Geko Karen language

Geko
Native to	Burma
Ethnicity	Kayan
Native speakers	17,000 Geko (2010) [1] 9,000 Yinbaw (2017) [1]
Language family	Sino-Tibetan (Tibeto-Burman) Karen languages Sgaw–Bghai Bghai? Kayah? Geko
Language codes
ISO 639-3	Either: ghk  – Geko kvu  – Yinbaw
Glottolog	geko1235   Geko yinb1236   Yinbaw

Geko is a Karen language of Burma. Yinbaw is reportedly a variety. Speakers of Geko and Yinbaw are ethnically Kayan, as are speakers of Lahta and Padaung.

Kadaw ^[2] and Taungmying are closely related linguistic varieties. ^{[3] [4]}

Distribution

• northern Kayin State: Thandaunggyi township
• southern Shan State: Pekhon township
• Mandalay Region: Yamethin District
• Bago Region: Taungoo District

Yinbaw (population 7,300 as of 1983) is spoken in eastern Shan State and Kayah State.

Dialects

• Geker
• Gekho
• Thaidai (Htideh) ^[5]

References

1. Geko at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
   Yinbaw at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
2. Shintani Tadahiko. 2015. The Kadaw language. Linguistic survey of Tay cultural area (LSTCA) no. 106. Tokyo: Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA).
3. Hsiu, Andrew (2019). "Karenic". Sino-Tibetan Branches Project. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
4. Shintani Tadahiko (2012). A handbook of comparative Brakaloungic languages. Tokyo: ILCAA.
5. Shintani Tadahiko. 2018. The Thaidai language. Linguistic survey of Tay cultural area (LSTCA) no. 116. Tokyo: Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA).

• Shintani Tadahiko. 2017. The Gokhu language. Linguistic survey of Tay cultural area (LSTCA) no. 111. Tokyo: Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA).
• Shintani Tadahiko. 2018. The Thaidai language. Linguistic survey of Tay cultural area (LSTCA) no. 116. Tokyo: Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA).