#lao language

im also not really into italian culture in general. italy is cool but there are definitely other countries and cultures i’ve been more invested in.

really atm there are only 3 languages im thinking of learning. 

lao. i am half lao, its my dads mother tongue. my grandparents are getting old and they are my strongest connection i have to my culture. when they go (sad face) i will still have my aunties and uncles but its different. i feel like learning now while they’re around will help me keep my culture within me and not with someone else. i also find myself day dreaming a lot about thailand nowadays and if i feel like if i learn lao which is similar to thai it would make it easier for me to navigate thailand if i ever were to go.

korean. fairly straight forward. liked kpop since i was 14. love korean food. went to korea and loved it and wanna go again. i do like the idea of working in korea as an illustrator. not in a serious way but in a day dreamy romantic “wouldn’t it be nice” way.

czech. this one is more out there. i’ve been watching honest guide for a year its is prague / czechia propaganda. i am not immune. i dont have to learn czech to go bc most people in europe speak english i feel lol and prague is very touristy so even more so. that being said i think its still nice and respectful to know a little bit and it definitely enhances experiences and bonds with locals no? 

these are sort of in order by how much i actually wanna learn them. i think learning lao would be deeply enriching for me. but i also think korean would be the easiest for me to learn due to my exposure to it already. 

Unlocking the Power of the Lao Language: Your Ultimate Guide to English to Lao Translation In today’s interconnected world, breaking down language barriers has become paramount. Whether you’re planning a trip to the enchanting Lao People’s Democratic Republic or seeking to connect with Lao-speaking communities around the globe, mastering the art of English to Lao translation is an invaluable…

So… this just happened.

Actually, I’m pretty much sure Kha noi is not really used anymore in Laos, if not banned. It is only still used outside of Laos. When you look at recent book on Lao language, there is no sign of Kha noi. Also, never have I heard someone in Laos say Kha noi.  As for Kha pha jao, always based on recent Lao language book, it is used in Official relations, as in/between formal and important status/event. I’d say that Kha pha jao is the new Kha noi. But at the same time, both are used outside of Laos. So my guess is that Kha noi is more about politeness between people of different age, status (i.e. monk and non-monk), while Kha pha jao is more about being formal, mostly in event where there is a large public. (Politeness and formal have a slight difference) That’s my guess for the use of both terms among Lao people OUTSIDE of Laos. But I am 99% sure Kha noi is not used anymore in Laos. And I’m basing that on my Lao language book and own experience. I shall ask my dad tomorrow for confirmation. Haha

kaybear619 replied to your post:

I think that kha pha jao is used mostly in legal documents or papers. It’s more written language than verbal. For professionalism?

They are both formal! “Kha noi” is used for elderly people, those with higher status (as in a doctor or a government official), and so forth. It is more used for everyday life, for example, if you are working as a professional in your field and this is to refer to your higher clients and boss. For me, I have not heard of “kha pha jao” as often as “kha noi”, but that is probably because it is very old-fashion (I’m not the best person to go to if you want to know Lao linguistics haha sorry).

Let’s see…

Aunt has various words, but ‘baa' is the most common. 'Sao' can also be used.

‘Luung' is uncle. ‘Nyai' is older while 'noi' is younger. So if you want to say older uncle, for example, it is 'luung nyai.”

Sister is ‘euay’, so you say ‘euay nyai' for older sister. 

A hello back!

 My reading & writing skills were pretty minimal when I moved to USA, but I’m continuing to improve those skills today. c:

Definitely learn to speak Lao decently first. It’s a great boost. Some people even learn to speak Lao while learning how to write/read it, so you can do it the other way too!

Learn the Lao alphabet first as usual and see how each character is pronounced. That is my #1 tip. Most find it boring, but it’s worth it in the end b/c you can begin to see how each word written in Lao is pronounced.

Sounds silly, but remember those elementary-level grammar books for Lao students? They really do help recognize the letters, etc. and then you can work your way up from there. c: (My testimony lol.)

I’m not such a great tip giver in language-learning, but the last tip I have for you is don’t get frustrated and give up. Sort of cheesy, but I did that when I was younger. My grammar got pretty rusty,and I regretted it. :/