant would be written. You will notice that Lao vowels can be written before, after, above or below the consonant. Where the vowel is written does not change the sound, or have any special meaning other than that is where it is written. Take some time to listen to each vowel and get started memorizing them. The transcriptions are here to help you get started, but are only approximations of the actual sounds, so spend more time learning the Lao script and listening to the sound, and less to the transcriptions. ອະ and ອາ are usually represented with an (a) when transcribed. Since (a) in English can have many different sounds, it helps to have some examples of the vowel sound for each. Again, these are close approximations, so listen to the recording for the exact sound. The short ອະ sounds similar to the (u) in nut. The long ອາ sounds like the (a) in father. ອິ and ອີ are usually represented with an (i) when transcribed. The short ອິ sounds similar to the (i) in sit. The long ອີ sounds like the (ee) in tee. ອຶ and ອື are usually represented with an (eu) when transcribed. There is no corresponding vowel sound in English, so this one is a little more difficult to get right away. For now, just listen to it and try your best. ອຸ and ອູ are usually represented with a (u) when transcribed. The short ອຸ sounds similar to the (u) in astute. The long ອູ sounds like the (oo) in too. ເອະ and ເອ are usually represented with an (e) when transcribed. The short ເອ sounds similar to the (a) in date. The long ເອ sounds like the (ay) in say. ແອະ and ແອ are usually represented with an (ae) when transcribed. The short ແອະ sounds similar to the (e) in met. The long ແອ sounds like the (a) in man. ໂອະ and ໂອ are usually represented with an (o) when transcribed. The short ໂອະ sounds similar to the (o) in note. The long ໂອ sounds like the (o) in go. ເອາະ and ອໍ are usually represented with an (aw) when transcribed. The short ເອາະ sounds similar to the (o) in got. The long ອໍ sounds like the (aw) in paw, leaning more towards the English pronunciation than the American. ເອິ and ເອີ are usually represented with an (oe) when transcribed. The short ເອິ sounds similar to the (oo) in foot. The long ເອີ sounds like the (oo) in good. ເອັຍ and ເອຍ are usually represented with an (ia) when transcribed. The short ເອັຍ sounds similar to the (ia) in Ethiopia if you cut it short. The long ເອຍ sounds like the (ia) in Ethiopia if you lengthen it a little. ເອຶອ and ເອືອ are usually represented with an (eua) when transcribed. Again, because there is really no similar sounding vowel in English, you will just have to do your best for now. ອົວະ and ອົວ are usually represented with an (ua) when transcribed. These vowels sound like the (ua) in spatula if you left the (l) out and said spatua, and again, one is cut off short while the other is held long. ໄອ and ໃອ are usually represented with an (ai) when transcribed. They are pronounced the same in most of Laos, just like the (ie) in pie. ເອົາ is pronounce like the (ou) in couch, but can be transcribed as (ao). ອຳ is pronounced like the (um) in yum. These are all technically short vowels.