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These notes are still in development. I am using them to explore the Lao script as used for Lao.
This page sets out to list the symbols used to represent Lao text, describe their use, and relate them to appropriate characters for representation in Unicode. Along the way I also describe the basic phonology associated with the graphical symbols.
You can obtain Lao fonts from the Web (see the side bar).
Lao has its own script, derived from Thai, but exhibiting some significant differences.
The script was originally an abugida, but since the script reforms leading up to 1960 it has been alphabetic. The syllable is the unit for various aspects of the behaviour of the script. Lao is a tonal language, and the script is designed to reflect tonal information.
The alphabet is split into vowels and consonants. The consonants are grouped into classes that affect the default tonal behaviour of a syllable. There are no independent vowels. Where there is no consonant to support a vowel sign, the character ອ is used as a support. Vowel signs are typically used in combinations to form the vowel sounds of a syllable.
Click on a character image for more details.
| Vowels: |                  |
|---|---|
| Class 1 (Middle) consonants: |         |
| Class 2 (High) consonants |       |
| Class 3 (Low) consonants |             |
| Other consonants |      |
| Tone marks: |     |
| Other marks |  |
| Symbols: |   |
| Digits: |           |
The tone depends on the class of the initial consonant in a syllable, the structure of the syllable, and whether or not a tone mark is applied to override the default. Tone values vary depending on location in Laos. There is some disagreement whether there are 5 or 6 tones in Vientiane, and you will see in the tables below that different sources disagree on the tones produced.
The following tables present different descriptions of tone values in Lao for the Vientiane dialect. The first and third tables basically agree on the tone value, although the names of tones vary. The middle table shows some different tone values altogether. See a list of studies for Vientiane tones.
This diagram shows 5 tones with names corresponding to a mixture of the first two tables below.
Tone marks are normally used only on open syllables, and modify the default tone value. Two of the four tone marks are only used with Class 1 consonants. Tone marks tend to be placed directly over the consonant (or superscript vowel), unlike Thai which tends to place them slightly to the right.
Open or live syllables are those that end with a long vowel or sonorant (eg. ງນມຍວ). Closed or dead syllables end with a stop consonant (eg. ກດບ) or short vowel.
| Open | Closed short vowel |
Closed long vowel |
Tone mai eːk |
Tone mai toː |
Tone mai tiː |
Tone mai cat-ta-waː |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | low | ˊ high | ˆ low falling | ˉ mid | ˋ high falling | ˋ high falling | ˇ low rising |
| Class 2 | ˇ low rising | ˊ high | ˆ low falling | ˉ mid | ˆ low falling | - | - |
| Class3 | ˊ high | ˉ mid | ˋ high falling | ˉ mid | ˋ high falling | - | - |
Refs: Daniels
| Live | Dead short vowel |
Dead long vowel |
Tone mai eːk |
Tone mai toː |
Tone mai tiː |
Tone mai cat-ta-waː |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | ˋ low | ˇ rising | ˇ rising | mid | ˆ falling | ˊ high | ˇ rising |
| Class 2 | ˇ rising | ˇ rising | ˋ low | mid | ˋ low | - | - |
| Class3 | ˊ high | mid | ˆ falling | mid | ˆ falling | - | - |
Refs: Simmala
| Live | Dead short vowel |
Dead long vowel |
Tone mai eːk |
Tone mai toː |
Tone mai tiː |
Tone mai cat-ta-waː |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | low rising | high rising | low falling | high-mid | high falling | ||
| Class 2 | low rising | high rising | low falling | high-mid | low falling | ||
| Class3 | high rising | high-mid | high falling | high-mid | high falling |
Refs: SEAlang
The Simmala chart seems suspect to me, since they say in the text that the rising tone doesn't occur in dead syllables, and the book has examples of dead syllables with long vowels with a low tone.
Vowels can be grouped into short and long alternatives, diphthongs, and 'complex vowels' that end in [j], [w] or in one case [m] .
The number of vowel sounds is greater than the number of vowel signs. Many vowel sounds are represented by a combination of 2 to 4 symbols, often surrounding the initial consonant or consonant cluster on three sides. Some of these components are also used as consonants. These symbols are encoded separately, and only those symbols that appear over a consonant are encoded as combining characters. For example, ເກັຍະ or ເກົາ.
The basic vowel repertoire can be summarised as follows. For the corresponding script representation, see the Lao picker.
| Short | Long | Complex |
|---|---|---|
| a | aː | aj aw aaj aaw am |
| e | eː | eew |
| ə | əː | əəj |
| ɛ | ɛː | ɛɛw |
| i | iː | iw |
| o | oː | ooj |
| ɔ | ɔː | ɔɔj |
| u | uː | uj |
| ɯ | ɯː | |
| ia | iaw | |
| ua | uaj | |
| ɯa | ɯaj |
Although the diphthongs at the end don't have long and short sounds, they do have long and short orthographic forms.
Some vowels are represented by different combinations of symbols when they appear in a closed syllable.
The character ຫ can be added before the following characters to make their default tonal behaviour Class 2: ງນມລວຍຽ. This constitutes a syllable initial compound.
There are alternate forms for some of these compounds. Two can be represented as ligatures, for which there are separate characters in Unicode: ໜ and ໝ. Another can be represented by converting the second consonant to a subscript (ຫຼ), also available as a separate character in Unicode.
In a consonant cluster any tone marks or superscript vowels appear over the second consonant.
Refs: Daniels 462; Unicode 378
Words are not separated by spaces. Spaces are used between sentences, but Western punctuation is also used.
0EB0: LAO VOWEL SIGN A
Lao short vowel, ǎ
[a]
Also used as an indication of shortness in the following syllable-final short vowels:
[e] ເ-ະ
[ɛ] ແ-ະ
[ia] ເ-ັຍະ
[o] ໂ-ະ
[ɔ] ເ-າະ
[ua] -ົວະ
Refs: Simmala 123; Daniels 461
0EB1: LAO VOWEL SIGN MAI KAN
Lao short vowel, mâi-kan
[a], used when the syllable has a final consonant.
Also used to produce the following vowels:
[e] ເ-ັ- (short)
[ɛ] ແ-ັ- (short)
[ia] ເ-ັຍ (short)
[ia] ເ-ັຍະ (short)
[ia] -ັຽ-
[ɔ] -ັອ-
[ua] -ັວ-
Refs: Simmala 195; Daniels 462-464
0EB2: LAO VOWEL SIGN AA
Lao long vowel, àː
[aː]
Also used in the following vowels:
[aw] ເ-ົາ
[aːj] -າຍ
[aːw] ເ-ົາ or -າວ
[ɔ] ເ-າະ (short)
Refs: Simmala 52, 73-74; Daniels 462-464
0EB3: LAO VOWEL SIGN AM
0EB4: LAO VOWEL SIGN I
Lao short vowel, ǐ
[i]
Also used in the following vowels:
[iw] -ິວ
Refs: Simmala 52, 74; Daniels 462-464
0EB5: LAO VOWEL SIGN II
Lao long vowel, ìː
[iː]
Also used in the following vowels:
[əː] ເ-ີ (long)
[əːj] ເ-ີຍ
Refs: Simmala 52, 73-74; Daniels 462-464
0EB6: LAO VOWEL SIGN Y
Lao short vowel, ɯ̌
[ɯ]
Also used in the following vowels:
[ə] ເ-ຶ (short)
[ɯa] ເ-ຶອ (short)
Refs: Simmala 52, 73-74; Daniels 462-464
0EB7: LAO VOWEL SIGN YY
Lao long vowel, ɯ̀ː
[ɯː]
Also used in the following vowels:
[ɯːa] ເ-ືອ (short)
[ɯaj] ເ-ືອຍ
Refs: Simmala 52, 73-74; Daniels 462-464
0EB8: LAO VOWEL SIGN U
Lao short vowel, ǔ
[u]
Also used in the following vowel:
[ui] -ຸຍ
Refs: Simmala 52, 73-74; Daniels 462-464
0EB9: LAO VOWEL SIGN UU
0EBB: LAO VOWEL SIGN MAI KON
Lao short vowel, mâi-koŋ
[o], used when the syllable has a final consonant.
Also used to produce the following vowels:
[aw] ເ-ົາ
[aːw] ເ-ົາ
[ua] -ົວະ (short)
[ua] -ົວ (long)
Refs: Simmala 195; Daniels 462-464
0EC0: LAO VOWEL SIGN E
Lao long vowel, èː
[eː]
Also used in the following vowels:
[aw] ເ-ົາ
[aːw] ເ-ົາ
[e] ເ-ະ or ເ-ັ- (short)
[eːw] ເ-ວ
[ə] ເ-ຶ (short)
[əː] ເ-ີ (long)
[əːj] ເ-ີຍ
[ia] ເ-ັຍ or ເ-ັຍະ (short)
[iːa] ເ-ຍ or ເ-ັຍ or ເ-ຽ (long)
[ɔ] ເ-າະ (short)
[ɯa] ເ-ຶອ (short)
[ɯa] ເ-ືອຍ (short)
[ɯːa] ເ-ືອ (long)
Refs: Simmala 52, 73-74; Daniels 462-464
0EC1: LAO VOWEL SIGN EI
Lao long vowel, ɛ̀ː
[ɛː]
Also used in the following vowels:
[ɛːw] ແ-ວ
[ɛ] ແ-ະ or ແ-ັ- (short)
Refs: Simmala 52; Daniels 462-464
0EC2: LAO VOWEL SIGN O
Lao long vowel, òː
[oː]
Also used in the following vowels:
[oːj] ໂ-ຍ
[o] ໂ-ະ (short)
Refs: Simmala 52; Daniels 462-464
0EC3: LAO VOWEL SIGN AY
0EC4: LAO VOWEL SIGN AI
0E81: LAO LETTER KO
0E82: LAO LETTER KHO SUNG
0E84: LAO LETTER KHO TAM
0E87: LAO LETTER NGO
Lao class 3 consonant, ŋɔ́ː ŋúa
[ŋ]
A preceding silent h ຫງ changes the default tone to high.
Refs: Simmala 123; Daniels 461
0E88: LAO LETTER CO
0E8A: LAO LETTER SO TAM
0E8D: LAO LETTER NYO
Lao class 3 consonant & vowel component, ɲɔ́ː ɲúŋ
[ɲ] initially; [j] finally.
A preceding silent h ຫຍ changes the default tone to high.
Used as a component in the following vowels:
[ia] ເ-ັຍະ and ເ-ັຍ
[iːa] ເ-ຍ and ເ-ັຍ
Used at the end of the following vowel sounds ending with [j]:
[aːj] -າຍ
[əːj] ເ-ີຍ
[oːj] ໂ-ຍ
[ɔːj] -ອຍ
[uj] -ຸຍ
[uaj] -ວຍ
[ɯaj] ເ-ືອຍ
Refs: Simmala 123; Daniels 461
0E94: LAO LETTER DO
0E95: LAO LETTER TO
0E96: LAO LETTER THO SUNG
0E97: LAO LETTER THO TAM
0E99: LAO LETTER NO
Lao class 3 consonant, nɔ́ː nok
[n]
A preceding silent h ຫນ changes the default tone to high.
Refs: Simmala 123; Daniels 461
0E9A: LAO LETTER BO
0E9B: LAO LETTER PO
0E9C: LAO LETTER PHO SUNG
0E9D: LAO LETTER FO TAM
0E9E: LAO LETTER PHO TAM
0E9F: LAO LETTER FO SUNG
0EA1: LAO LETTER MO
Lao class 3 consonant, mɔ́ː mɛ́ːw
[m]
A preceding silent h ຫມ changes the default tone to high.
Refs: Simmala 123; Daniels 461
0EA2: LAO LETTER YO
Lao class 1 consonant, jɔ̀ː jàː
[j]
A conjunct form related etymologically to the Thai อย.
Refs: Simmala 29, 176; Daniels 462
0EA3: LAO LETTER LO LING
Lao class 3 consonant, ɔ́ː
[l]
Officially removed from the alphabet by the Ministry of Education, it is still used occasionally to transliterate Indic or other foreign words into Lao, eg. ຝຣ່ັງ [flaŋ] foreigner. It is generally used to represent a the letter 'r': the sound [r] no longer exists in Lao.
Refs: Simmala 248; Daniels 461-462
0EA5: LAO LETTER LO LOOT
Lao class 3 consonant, lɔ́ː líŋ
[l] initially; [n] finally.
A preceding silent h ຫລ changes the default tone to high.
Refs: Simmala 123; Daniels 461
0EA7: LAO LETTER WO
Lao class 3 consonant, wɔ́ː wíː
[w]
A preceding silent h ຫວ changes the default tone to high.
Used as a component in the following vowels:
[ua] -ົວະ or -ົວ
[ua] -ັວ- or -ວ-
[uaj] -ວຍ
Used at the end of the following vowel sounds ending with [w]:
[aːw] -າວ
[eːw] ເ-ວ
[ɛːw] ແ-ວ
[iw] -ິວ
[iaw] -ຽວ
Refs: Simmala 123; Daniels 461
0EAA: LAO LETTER SO SUNG
0EAB: LAO LETTER HO SUNG
Lao class 2 consonant, hɔ̌ː haːn
[h]
This is used (silently) before the following initial consonants to change their default tone value: ລມນງຍວ.
Refs: Simmala 100; Daniels 461
0EAD: LAO LETTER O
Lao class 3 consonant, ɔ̀ː òː
[ʔ]
Used to support vowels when there is no syllable initial consonant.
Also used as part of the following vowels:
[oːj] -ັອ-
[ɔː] -ອ
[ɔːj] -ອຍ
[ɯa] ເ-ຶອ
[ɯaj] ເ-ືອຍ
[ɯːa] ເ-ືອ
Refs: Simmala 29; Daniels 461-2
0EAE: LAO LETTER HO TAM
0EBC: LAO SEMIVOWEL SIGN LO
Lao class 2 consonant
[l]
Represents the consonant lɔ́ː líŋ when following a silent h (ie. ຫຼ). This sequence changes the consonant class of lɔ́ː líŋ to 2.
The sequence can also be written ຫລ.
Refs: Simmala 176; Daniels 462
0EBD: LAO SEMIVOWEL SIGN NYO
Lao vowel
Originally an alternate form of non-initial ɲɔ́ː ɲúŋ ຍ, this character is now used for diphthongs.
It appears in the following vowels:
[ia] -ັຽ-
[ia] ເ-ຽ
[ia] -ຽ-
[iaw] -ຽວ
Refs: Simmala 73, 74; Daniels 462
0ECD: LAO NIGGAHITA
0EDC: LAO HO NO
Lao class 2 consonant
[n]
A ligature representing a silent h followed by the consonant nɔ́ː nok. This sequence changes the consonant class of nɔ́ː nok to 2.
The sequence can also be written ຫນ.
Refs: Simmala 176; Daniels 462
0EDD: LAO HO MO
Lao class 2 consonant
[m]
A ligature representing a silent h followed by the consonant mɔ́ː mɛ́ːw. This sequence changes the consonant class of mɔ́ː mɛ́ːw to 2.
The sequence can also be written ຫມ.
Refs: Simmala 176; Daniels 462
0EC8: LAO TONE MAI EK
Lao tone mark, mai eːk ໄນ້ເອກ
Used with any consonant class. Produces a mid tone.
Refs: Simmala 13,28, 35, 36, 121, 161; Daniels 464-465
0EC9: LAO TONE MAI THO
Lao tone mark, mai toː ໄນ້ໂທ
Used with any consonant class. Produces a high falling tone with class 1 and 3 consonants, but low falling with class 2.
Refs: Simmala 13, 28, 35, 36, 121, 161; Daniels 464-465
0ECA: LAO TONE MAI TI
Lao tone mark, mai tiː ໄນ້ຕີ
Used with any class 1 consonants. Produces a high falling tone.
Refs: Simmala 13, 28, 35, 36, 121, 161; Daniels 464-465
0ECB: LAO TONE MAI CATAWA
Lao tone mark, mai cat-ta-waː ໄນ້ຈັດຕະວາ
Used with any class 1 consonants. Produces a low rising tone.
Refs: Simmala 13, 28, 35, 36, 121, 161; Daniels 464-465
0EAF: LAO ELLIPSIS
Lao symbol
Used to indicate ellipsis or abbreviation.
0EC6: LAO KO LA
Lao symbol, kʰɯaŋ-mǎːj-sâm ເຄ່ຶອງໝາຍຊ້ຳ
Indicates repetition of preceding sound.
Also used in ໆລໆ [kʰɯaŋ-mǎːj-lɛ-ɯːn-ɯːn] (ເຄ່ຶອງໝາຍ ແລະອ່ຶນໆ), with a meaning similar to etc.
0ED0: LAO DIGIT ZERO
Lao digit, sǔːn ສູນ
0ED1: LAO DIGIT ONE
Lao digit, nɯŋ ໜ່ຶງ
0ED2: LAO DIGIT TWO
Lao digit, sɔ̌ːŋ ສອງ
0ED3: LAO DIGIT THREE
Lao digit, sǎːm ລາມ
0ED4: LAO DIGIT FOUR
Lao digit, siː ລ່ີ
0ED5: LAO DIGIT FIVE
Lao digit, hàː ຫ້າ
0ED6: LAO DIGIT SIX
Lao digit, hǒk ຫົກ
0ED7: LAO DIGIT SEVEN
Lao digit, cět ເຈັດ
0ED8: LAO DIGIT EIGHT
Lao digit, pɛ̀ːt ແປດ
0ED9: LAO DIGIT NINE
Lao digit, kâw ເກ້ົາ
Content first published TBA. Last substantive update 2008-02-10 11:05 GMT. This version 2008-03-14 8:41 GMT
Copyright © 2006-2008 Richard Ishida, All Rights Reserved.