youreavinalaff

I'm glad your wife had a laugh. Living with you I guess she needs one every now and then. I have never said Laos and Khmers have fights about the name of the language. I did say there is animosity among different heritages. I do have knowledge. I am well versed in Thai and Khmer language. Understand some Laos, due to its closeness to Thai, and have a few words of Gui. I guess you are not that well traveled in Isaan if no one has ever said they speak Laos. From memory I have heard this in Buriram, Surin, Sissaket, Nong Khai, Mukdahan, Kalasin, Mahasarakham and Khon Kaen. And, yes, my home is in rural Isaan. In a Khmer speaking region. Anyway, your first post was suppose to be some kind of lesson about Isaan. Seems you need to learn a bit more before you try to teach. I'd be happy to help you learn the intracacies of the history of Isaan culture and diversity of the languages if you like. We could start with the fact that Laos, Khmer and Gui are not English words. Now that bit gave me a good laugh. 5555

Name calling? That's funny and proves a point. Well done for undermining all you have said previously.

Not sure how passing on knowledge and understanding can be deemed pedantic. But, there you go. I bet your teachers loved you. ???????? Here's the way I see it, after 22 years of living in and traveling around Isaan. There always has been and always will be animosity between those of Laos heritage and those of other, particularly Khmer, heritage. I have even seen this boil over into mass fist fights at concerts in Buriram. Laos is the dominant dialect in Isaan when compared to other languages. To a point that many Laos speakers really do think their language is the language of Isaan. Especially in provinces further away from the Khmer, and Gui, speaking regions of Southern; Surin, Sissaket, Buriram, and SaKeaw. Thus, in areas where only Laos is spoken they are likely to call their language Isaan. This is, as pointed out by another poster, incorrect. If you travel to an area where Laos is spoke alongside another dialect, such as Khmer, Gui or Thai Korat, the local Laos speakers will be aware of the other dialects and refer to their language, and correctly so, as Laos, even though they may feel disdain towards those other heritages. Likewise, if you go to a Khmer,Gui or Thai Korat speaking area, they would never refer to their own dialect as Isaan. I, personally, think it is fun to try to learn the different languages that are spoken in this lovely and diverse area of Thailand. If I were to refer to any individual language as Isaan then I would find it more difficult to learn and certainly would gave difficulty differentiating between them.