Moken

Primary tabs

A language of Myanmar

Location

Tanintharyi region: widespread in Mergui archipelago islands.

Also spoken in:

Expand All

Collapse All

Thailand

Language NameMoken

User Population

2,000 in Thailand (Bradley 2007a).

Location

Ranong, Phangnga, Phuket (southernmost tip), and Krabi provinces: southwest coast, offshore islands, Andaman Sea and Straits of Malacca.

Alternate Names

Basing, Chau Ko’, Mawken, Salon, Salong, Selong, Selung

Dialects

Kòʔ Surin (Northern Jadiak), Rawai (Southern Jadiak). Reportedly most similar to Moklen [mkm].

Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

Language Use

Not spoken by youth in one Jadiak village (Bradley 2007a). Also use Burmese [mya]. Also use Thai [tha].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 10%–30% in Thai [tha]. Various literacy materials in Karen, Burmese, Roman and Thai scripts (Bradley 2007a). Most adults are illiterate.

Other Comments

Primarily live on boats, but occasionally settle on area islands. Traditional religion, Muslim.

View other languages of Thailand

Moken

Primary tabs

A language of Myanmar

Also spoken in:

Browse by

25th Edition

Products

Related Sites