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Lanna script

Tai Tham
Tai Tham script sample.png
Type
Languages Northern Thai, Tai Lü, Khün
Time period
c. 1300–present
Parent systems
Child systems
New Tai Lue
Direction Left-to-right
ISO 15924 Lana, 351
Unicode alias
Tai Tham
U+1A20–U+1AAF

The Tai Tham script, Lanna script (Thai: อักษรธรรมล้านนา) or Tua Mueang (Lannaᨲ᩠ᩅᩫᨾᩮᩥᩬᨦ, Northern Thai pronunciation: [tǔa.mɯ̄aŋ] About this sound listen, Tai Lü: ᨲᩫ᩠ᩅᨵᨾ᩠ᨾ᩼ , Tham, "scripture"), is used for three living languages: Northern Thai (that is, Kham Mueang), Tai Lü and Khün. In addition, the Lanna script is used for Lao Tham (or old Lao) and other dialect variants in Buddhist palm leaves and notebooks. The script is also known as Tham or Yuan script.

The Northern Thai language is a close relative of Thai and member of the Chiang Saeng language family. It is spoken by nearly 6,000,000 people in Northern Thailand and several thousand in Laos of whom few are literate in Lanna script. The script is still read by older monks. Northern Thai has six linguistic tones and Thai only five, making transcription into the Thai alphabet problematic. There is some resurgent interest in the script among younger people, but an added complication is that the modern spoken form, called Kammuang, differs in pronunciation from the older form. There are 670,000 speakers of Tai Lü of whom those born before 1950 are literate in Tham, also known as Old Tai Lue. The script has also continued to be taught in the monasteries. The New Tai Lue script is derived from Tham. There are 120,000 speakers of Khün for which Lanna is the only script.


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