Editing Lao language (section)

===Syllables===
Lao syllables are of the form (C)V(C), i.e., they consist of a vowel in the [[syllable nucleus]], optionally preceded by a single consonant in the [[syllable onset]] and optionally followed by a single consonant in the [[syllable coda]]. The only consonant clusters allowed are syllable initial clusters {{IPA|/kw/ or /kʰw/}}. Any consonant may appear in the onset, but the labialized consonants do not occur before [[rounded vowel]]s.<ref name=Erickson/>

One difference between Thai and Lao is that in Lao initial clusters are simplified. For example, the official name of Laos is Romanized as ''Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao'' or ''Sathalanalat Pasathipatai Pasason Lao'', with the Thai analog being ''Satharanarat Prachathipatai Prachachon Lao'' ({{lang|th|สาธารณรัฐประชาธิปไตยประชาชนลาว}}), indicating the simplification of Thai ''pr'' to Lao ''p''.

Only {{IPA|/p t k ʔ m n ŋ w j/}} may appear in the coda. If the vowel in the nucleus is short, it must be followed by a consonant in the coda; {{IPAslink|ʔ}} in the coda can be preceded only by a short vowel. Open syllables (i.e., those with no coda consonant) and syllables ending in one of the [[sonorant]]s {{IPA|/m n ŋ w j/}} take one of the six tones, syllables ending in {{IPA|/p t k/}} take one of four tones, and syllables ending in {{IPAslink|ʔ}} take one of only two tones.<ref name=Erickson/>