MYA ISO 639-3
Burmese
မြန်မာ (Mranmar), မြန်မာစကား (Mranmar sakar) Autonym
A language of Myanmar
- ISO 639
- mya
- Alternate Names
- Bama, Bama Saka, Bamachaka, Myamasa, Myamma Saka, Myanma, Myanmar, Myen
- Autonym
- မြန်မာ (Mranmar), မြန်မာစကား (Mranmar sakar)
- Population
- 42,000,000 in Myanmar, all users. L1 users: 32,000,000 in Myanmar (Bradley 2007a), increasing. 250,000 Beik, 20,000 Yaw. L2 users: 10,000,000. Total users in all countries: 42,953,240 (as L1: 32,953,240; as L2: 10,000,000).
- Location:
- Widespread in central Myanmar.
- Language Status
- 1 (National). Statutory national language (2008, Constitution, Chapter XV, Article 450).
- Classification
- Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Ngwi-Burmese, Burmish, Southern
- Dialects
- Beik (Merguese, Mergui), Yaw, Mandalay Burmese, Yangon Burmese. Diglossic high and low varieties.
- Typology
- SOV; noun head final; tense and aspect; 31 consonants, 8 vowels, 4 diphthongs; tonal (3 tones).
- Language Use
- Many Mon, some Shan, some Karen are monolingual in Burmese. All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use English [eng]. Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn].
- Language Development
- Taught in primary and secondary schools. Fully developed. Bible: 1835–2014.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Burmese
- Writing
- Braille script [Brai]. Myanmar (Burmese) script [Mymr], primary usage.
- Other Comments
- The official language name is Myanmar. Educated speech has many Pali borrowings. Buddhist.
Also Spoken in
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Australia
Language Name
Burmese
User Population
16,300 in Australia (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Canada
Language Name
Burmese
User Population
3,590 in Canada (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Germany
Language Name
Burmese
User Population
2,140 in Germany (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Denmark
Language Name
Burmese
User Population
1,840 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Location
- Bokeo province: Houayxay district; Luang Namtha province: Sing and Long districts; Xiangnabouli province: Xiangnabouli district; Viengchan Capital City.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Buddhist. View other languages of Laos
Language Name
Myen
User Population
2,840 in Laos (2015 census).
- Location
- Peninsular: widespread.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Malaysia
Language Name
Burmese
User Population
30,000 in Malaysia (2021 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Norway
Language Name
Burmese
User Population
4,220 in Norway (2021 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of New Zealand
Language Name
Burmese
User Population
1,710 in New Zealand (2013 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Thailand
Language Name
Burmese
User Population
828,000 in Thailand (2010 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United States
Language Name
Burmese
User Population
62,600 in United States (2015 census).
Map
Location: Widespread in central Myanmar.
Size and Vitality
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