Isan Language - Classification

Classification

Isan belongs to the Tai branch of the Tai–Kadai languages. It is sometimes considered to be a Thai dialect, a Lao dialect, or even a language in its own right. This has given Isan a wealth of other names, including Thai Isan, Lao Isan, Lao, or Northeastern Thai. In general, speakers refer to the language either as Isan or Lao, although the term ‘Lao’ may occasionally be used pejoratively by Thai speakers or as the preferred term by those who acknowledge the Lao roots. Although Lao and Thai are largely mutually intelligible, Isan is closer to standard Lao than it is to standard Thai.