Editing Lao language (section)

==Writing system==
===Lao script===
{{main|Lao script}}
[[File:WatThatLuang Sign.JPG|thumb|Lao script on a sign at Wat That Luang, Vientiane.]]
The Lao script, derived from the [[Khmer alphabet]] of the [[Khmer Empire]] in the 14th century,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Benedict |first1=Paul K. |title=Languages and Literatures of Indochina |journal=The Far Eastern Quarterly |date=August 1947 |volume=6 |issue=4 |pages=379–389 |id={{ProQuest|1290485784}} |doi=10.2307/2049433 |jstor=2049433 |s2cid=162902327 }}</ref> is ultimately rooted in the [[Pallava script]] of [[South India|Southern India]], one of the [[Brahmi script]]s.<ref name="UCLA"/> Although the Lao script bears resemblance to Thai, the former contains fewer letters than Thai because by 1960 it was simplified to be fairly ''phonemic'', whereas Thai maintains many etymological spellings that are pronounced the same.<ref name="Unicode">Unicode. (2019). Lao. In ''The Unicode Standard Version 12.0'' (pp. 635–637). Mountain View, CA: Unicode Consortium.</ref>

The script is traditionally classified as an [[abugida]], but Lao consonant letters are conceived of as simply representing the consonant sound, rather than a syllable with an inherent vowel.<ref name="Unicode" /> Vowels are written as [[diacritic]] marks and can be placed above, below, in front of, or behind consonants. The script also contains distinct symbols for numerals, although Arabic numerals are more commonly used.

Lao is written in the [[Tai Tham script]] for [[Sacred language|liturgical]] purposes<ref name=UCLA>UCLA International Institute, (n.d.). [http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?menu=004&LangID=77 "Lao"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230070620/http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?menu=004&LangID=77 |date=2010-12-30 }}. Accessed 2010-07-27.</ref> and is still used in temples in Laos and [[Isan]].

====Indication of tones====
Experts disagree on the number and nature of tones in the various dialects of Lao. According to some, most dialects of Lao and Isan have six tones, those of [[Luang Prabang]] have five. Tones are determined as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
! Tones
! Long vowel, or vowel plus voiced consonant
! Long vowel plus unvoiced consonant
! Short vowel, or short vowel plus unvoiced consonant
! Mai ek ({{lang|lo|◌່}})
! Mai tho ({{lang|lo|◌້}})
|-
! High consonants
| rising
| low falling
| high
| mid
| low falling
|-
! Mid consonants
| low rising
| low falling
| high
| mid
| high falling
|-
! Low consonants
| high
| high falling
| mid
| mid
| high falling
|}

A silent {{lang|lo|ຫ}} ({{IPA|/h/}}) placed before certain consonants will place the proceeding consonant in the high class tone. This can occur before the letters {{lang|lo|ງ}} {{IPA|/ŋ/}}, {{lang|lo|ຍ}} {{IPA|/ɲ/}}, {{lang|lo|ຣ}} {{IPA|/r/}}, and {{lang|lo|ວ}} {{IPA|/w/}} and combined in special ligatures (considered separate letters) such as {{lang|lo|ຫຼ}} {{IPA|/l/}}, {{lang|lo|ໜ}} {{IPA|/n/}}, and {{lang|lo|ໝ}} {{IPA|/m/}}. In addition to {{lang|lo|ອ່}} (low tone) and {{lang|lo|ອ້}} (falling tone), there also exists the rare {{lang|lo|ອ໊}} (high) {{lang|lo|ອ໋}} (rising) tone marks.

===Tai Tham script===
{{main|Tai Tham script}}
[[File:Sign of Wat Sri Ubon Rattanaram, Ubon Ratchathani.jpg|thumb|left|An example of the [[Tai Tham alphabet]] formerly used in Laos for religious literature]]
Traditionally, only secular literature was written with the Lao alphabet. Religious literature was often written in ''[[Tai Tham script|Tai Tham]]'', a Mon-based script that is still used for the [[Khün language|Tai Khün]], [[Tai Lue language|Tai Lü]], and formerly for [[Northern Thai language|Kham Mueang]].<ref>[[Michael Everson|Everson, Michael]], Hosken, Martin, & Constable, Peter. (2007). [http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2007/07007r-n3207r-lanna.pdf ''Revised proposal for encoding the Lanna script in the BMP of the UCS''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190614234315/http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2007/07007r-n3207r-lanna.pdf |date=2019-06-14 }}.</ref> The Lao style of this script is known as ''Lao Tham''.<ref>Kourilsky, Grégory & Berment, Vincent. (2005). [http://www.laosoftware.com/download/dekalb_gk-vb.pdf Towards a Computerization of the Lao Tham System of Writing] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070802025701/http://www.laosoftware.com/download/dekalb_gk-vb.pdf |date=2007-08-02 }}. In ''First International Conference on Lao Studies''.</ref>

===Khom script===
{{main|Khom Thai script}}
[[File:Bhuddha Sutra in Thai-Khmer Font.JPG|thumb|right|A [[sutra]] in the Khom script. This Khmer script was used to write Buddhist, Brahmanic, and ritual texts.]] 
Mystical, magical, and some religious literature was written in ''Khom script'' (Aksar Khom), a modified version of the [[Khmer script]].<ref>Igunma, Jana. (2013). Aksoon Khoom: Khmer Heritage in Thai and Lao Manuscript Cultures. ''Tai Culture, 23: Route of the Roots: Tai-Asiatic Cultural Interaction''.</ref>
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