16th edition

US$ 100.00

Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Asia > Myanmar > Kayah, Eastern

Kayah, Eastern

A language of Myanmar

ISO 639-3: eky

Population	8,000 in Myanmar (2007). Population does not include 15,000 refugees in Thailand (Thailand Burma Border Consortium 2007). Population total all countries: 26,000.
Region	Kayah state. Also in Thailand.
Alternate names	Karenni, Karennyi, Kayah Li, Kayay, Red Karen
Dialects	Upper Eastern Kayah, Lower Eastern Kayah. Distinct from but related to Bwe Karen [bwe] (Bghai), forming a dialect subgroup. Difficulty understanding Western Kayah [kyu].
Classification	Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Karen, Sgaw-Bghai, Kayah
Language use	Home, religion, village. Positive attitude. Also use Shan [shn] and Central Thai [tha]. Central Thai used in education of Kayah in permanent villages; Western Kayah [kyu] used in education in refugee refugree camps.
Writing system	Kayah Li script.

Also spoken in:

Thailand

Language name	Kayah, Eastern
Population	18,000 in Thailand (2007). 2 camps of 15,000 refugees from Myanmar.
Region	Maehongson Province, east of Salween River.
Language map	Northern Thailand, reference number 8
Alternate names	Karennyi, Kayah, Kayay, Red Karen, “Yang Daeng”
Language use	Home, religion, village. Strong feeling that all Kayah are the same ethnic group.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 1%–5%. Literacy rate in L2: 60% in Thai.
Comments	Upper Eastern Kayah is north of Mae Hong Son provincial capital; Lower Eastern Kaya is south. ‘Karieng Daeng’ means Red Karen in Central Thai. “Yang Daeng” means Red Karen in Northern Thai and is pejorative.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

MANSON, Ken, author. 2001. Review of: Eastern Kayah Li: grammar, texts, glossary, by David Solnit.

MANSON, Ken, author. 2009. "Prolegomena to reconstructing Proto-Karen."