Countries
Malaysia, Mauritius, Puducherry, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu
  
Laos
  
National Language
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu
  
Laos, Northeastern Thailand
  
Second Language
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, kerala, Puducherry
  
Not spoken in any of the countries
  
Speaking Continents
Asia
  
Asia
  
Minority Language
Canada, Malaysia, Mauritius, Reunion, Seychelles
  
Not spoken in any of the countries
  
Regulated By
Official language Commission of Government of Tamil Nadu, Thanjavur Tamil University
  
Not Available
  
Interesting Facts
- Tamil is the oldest language in the world. Tamil was spoken in South India more than 5000 years ago.
- The first legally recognized Classical Language of India is Tamil.
- There is no space left between words, only between phrases or sentences in Lao language.
- The Lao alphabets has been reformed many times over the past 50 years.
  
Similar To
Malayalam
  
Thai Language
  
Derived From
Not Available
  
Pali, Sanskrit and Old Khmer Languages
  
Alphabets in
Tamil-Alphabets.jpg#200
  
Lao-Alphabets.jpg#200
  
Phonology
  
  
Scripts
Tamil
  
Thai and Lao Braille
  
Writing Direction
Left-To-Right, Horizontal
  
Left-To-Right, Horizontal
  
Hard to Learn
  
  
Hello
வணக்கம் (Vanakkam)
  
ສະບາຍດີ (sába̖ai-di̖i)
  
Thank You
நன்றி (Naṉṟi)
  
ຂອບໃຈ (khàwp ja̖i)
  
How Are You?
நீங்கள் எப்படி இருக்கிறீர்கள்? (Nīṅkaḷ eppaṭi irukkiṟīrkaḷ?)
  
ສະບາຍດີບ (sába̖ai-di̖i baw?)
  
Good Night
நல்ல இரவு (Good night) / irravu vanakkam (Good night)
  
ໃນຕອນກາງຄືນ ທີ່ດີ (naitonkangkhun thidi)
  
Good Evening
நல்ல மாலை (Nalla mālai)/ மாலை (irravu vanakkam)
  
ສະບາຍດີຕອນແລງ (sa bai di ton aelng)
  
Good Afternoon
பிற்பகல் வணக்கம் (perpagal vanakkam)
  
ສະບາຍດີຕອນສວາຍ (sa bai di ton suaai)
  
Good Morning
காலை வணக்கம் (Kaalai Vanakkam)
  
ສະບາຍດີຕອນເຊົ້າ (sa bai di ton sao)
  
Please
தயவு (Tayavu)
  
ກະລຸນາ (kaluna)
  
Sorry
மன்னிக்கவும் (Maṉṉikkavum)
  
ຂໍອະໄພ (khooaphai)
  
Bye
சென்று வருகிறேன் (Sendru Varukiren)
  
Sôhk dii der
  
I Love You
நான் உன்னை காதலிக்கிறேன் (Naan Unnai Kadalikiren)
  
ຂ້ອຍຮັກເຈົ້າ (khony hak chao)
  
Excuse Me
என்னை மன்னியுங்கள் (Eṉṉai maṉṉiyuṅkaḷ)
  
ຂໍໂທດ (kho othd)
  
Dialect 1
Kongu
  
Vientiane Lao
  
Where They Speak
Kongu
  
Laos
  
Dialect 2
Madurai Tamil
  
Northern Lao
  
Where They Speak
Madurai, South Tamil Nadu
  
Laos
  
Dialect 3
Tirunelveli Tamil
  
Central Lao
  
Where They Speak
South Tamil Nadu, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli
  
Laos
  
How Many People Speak?
78.00 million
  
21
25.00 million
  
40
Speaking Population
Not Available
  
Native Speakers
70.00 million
  
15
25.00 million
  
32
Second Language Speakers
8.00 million
  
24
Not Available
  
Native Name
தமிழ்
  
ພາສາລາວ (pháasaa láo)
  
Alternative Names
Damulian, Tamal, Tamalsan, Tambul, Tamili
  
Eastern Thai, Lào, Lao Kao, Lao Wiang, Lao-Lum, Lao-Noi, Lao-Tai, Laotian, Laotian Tai, Lum Lao, Phou Lao, Rong Kong, Tai Lao
  
French Name
tamoul
  
lao
  
German Name
Tamil
  
Laotisch
  
Pronunciation
[t̪ɐmɨɻ]
  
pʰáːsǎː láːw
  
Ethnicity
Tamil people or Tamilans
  
Not Available
  
Origin
300 BC
  
1283 CE
  
Language Family
Dravidian Family
  
Tai-Kadai Family
  
Subgroup
Not Available
  
Tai
  
Branch
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Language Forms
  
  
Early Forms
Old Tamil and Middle Tamil
  
No Early forms
  
Standard Forms
Modern Tamil
  
Lao
  
Language Position
Not Available
  
Signed Forms
Signed Tamil
  
Not Available
  
Scope
Individual
  
Individual
  
ISO 639 1
ta
  
lo
  
ISO 639 2
  
  
ISO 639 2/T
tam
  
lao
  
ISO 639 2/B
tam
  
lao
  
ISO 639 3
tam
  
lao
  
ISO 639 6
tam
  
Not Available
  
Glottocode
tami1289, oldt1248
  
laoo1244
  
Linguasphere
tami1289
  
No data available
  
Types of Language
  
  
Language Type
Living
  
Living
  
Language Linguistic Typology
Subject-Object-Verb
  
Subject-Verb-Object
  
Language Morphological Typology
Not Available
  
Isolating