Karen, Pwo Eastern

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A language of Myanmar

ISO 639-3
kjp
Alternate Names
Moulmein Pwo Karen, Phlong, Pho
Autonym
ဖၠုံ‎ (Phlou)
User Population

1,000,000 in Myanmar (1998). Total users in all countries: 1,050,000.

Location

Bago region: Bago and Toungoo townships; Kayin state and Tanintharyi region: a large area near the Thailand border.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Karenic, Peripheral
Dialects

Pa’an (Inland Eastern Pwo Karen, Moulmein), Kawkareik (Eastern Border Pwo Karen), Tavoy (Southern Pwo Karen). Not intelligible with Pwo Western Karen [pwo]. Reportedly fairly high comprehension among Eastern Pwo Karen dialects. Likely intelligible but politically and sociolinguistically distinct from Pwo Eastern Karen [kjp] in Thailand. Lexical similarity: 91%–97% among dialects; 63%–65% with Pwo Western Karen [pwo].

Typology

SVO.

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Burmese [mya]. Used as L2 by S’gaw Karen [ksw].

Language Development

Grammar. Texts. Bible: 1883–1926.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Karen, Pwo Eastern
Writing

Leke (Chicken-Scratch) script [Leke], developed between 1830–1860, used by adherents to the Leke Millenarian sect. Myanmar (Burmese) script [Mymr], primary usage, a variety of orthographies are in use. Thai script [Thai], developed by expatriates around 2000, used in Thailand by West Central Thailand Pwo Karen community, limited usage.

Other Comments

Eastern Pwo Karen [kjp] Christians use the Pwo Karen Bible. Buddhist, Christian.

Also spoken in:

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