Linguistic Survey of An Endangered Language in Northern Thailand, Mlabri
| Project/Area Number |
12039238
|
|---|
| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas
|
| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
|---|
| Review Section |
Humanities and Social Sciences
|
|---|
| Research Institution | REITAKU UNIVERSITY |
|---|
Principal Investigator |
SAKAMOTO Hinako REITAKU UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES, PROFESSOR, 外国語学部, 教授 (20205777)
|
|---|
| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
UMEDA Hiroyuki REITAKU UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES, PROFESSOR, 外国語学部, 教授 (20014459)
|
|---|
| Project Period (FY) |
2000 – 2002
|
| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2002)
|
| Budget Amount *help |
¥9,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥9,300,000)
Fiscal Year 2002: ¥2,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,900,000)
Fiscal Year 2001: ¥2,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,900,000)
Fiscal Year 2000: ¥3,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,500,000)
|
|---|
| Keywords | Endangered Languages in Thailand / Mlabri language / Mlabri people / Spirits of Yellow Leaves / Phi Tong Luang / Mlabri text book / Sub-category of Mlabri language / ムラブリ語の下位分類 / 北タイ・プレー / 消滅の危機言語 / モン族 / 北タイ碑文 / 少数民族 / 山岳民族 / 言語の消滅 / 言語の保持 / 北タイの諸言語 / 言語接触 |
|---|
| Research Abstract |
Mlabri is a language of the Mon-Khmer group, spoken by a small ethnic group in northern Thailand, Phi Tong Luang or Spirits of Yellow Leaves. We have carried field research four times in Huwaihom Village of Rongkwang District, Phrae Prefecture and have compiled a villagers' name list including their family relations. Total population of speaker of Mlabri is approx 300, 270 to 280 in Thailand, some 20 more in Laos. Settlements are in Phrae and Nan Prefecture. Official name of group is Mlabri (used both by themselves and by Thais). Mlabri both of Phrae and Nan speak the same language. They move Phrae to Nan or vice versa very often.
Approximately 3000 basic words were compiled and recorded on IPA, digital-voice tapes. Results of the comparative study of the Mlabri in Phrae and Nan show that there exist no Mlabri dialects in Thailand except the group of Rischell (1995).
Only a few people remembered old words. There is almost none who can relate myths or legends. Old customs and traditions are no longer performed, so we couldn't gather any material. We've got a Mlabri text book that is written in Mlabri letters developed by an American Missionary. We have was translated it into Japanese. This is the first Mlabri Text book in the world.
We will compile a Mlabri text book with English and Thai translation, and IPA, so as to Mlabri people and linguists will make use of it in future.
Young children speak only the Mlabri. At the age of 5 or 6 years, they are bi-lingual of the Mlabri and standard Thai. Youngsters are fluent speaker of standard Thai and Northern Thai. Code-switch was often observed in their conversation. Their life is changing very fast and they contact Thai people much more than before.
|
Report
(4 results)
Research Products
(7 results)
