Kayaw language

Karen language spoken in Burma
Kayaw
Brek
Native toBurma
EthnicityBwe people
Native speakers
(17,000 cited 1983 census)[1]
Language family
Sino-Tibetan
  • (Tibeto-Burman)
    • Karen languages
      • Sgaw–Bghai
        • Kayaw
Language codes
ISO 639-3kvl
Glottologbrek1238

Brek, also known as Brek Karen, Bwe, and Kayaw, is a Karen language of Burma.

Distribution

  • eastern Kayah State (30 villages)
  • northeastern Kayin State: Yado area
  • southern Shan State: Pekon township

Dialects

  • Bwe-Kayaw
  • Upper Kayaw (standardized variety used for literature)
  • Lower Kayaw

Writing system

Kayaw alphabet[2]
Majuscules A Ǎ Ā B C D E Ě Ē È È̌ È̄ G H I Î Î̌ Î̄ J K L M N O Ǒ Ō Ò Ò̌ Ò̄ Ô Ô̄ P R S T U Ǔ Ū Û Û̌ Û̄ W Y
Minuscules a ǎ ā b c d e ě ē è è̌ è̄ g h i î î̌ î̄ j k l m n o ǒ ō ò ò̌ ò̄ ô ô̄ p r s t u ǔ ū û û̌ û̄ w y

References

Works cited

  • Kayaw Ethnic Literature and Cultural Central Committee; SIL International (2017). Kayaw – English – Myanmar Dictionary (in English, Kayaw, and Burmese). Kayaw Ethnic Literature and Cultural Central Committee.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
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Sino-Tibetan branches
Western Himalayas
(Himachal, Uttarakhand, Nepal, Sikkim)
Greater Magaric
Map of Sino-Tibetan languages
Eastern Himalayas
(Tibet, Bhutan, Arunachal)Myanmar and Indo-Burmese border
"Naga"
Sal
East and Southeast Asia
Burmo-Qiangic
Dubious (possible isolates)
(Arunachal)
Greater Siangic
Proposed groupingsProto-languages
Italics indicates single languages that are also considered to be separate branches.
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