Siouan languages
Authors who call the entire family "Siouan" distinguish the two branches as "Western Siouan" and "Eastern Siouan" or as "Siouan-proper" and "Catawban". Others restrict the name "Siouan" to the western branch and use the name "Siouan–Catawban" for the entire family. Generally, however, the name "Siouan" is used without distinction.
Demographics of Laos
The official and dominant language is Lao, a tonal language of the Tai linguistic group. Midslope and highland Lao speak tribal languages. French, once common in government and commerce, has declined in use, while knowledge of English — the language of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) — has increased in recent years.