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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Asia > Thailand > Mlabri

Mlabri

A language of Thailand

ISO 639-3: mra

Population  300 in Thailand (1982 E. Long). Population total all countries: 324.
Region  Phayao, Nan, Phrae, Utaradit, Phitsanuloke, Loey, perhaps other provinces. Laos border area. Also in Laos.
Language map  Northern Thailand, reference number 23
Alternate names   Luang, Ma Ku, Mabri, Mla, Mla Bri, Mrabri, Phi Thong, Yellow Leaf, Yumbri
Classification  Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Northern Mon-Khmer, Khmuic, Mlabri
Language use  Speak or understand some Hmong [mww] and Northern Thai [nod].
Language development  Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 0%–1%.
Writing system  Thai script.
Comments  Mlabri are different from the Kha Tong Luang (Phi Tong Luang, Yellow Leaf) in Laos, who are Western Viet-Muong (Wurm and Hattori 1981). Sometimes employed by the Hmong. Some nomadic. Agriculturalists: rice, maize; hunter-gatherers. Traditional religion.

Also spoken in:

Laos

Language name   Mlabri
Population  24 in Laos (1985 F. Proschan).
Region  Xaignabouli Province, Phiang District, near Thailand border.
Language map  Laos, reference number 38
Alternate names  Ma Ku, Mabri, Mla, Mla-Bri, Mrabri, Yellow Leaf, Yumbri
Comments  Nomadic. Different from Kha Tong Luang (Phi Tong Luang, Yellow Leaf), which are Western Viet-Muong (Wurm and Hattori 1981). Traditional religion.
 

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

Alves, Mark J. 2001. "Distributional properties of causative verbs in some Mon-Khmer languages."  Available online

Rischel, Jørgen. 2006. "The "definite article" in Mlabri."