Theen () (Also known as Kha Sam Liam) is an
Austroasiatic language
The Austroasiatic languages , , are a large language family in Mainland Southeast Asia and South Asia. These languages are scattered throughout parts of Thailand, Laos, India, Myanmar, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Nepal, and southern China and are th ...
of Laos, belonging to the branch of
Khmuic languages
The Khmuic languages are a branch of the Austroasiatic languages spoken mostly in northern Laos, as well as in neighboring northern Vietnam and southern Yunnan, China. Khmu is the only widely spoken language in the group.
Homeland
Paul Sidwell ...
. It is only spoken by about 200 people living in two villages. They are also known as ''Kha Sam Liam'' among their
Lao neighbours.
[
Speakers of the autonym are located in Viengkham district, Luang Prabang Province, Laos.][ ]
Further reading
* Shintani, Tadahiko L.A., Ryuichi Kosaka, and Takashi Kato. 2001. Linguistic Survey of Phongxaly, Lao P.D.R. Institute for the Study of Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA). Tokyo. p. 213-215.
*Chazée, Laurent. 1999. The Peoples of Laos: rural and ethnic diversities. Bangkok: White Lotus Co. Ltd. (see page 99).
*Ngô Đức Thịnh; and Trương Văn Sihn. 1973. Vài nét về sự phân bố địa lý các nhóm ngôn ngữ ở lào hiện nay bout the distribution of linguistic groups in contemporary Laos Ngôn Ngữ 1.16–23. (This article contains a Thay-Then wordlist).
References
Khmuic languages
{{AustroAsiatic-lang-stub