Page Type: languageNyahkur | Ethnologue

CBN ISO 639-3

Nyahkur

ญัฮกุ้ร‎ (Nyah Kur), เนียะกวล‎ (Niakuol) Autonym

A language of Thailand

ISO 639
cbn
Alternate Names
Chao Dong, Chaodon, Lawa, Niakuol, Niakuoll, Nyah Kur, Nyakur, “Chaobon” (pej.), “Chaobun” (pej.), “Chaubun” (pej.)
Autonym
ญัฮกุ้ร‎ (Nyah Kur), เนียะกวล‎ (Niakuol)
Population
1,500 (2006 C. Shimmin), decreasing. No monolinguals. It appears the last monolingual speakers likely died out no later than the 1950s (2017 C. Shimmin). Ethnic population: 3,000 (Thongkum 1984).
Location:
Bueng Kan, Chaiyaphum, Kalasin, Nakhon Ratchasima, Phetchabun, Phitsanulok, and Sakon Nakhon provinces.
Language Status
7 (Shifting).
Classification
Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Southern Monic
Dialects
Chaiyaphum users say they understand Phetchabun only with difficulty, if at all. At least 91% lexical similarity among all dialects (Diffloth 1984).
Typology
SVO.
Language Use
Few children can speak Nyah Kur. Nearly extinct in Phetchabun and Nakhon Ratchasima provinces (2007 SIL). Home. Adults only. Mixed attitudes. Some have strong identity links to their language, others prefer to identify themselves as Thai [tha] (2002 P. Suwilai, 2007 SIL). Shifting to Thai [tha]. Some also use Northeastern Thai [tts] (Statezni et al 2007). Also use Lao [lao].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 75%. Most men and the younger generation are literate in Thai [tha]. Literacy in Thai [tha] transfers easily to Nyah Kur. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible portions: 1996.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Nyahkur
Writing
Thai script [Thai].
Other Comments
Buddhist, Christian, traditional religion.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Bueng Kan, Chaiyaphum, Kalasin, Nakhon Ratchasima, Phetchabun, Phitsanulok, and Sakon Nakhon provinces.