Vocabulary list - Thai/Lao differences

[simon43]

I find myself working in an interesting position in Luang Prabang (Laos) for an unknown length of time (probably measured in years).

Speaking Thai allows me to communicate fine, and I already understand spoken Lao since my Thai family are from Issan. But I previously haven't bothered to speak much Lao/Issan.

I'd like to use Lao words in my conversation where they differ from the Thai equivalent. I already do this to a certain extent, and I'm understood very well by my local Lao staff, but I like to use the correct Lao word wherever possible.

Is there a published list of Thai words and their Lao equivalent, where the words differ substantially, (and not simple differences such as rongrian and honghian ==> school). I can easily apply the pronounciation rules in cases like my example.

This list doesn't have to be transliterated into English - I can read both Thai and Lao. I also appreciate that there are certain differences between northern Lao and Issan.

Thanks

Simon

[charlie10]

The Lao-Thai-English dictionary is pretty good especially as you can read Thai and Lao. It's packed with words, is 761 pages long, has two columns of words down a page, and comes in hardback form and is not pocket size. Words are written in Lao, you then get it in transliterated form and then the Thai equivalent word in Thai script and transliterated form plus the English meaning of the word. Tones are indicated. In the index is an alphabetical list of English words and an indication of what page you can find the Lao / Thai word. I really like this source because unlike existing Lao dictionaries it really does contain 'proper' Lao words and is not just a quick version of the Thai dictionary equivalent.

I not quite sure where you will find this dictionary. I got it in a small Thai bookshop in Khon Kaen which has now closed down. I've not seen it elsewhere. It is a Lao publication. It looks like it was published in 1997.The inside page reads: Ministry of Information and Culture, Institute for Cultural Research, Vientiane, PO BOX 5246, Lao PDR. Tel: 212009212023. The ISBN barcode number is: 974-553-758-6. That might help you track it down in Lao.

I hope that helps.