Prai | Ethnologue

A language of Thailand

ISO 639: prt
Alternate Names: Lao Prai, Lua Prai, Lua’, Phai, Pray, Thin, “Htin” (pej.)
Autonym: ไปร‎ (Prai)
Population: 20,000 in Thailand (2001 D. Jordon). Possibly 3,000 Ban Wen dialect speakers. Total users in all countries: 48,700.
Location:: Nan province: Bo Klua, Chalerm Prakiat, Chiang Klang, Pua and Thung Chang districts.
Language Status: 5 (Developing).
Classification: Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Northern Mon-Khmer, Khmuic, Mal-Khmu’, Mal-Prai
Dialects: Southern Prai, Ban Wen. The main dialect of Prai has 2 subvarieties referred to as, R and Y, which are reportedly minimally different. Ban Wen dialect shares cognates with both Mal [mlf] and Prai, but is unintelligible to Mal speakers.
Language Use: Used by all. Most also use Northern Thai [nod]. Most also use Thai [tha].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%. Literacy materials include a set of primers and lessons. NT: 2019.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Prai
Writing: Thai script [Thai].
Other Comments: Distinct from Mal [mlf]. Lua’ is a self-reported language name for many Prai and Mal [mlf]. The southern dialect is called Longhouse (Jordan-Diller and Diller 2004). About 12 villages, mostly in Bo Klua district, with a few villages in Pua district. Ban Wen dialect speakers live in 10–15 villages, primarily in Bo Klua district, with some in Chalerm Prakiat district. Traditional religion, Buddhist.

Laos

Location: Xiangnabouli province: Hongsa, Nguen, Phiang, Xiang Hon, and Xaignabouli districts.
Language Status: 6a (Vigorous)
Other Comments: Distinct from Mal [mlf]. There are 9 Lao Prai villages in Hongsa district in Xaignabouli province where the Prai spoken is similar to the Prai spoken in Thailand. More specifically, it is very similar to the ‘Y’ variety of Prai spoken in Thailand. Traditional religion.

Location: Nan province: Bo Klua, Chalerm Prakiat, Chiang Klang, Pua and Thung Chang districts.