Moken languages
| Moken | |
|---|---|
| Moklen–Moken | |
| Native to | Burma, Thailand |
| Region | Mergui Archipelago, west of the Kra Isthmus |
| Ethnicity | Moken people |
|
Native speakers
|
(8,000 cited 1984–2007) |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Either: mwt – Moken mkm – Moklen |
| Glottolog | moke1241 |
The Moken language is a half dozen closely related varieties spoken by the Moken "Sea Gypsies" off the coast of Burma and Thailand. It is somewhat divergent from other Austronesian languages, and has been strongly influenced by Mon–Khmer languages.
The Moken or Moklen–Moken dialects are typically divided into two languages, Moken and Moklen, corresponding to the two varieties spoken in Thai waters. However, Moklen is just one of half a dozen Moken dialects, most of which are spoken in Burma (Naw Say Bay 1995). The Burmese varieties have not been adequately investigated, but from north to south the known dialects are:
Dung through Niawi are spoken (mostly) in Burma, Jadiak and Moklen mostly in Thailand. (Jadiak is also spoken in a second area to the south of Moklen.)
Moken is often classified in a group with the other Malayo-Polynesian languages of Southeast Asia, Chamic and Malayic, but Larish (2005) concludes that they do not belong together. Another language spoken by Sea Gypsies of the same islands, Urak Lawoi’, is one of the Malayic languages.
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