Lao
{{English}}
Þā '''Lao''' sind [[folclic mǣgþ]] [[Ēastansūþan Asia|Ēastansūðan Asian]]. Mǣste Lao menn wuniaþ in oþþe [[Laoland]]e (ymbe 3 million) oþþe [[Thailand]]e (ymbe 15 million). Þæt Lao folc Thailandes in [[Isan]] dǣle wuniaþ mǣst, þēah hēr sind mænig [[wīdgangol wyrcend]] of [[Isan]]e þe þā wyrcaþ in ōðrum dǣlum, tō bīsene [[Bangcoc]]e. Þæt Lao folc sprecaþ mænigfealde [[undersprǣc]]as þǣm [[Lao sprǣc]]e and [[Isan sprǣc]]e, þe Þā man eft gecwiðaþ swā ānfald [[sprǣc]]e. Mænig lēode in Isan prefer the term Isan to Lao as a result of the "[[Thaification]]" campaigns of the [[20th century]], but there remain many close cultural bonds between the Lao people as a whole.

== Stǣr ==

Þæt stǣr Lao is þæt [[stǣr Laose]] and [[stǣr Isane]].
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These histories diverged in the [[19th century]], when the defeat of [[Vientiane]]'s rebellion against [[Siam]] in [[1827]] led to large-scale population transfers from modern Laos to Isan, leaving Laos itself underpopulated.  The breach was formalised by the [[France|Franco]]-Siamese treaties of [[1893]] and [[1904]], which made Isan and Laos the [[Border|frontier]] between Siam and [[French Indochina]].

Since then, both Thailand and Laos have carried out sustained campaigns to transform themselves into [[nation state]]s centred on the [[Thai]] and [[Lao]] people respectively.   In Isan this has meant the strengthening of the people's loyalties to Thailand, a process known as "[[Thaification]]".   Many younger people in particular therefore prefer to consider themselves Isan rather than Lao: "Isan", literally meaning "northeast" implies belonging to Thailand, while "Lao" connotes instead a loyalty to Laos.  In Laos, by contrast, the same process has resulted in the promotion of the Lao language and [[culture]] as the national language and culture.

==Distribution==

There are around 3 million Lao in Laos, constituting approximately 50% of the [[population]] (the remainder are largely [[hill tribe]] people).  The ethnic Lao of Laos form the bulk of the ''Lao Loum'' ("Lowland Lao").  The Lao make up around a third of the population of Thailand: the main concentrations are in Isan (about 15 million people) and in Bangkok (where there are thought to be at least one million migrant Lao from Isan).  There are other populations of ethnic Lao throughout [[Central Thailand]], but these have been increasingly incorporated into the general Thai population.  Small Lao communities exist in [[Cambodia]], residing primarily in the former Lao territory of [[Stung Treng]] ([[Xieng Teng]] in Lao), and [[Vietnam]], and there are also substantial, unknown numbers of Lao overseas.   500,000 people would be a rough estimate.  Most of the latter were [[refugee]]s from [[Laos]] who fled the [[Second Indochina War]] and the [[Pathet Lao]].

It bears noting that the last official census conducted in [[Siam]] (later [[Thailand]]) in which "Lao" was a unique ethnic category showed almost half the population being "Lao." As part of [[Thaiification]] the "Lao" category was dropped and today it is unclear what share of the population of Thailand is of Lao origin.

==Sprǣc==

The Lao speak [[Lao language|Lao]] and [[Isan language|Isan]].  Each of these exists in various dialects.   The Vientiane dialect has been adopted as the standard in Laos; there is no standard dialect of Isan, but most of its dialects are mutually comprehensible with Vientiane Lao.  Most of the differences between Lao and Isan are due either to the greater use of Thai [[loan word]]s in Isan, and to the adoption of different [[neologism]]s for concepts introduced since the division of Laos and Isan in the late 19th century (e.g. "[[motorcycle]]" is ''lot motorcy'' in Isan, but ''lot jak'' in Lao).

==Sidaþing==

Isan and Laos are both extremely poor economically, due to their relatively infertile land and dry [[climate]].  The most common lifestyle is therefore that of [[subsistence farming]], with few major urban centres.

Laos and Isan share the [[Theravada Buddhism|Theravada Buddhist]] religion.  The indigenous cuisines of [[Lao cuisine|Laoland]] and [[Isan cuisine|Isan]] are very similar, placing much emphasis on [[fish sauce]], [[chilli]] and [[sticky rice]].   However, Lao cuisine has also absorbed some [[French cuisine|French]] and substantial [[Vietnamese]] elements, while the greater poverty of the rural areas of Laos has led to a more restricted diet than in most of Isan.

Laos and Isan share the [[mor lam]] style of [[folk music]].  Since the [[1980s]] ''mor lam'' from Isan bas been a major cultural influence on Laos.

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== Further reading ==

* Thongchai Winichakul. ''Siam Mapped''. University of Hawaii Press, 1984.
* Wyatt, David. ''Thailand: A Short History''. Yale University Press, 1984.

== Ūtweardliċ bend ==

* [http://www.ethnologue.com/country_index.asp?place=Asia Reports on languages spoken in Laolande and in Thailande, fram Ethnologue.com]
{{stycce}}
Þā Lao sind folclic mǣgþ Ēastansūðan Asian. Mǣste Lao menn wuniaþ in oþþe Laolande (ymbe 3 million) oþþe Thailande (ymbe 15 million). Þæt Lao folc Thailandes in Isan dǣle wuniaþ mǣst, þēah hēr sind mænig wīdgangol wyrcend of Isane þe þā wyrcaþ in ōðrum dǣlum, tō bīsene Bangcoce. Þæt Lao folc sprecaþ mænigfealde undersprǣcas þǣm Lao sprǣce and Isan sprǣce, þe Þā man eft gecwiðaþ swā ānfald sprǣce. Mænig lēode in Isan prefer the term Isan to Lao as a result of the "Thaification" campaigns of the 20th century, but there remain many close cultural bonds between the Lao people as a whole.

 Stǣr 

Þæt stǣr Lao is þæt stǣr Laose and stǣr Isane.

 Further reading 

 Thongchai Winichakul. Siam Mapped. University of Hawaii Press, 1984.
 Wyatt, David. Thailand: A Short History. Yale University Press, 1984.

 Ūtweardliċ bend 

 Reports on languages spoken in Laolande and in Thailande, fram Ethnologue.com