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Phong, also known as Kniang, is an Austroasiatic language of the Mon–Khmer family, spoken in Laos. Its nearest relatives are the fellow Xinh Mul tongues, the Khang language and Puoc language, both spoken in Vietnam. The number of speakers of Phong-Kniang is estimated at 30,700.
The Jahaic or Northern Aslian languages are a group of Aslian languages spoken by about 5,000 people in inland areas of Peninsular Malaysia, with a few pockets in southern Thailand. The most distinctive language in the group is the outlier Cheq Wong, which is spoken south of the Central Aslian language Semai. The other languages apart from Ten'edn can be split into two divisions:
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Temuan language is a Malayic language spoken by the Temuan people, one of the Orang Asli or indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia which can be found in the states of Selangor, Pahang, Johor, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan. Temuan is a separate language but has a degree of mutual intelligibility with the Malay language. It is written in a Latin alphabet, but no standard orthography has been made.
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Jakun is an Austronesian language, perhaps a dialect of Malay, spoken in Malaysia. Specifically it is spoken on the east coast and inland of Peninsular Malaysia, around the Pairang River, from Pekan in Pahang to Sri Gading, east to Benut, northwest to middle Muar River area around the districts of Segamat, Muar and Tangkak in Johor. It is also known as Djakun, Jakoon, Jaku’d, Jakud’n or Orang Hulu.
Jahai (Jehai) is an aboriginal Mon–Khmer language spoken by the Jahai people living in the montane rainforests of northern Peninsular Malaysia and southernmost Thailand. It is the largest Northern Aslian language. Though spoken by only a little more than 1,000 people, Jahai does not appear to be in immediate danger of extinction due to the prevalence of Jahai parents passing on the language to their children as their mother tongue.
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Semnam is an aboriginal Mon–Khmer language spoken by the Semnam subtribe of the Lanoh people in Peninsular Malaysia.
Ksingmul is a Mon–Khmer language spoken by the Ksingmul people of Vietnam and Laos.
Nyaheun is a Mon–Khmer language of the Bahnaric branch spoken in southern Laos. Chazée (1999:95) estimates the population at 4,200, while the 1995 Laotian census places the Nyaheun population at 5,152. According to Ethnologue, the language is "vigorous," which means it is spoken by people of all ages in its home community.
Taliang is a Bahnaric language spoken by the Jeh-Tariang people of Laos and Vietnam. It is possibly related to the Stieng language of Vietnam and Cambodia.
Oʼdu, or Iduh, is a Mon–Khmer language of Vietnam and Laos. Once spoken by about 300 people in Tương Dương district, Nghệ An province, Vietnam, it is now considered to be almost extinct.
Mal, also known as Thin, is a Mon–Khmer language of Laos and Thailand. It is one of several closely related languages which go by the names Thin or Prai.
Jru' is a Mon–Khmer language of the Bahnaric branch spoken in southern Laos. It is also known as "Loven", "Laven" or "Boloven" from the Laotian exonym Laven or Loven, which is derived from the Khmer name for the Boloven Plateau. The Jru' people engage in coffee and cardamom cultivation, as well as other agricultural activities.
References
- ↑ Alak at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
- ↑ Theraphan L. Thongkum, The place of Lawi, Harak and Tariang within Bahnaric (1997), in Mon-Khmer Studies , volume 27
