Karen, Pwo Northern

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A language of Thailand

ISO 639-3
pww
Alternate Names
Phlon, Phlong
User Population

60,000 (1983 SIL). Total Karen: 441,000 (2010 census).

Location

Chiang Mai, Lamphun, and Tak provinces; Mae Hong Son province: Mae Sarieng town, Mae Ngaw along Salween river, 15–25 villages, Hot to Mae Sarieng.

Language Maps
Language Status

5* (Developing).

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

Mae Ping, Omkoi (Hod), Mae Sarieng. Dialects mutually intelligible. Pwo Karen of Phrae [kjt], Kanchanaburi, and Hua Hin are not intelligible with these. Lexical similarity: 87% with Phrae province Pwo Karen [kjt] of Thailand, 68%–73% with other Pwo Karen.

Typology

SVO.

Language Use

Also use Thai [tha], but little knowledge of it in the area delimited by Hot and Mae Sarieng.

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%. Bible: 2016.

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

Thai script [Thai].

Other Comments

Traditional religion, Christian.