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| Introduction: Spoken tones are governed by several rules that are summarized graphically
in the tone chart. Here we shall comment briefly on the two kinds of syllables in
Lao. The first type is "Smooth or Live." They end in a long vowel or
a final -m, -n, -N, -l, -r, -y, -w. The second type is
"Checked or Dead" syllables: syllables ending in - p, -t, -k, glottal stop
(sudden closure of the glottis). The reason for these names has to do with the air
flow out of the oral cavity. A checked or stopped syllable is made "dead"
by the lips (-p), the tip/blade of the tongue (-t), the back of the tongue (-k), or
closure of the glottis (?). A
"live" syllable is, by default, "not dead." That is the syllable
can be continued or kept "alive" by continuous air flow. The terms
"live" and "dead" come from Lao terms "pen" and
"taay" respectively. They correspond to the phonetic terms
"smooth" and "checked." The tone chart is divided vertically
along the lines of live and dead. The first question the learner should ask
is: "Is the syllable I am reading live or dead?" Then the learner
should ask, "Is the initial consonant High, Middle, or Low Class?"
If it is one of the latter three, then the next question is: "Is there a written tone
mark?" These three questions then lead to the final answer found in one of the
boxes in the tone chart. Keep these questions in mind as you engage yourself
in the following exercises. (Click here to review Lao Vowels) |
Su4uN/High Class Consonants |
|
| The first group of consonants to learn is the su4uN class. The su4uN consonants are pronounced with a low rising tone. |
| If we list the su4uN and ta#m/Low Class consonants side by side, we see that there are su4uN symbols corresponding to some ta#m symbols. |
| su4uN | ta#m | ||
| 0 | khO4O | 7 | khO2O |
| l | sO4O | - | sO2O |
| 4 | thO4O | m | thO2O |
| z | phO4O | r | phO2O |
| / | fO4O | 2 | fO2O |
| s | hO4O | I | hO2O |
| If the letter s is placed before one of these ta#m consonants: ', p, o, ,, ], or ;, they follow the rules of the su4uN class. |
| In
the above combinations the s is silent. It only serves to indicate that
the following consonant is to be considered a su4uN consonant.
(Notice how s is
joined to o and , e.g. s + o = V ; s + , = | ; The combination s + ] is often
written s^. s + p is often
written sP .) The syllable 0k is pronounced kha4a. Look at the following syllables and read them aloud. |
|
WHAT INHERENT TONE DO
THEY (high class consonants) HAVE? Answer! (Click here to refer to the Lao Tones Chart.) Rule: su4uN + long vowel has low rising tone. PRACTICE READING THE FOLLOWING SYLLABLES: |
| Look at the following and read them aloud. |
|
WHAT TONE DO THEY
HAVE? Answer! (Click here to refer to the Lao Tones Chart.) Rule: su4uN + short vowel + sonorant has low rising tone. PRACTICE READING THE FOLLOWING SYLLABLES: |
| READ THE FOLLOWING: |
| WHAT TONE DO THEY
HAVE AND WHY? Answer! (Click here to refer to the Lao Tones Chart.) READ THE FOLLOWING SYLLABLES: |
|
WHAT TONE DO THEY HAVE
AND WHY? Answer! (Click here to refer to the Lao Tones Chart.) PRACTICE READING THE FOLLOWING SYLLABLES: |
| 06 | cs' | lu | gsp | 4= | c| | zk | |
| Vn | g/u | 3s] | s6 | s;u | |||
| g;]klv'3,'pa'-k; | pkr=jgvqk-yspa' | ||||||
| g9qhkdyodkg2oq,[= | co;ohufum+da[co;oAo | ||||||
| g9qhk,u1kg9a[sq;0kp | |||||||
| Here are some su4uN syllables with mày eêk: |
|
WHAT TONE DO THEY HAVE? Answer! (Click here to refer to the Lao Tones Chart.) Rule: A syllable which begins with a su4uN consonant and has a mày eêk has high-mid tone. (The use of the mày eêk is the same for all three classes of consonants. It always indicates high-mid tone.) PRACTICE READING THE FOLLOWING SYLLABLES: |
| l=felugs]nv'16jgmy'8aj' |
| g9qhk0PoVa'lnlv'lk,dhko |
| 8voc]']k;dyo16jIkhovksko |
| 16jglaomk'lk,clowm |
| vksko9uoc-[s]kp |
| ohv'lk;,adlvoVa'ln |
| The mày thóo indicates high falling tone for the kaaN/Middle Class and ta#m/Low Class consonants: e.g. |
| For the su4uN/High class, however, it indicates low falling tone. e.g. |
| Rule:
su4uN + mày
thóo has low falling tone. PRACTICE READING THE FOLLOWING SYLLABLES: (Remember: (1) Any consonant + mày eêk has high-mid tone (2) kaaN or ta#m + mày thóo has high falling tone (3) su4uN + mày thóo has low falling tone) Click here to refer to the Lao Tones Chart |
| 0hvp7bf;jk]k;-ywx,nhvnjo | ]k;-ygIafdkoz6hfP; |
| 0hvp4k,;jkg9qhk,ul=[= | sq;Vhk-y0ujiq4wxmjkgfnjv |
| 0hvpvkp5-k;shkc]h; | r=j7hkwfhwxw-pt[6iu |
| mtsko-yg,nv[hko,nhwf | lkiy-y,k;P'9ao,nhIn |
| All of the syllables in the above exercises were "Smooth or Live." That is, they ended in a long vowel or a final m, n, N, l, r, y, w. The following exercises will deal with "Checked or Dead" syllables: Syllables ending in -p, -t, -k, glottal stop (sudden closure of the glottis). The reason for this is that the air flow of these syllables is checked or stopped, i.e. made "dead" by the lips (-p), the tip/blade of the tongue (-t), the back of the tongue (-k), or closure of the glottis (?). |
| Look at the following and read them aloud. |
| WHAT KIND OF SYLLABLES ARE THESE? Answer! WHY? Answer! WHAT TONE DO THEY HAVE? Answer! (Click here to refer to the Lao Tones Chart.) Rule: su4uN + long vowel (smooth/live syllable)+ stop has low falling tone. PRACTICE READING THE FOLLOWING SYLLABLES: |
| ]6dg0upgIafdko16j3I'|= |
| [hko0v'mhk;vkf16jxkdg- |
| 0=3mf pkvhkp-njspa' |
| ,nhouhxk16jmjk'jvo4nds]kp |
| 0hvp-yfu.94hkskdg9qhk[=jl6[1k |
| There are two more su4uN rules to learn, those for su4uN + short vowel and su4uN + short vowel + stop. Look at the following and read them aloud. |
|
WHAT TONE DO THEY
HAVE? Answer! (Click here to refer to the Lao Tones Chart.) Rule: su4uN + short vowel has high rising tone. Rule: su4uN + short vowel + stop has high rising tone. PRACTICE READING THE FOLLOWING SYLLABLES: |
| ]6d-kp0hvpvkp5ly[sqdc]h; |
| g9qhk,advkskogzaf[= |
| ,nhouhgIqk[=jwx3I'IPogVkt |
| 0hvpskd=jg]uh,vjkoxbh,ouh |
| g9qhk-ylvo8=jc,jo[= |
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