The distinctions between languages aren’t always clear-cut, and sometimes, languages fall in between conventional classifications. These “in between” languages aren’t insignificant—in fact, sometimes they boast millions of speakers. That’s certainly the case for the newest language we’ve added to our translation roster: Isan.
Isan: A language caught between two countries
Isan has an estimated 13 to 16 million native speakers, with another several million second-language speakers bringing the total estimated number of speakers, as of 2013, up to 22 million. The Thai government officially designates it as a Thai dialect, and even though Isan is indeed closely related to Thai, speakers of the respective languages can only understand one another with difficulty. Isan is much more similar to Lao—indeed, Isan is essentially a variant of Lao that developed in Thailand after the Lao-speaking world was split at the Mekong River in 1893.
Under the influence of Thai, Isan has shifted away from its Lao roots, particularly in its writing, although decades of suppression by the Thai government have taken their toll. Today, attitudes toward Isan are shifting, with increasingly more awareness and appreciation for the local language. We at TranslationServices.com are proud to support Isan how we can: by providing professional Isan translation services.
Would you like to see a free quote for our Isan translation services? Just ask!
What is Isan—and what makes it different from Thai and Lao?
Also sometimes called Northeastern Thai (despite linguistically not being a Thai dialect), Isan is spoken in northeastern Thailand, on the border with Laos. The region, often called Isan or Phak Isan (“Isan Region”), comprises the following 20 provinces:
Nakhon Ratchasima
Ubon Ratchathani
Khon Kaen
Buriram
Udon Thani
Sisaket
Surin
Roi Et
Sakon Nakhon
Chaiyaphum
Kalasin
Maha Sarakham
Nakhon Phanom
Loei
Yasothon
Nong Khai
Nong Bua Lamphu
Bueng Kan
Amnat Charoen
Mukdahan
Across the many provinces of northeastern Thailand, Isan is divided into numerous dialects, namely Vientiane, Central, Northern, Western, Southern, and Phuan. These dialects often more closely resemble the corresponding Lao dialects on the other side of the Mekong than they do other Isan dialects, but they’re written entirely differently from Lao. Isan is written in the Thai script rather than the native Tai Noi script, which is still used in Laos, and the orthography is inconsistent, with some words using a Thai-based etymological spelling and others using a Lao-based phonological spelling. These differences make Isan notably distinct from both Thai and Lao, highlighting the need for a dedicated Isan translator for your Isan translation projects.
We’re dedicated to flexibility in our Isan translation services.
Whatever you’re looking for in Isan translation services, our team is ready to serve you. We’ve made sure to build a robust team consisting of native-speaking Isan translators from all across northeastern Thailand, covering the 20 different provinces that comprise the area. So, whatever variety of Isan you’re looking for, our passionate team can help you. We work with clients who want to translate from English to Isan as well as those aiming to translate from Isan to English.
Some of our clients have more specialized translation needs, but fortunately, our team is diverse enough to cover a wide array of translation niches. Researchers may be interested in academic translation of questionnaires—we can do that. Business or organization owners may be seeking business translation of business plans or press releases—that’s right up our alley. Authors on either side of the language barrier may wish for literary translation to carve out a new audience for their book or story—just leave it to our team. If your document contains esoteric terminology, simply let us know—we’ll do our best to choose a subject-matter expert from our team to ensure the smoothest Isan translation possible.
Would you like to get started with Isan translation services? Reach out today to place your first order!
Kommentare