Also Known As:
Selung, Mawken, Basing, Selong, Salong, Salon, Chau Ko', Moklen
Dialects & Varieties
- Dung
- Ja-It
- L'be
East and Southeast Asia
Bradley, David. 2007. "East and Southeast Asia." In Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages, edited by C. Moseley. 349-424. London & New York: Routledge.
Endangered
40 percent certain, based on the evidence available
Speaker Number Trends
Speaker Number Trend 3
Only about half of community members speak the language. Speaker numbers are decreasing steadily, but not at an accelerated pace.
3
Speakers
Native or fluent speakers:
No results found.
Second-language speakers and learners
No results found.
Semi-speakers or rememberers
No results found.
Children:
No results found.
Young adults
No results found.
Older adults
No results found.
Elders
No results found.
Ethnic or community population
6,000 (Moken and Moklen together)
Year information was gathered
No results found.
Comments on speakers
Known as Saloun in Burmese and sometimes as Chao Thalee ‘sea people’ in Thai; Moken is an autonym used by most dialect groups in Burma. Six dialect groups, from north to south Dung, Jait, Lebi and Niawi in Burma, Jadiak straddling the border, and Moklen in Thailand. There is one Jadiak village south of the Moklen at the southern tip of Phuket Island; but in this village there is extensive contact with Urak Lawoi and Thai and young people no longer speak traditional Moken.
Location and Context
Countries
Burma; Thailand
Location Description
Burma: islands of the southeastern coast from Tavoy to the Thai border; and Thailand: islands off the southwest coast from the Burmese border to Phuket; also a few settlements on the coast.
Government Support
No results found.
Institutional Support
No results found.
Speakers' Attitude
No results found.
Other Languages Used By The Community
Burmese; Thai
Number of Other Language Speakers:
None
Domains of Other Languages:
None
Writing Systems
Standard orthography:
No results found.
Writing system:
No results found.
Other writing systems used:
No results text.
Comments on writing systems:
Various literacy materials have been prepared, based on Karen, Burmese, Roman and Thai scripts.
Recent Resources
Ba lives in Khao-lak, Phang-Nga, Thailand.
For generations the Moken lived in boat villages off the shore of Thailand.