Editing Lao language (section)

==Classification==
{{Further|Tai–Kadai languages}}

{{tree list}}
* [[Kra-Dai languages|Kra-Dai]]
** [[Hlai languages]]
** [[Kam-Sui languages]]
** [[Kra languages]]
** [[Be language]]
** [[Tai languages]]
*** [[Northern Tai languages]]
*** [[Central Tai languages]]
*** [[Southwestern Tai languages]]
**** Northwestern Tai languages
***** [[Khamti language]]
***** [[Tai Lue language]]
***** [[Shan language]]
***** others
**** Chiang Saen languages
***** [[Northern Thai language]]
***** Sukhothai language
****** [[Thai language]]
****** [[Southern Thai language]]
**** Lao-Phuthai languages
***** [[Tai Yo language]]
***** [[Phu Thai language|Phuthai language]]
***** '''Lao language''' ('''PDR Lao''', [[Isan language]])
{{tree list/end}}

The Lao language falls within the Lao-Phuthai group of languages, including its closest relatives, [[Phu Thai language|Phuthai]] (BGN/PCGN ''Phouthai'', RTGS ''Phu Thai'') and [[Tai Yo language|Tai Yo]]. Together with Northwestern Tai—which includes [[Shan language|Shan]], [[Ahom language|Ahom]] and most [[Dai people|Dai]] languages of China, the Chiang Saen languages—which include Standard Thai, Khorat Thai, and [[Northern Thai language|Tai Lanna]]—and Southern Tai form the [[Southwestern Tai languages|Southwestern]] branch of Tai languages. Lao (including Isan) and Thai, although they occupy separate groups, are mutually intelligible and were pushed closer through contact and Khmer influence, but all Southwestern Tai languages are mutually intelligible to some degree. The Tai languages also include the languages of the [[Zhuang people|Zhuang]], which are split into the [[Northern Tai languages|Northern]] and [[Central Tai languages|Central]] branches of the Tai languages. The Tai languages form a major division within the [[Kra-Dai languages|Kra-Dai language family]], distantly related to other languages of southern China, such as the [[Hlai language|Hlai]] and [[Be language|Be]] languages of [[Hainan]] and the [[Kra languages|Kra]] and [[Kam-Sui]] languages on the Chinese Mainland and in neighbouring regions of northern Vietnam.<ref name="ethny"/>