Moklen language

Last updated
Moklen
Native to Thailand
Region Phang Nga Province, Ranong Province, and northern Phuket Island
Ethnicity Moklen people
Native speakers
(2,000 cited 1984–2007) [1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3 mkm
Glottolog mokl1243
ELP Moklen

Moklen is an Austronesian language spoken on the western coast of southern Thailand. It is related to but distinct from the Moken language of Myanmar and southern Thailand. Unlike Moken, it is not spoken in Myanmar.

Contents

Dialects

Larish (2005) lists three main Moklen areas in Thailand. Moklen is spoken mostly, but not exclusively, in Phang Nga Province. It is also spoken in Ranong Province and Phuket Island.

Swastham (1982) describes the Moklen dialect of Lam Phi (ลำภี), Thai Mueang District, Phang Nga Province in southern Thailand. Other Moklen villages near Lam Phi listed by Swastham (1982) are, listed from north to south, Bang Sak, Khuk Khak, Bang Niang, Thung Maphraw, and Tha Chat Chai.

Bishop & Peterson (1987) survey various Moklen dialects.

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The Moklenic or Moken–Moklen languages consist of a pair of two closely related but distinct languages, namely Moken and Moklen. Larish (1999) establishes the two languages as forming two distinct subgroups of a larger Moken–Moklen branch. Larish (2005) suggests Moklenic as an alternative name for Moken–Moklen, the latter term which was originally used by Larish (1999).

References

  1. Moklen at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)

Works cited

Further reading