Laonet members, Soc.culture.Lao. Special thanks to project coordinator Somvay Boualouang (somvay@anubis.network.com), Sourythep Samoutphonh (samout@di.epfl.ch) and Adisack Nhouyvanisvong (an2n+@andrew.cmu.edu) for valuable contribution in bringing LRT to its final form.
Author: Houmphanh Thongvilu (pan@lao.net) Laonet's Spokesperson
LRT is copyrighted by Laonet, a coordinated group of students and professionals, whose objective is the preservation and advancement of Lao interests. Though copyrighted, LRT is intended for use by the general public.
LRT content is designed for people who are already aware of the Lao Language and people who have grasped the concept of intonation use in a language. The content of LRT presented here corresponds with Real (RL) Lao.
For beginners with no Lao language concept, it is advised that
the topics be studied in this order:
With the advent of computers and telecommunication, discourse across
vast distances is relatively simple in today's global village. However,
the basic design of systems is dependent on Roman alpha-numeric characters.
Full foreign language capability is still in its infancy.
In the absence of a workable computerised foreign system, references and
allusions to foreign literature, names, or transcription of a conversation
is only made possible with phonological spellings of the foreign text or
conversation using the Roman alpha-numeric characters. Often it is assumed
that the receiver of the message knows how to phonetically sound out the
intended message. Without such an understanding and know how, the message
is as good as lost.
LRT is a transliteration scheme designed to standardise how a message
in Lao should be conveyed to its recipient. Ideally, LRT should accommodate
and parallel the Real Lao (RL) language.
Without such an agreed scheme of transcription, the recipient can misinterpret
the message. This misinterpretation can be attributed to variations in
sound preferences or dialect.
Application of LRT varies. Poetry, publication and full transcript require
an extensive and complete mechanism of sound construction to convey the
mood of the message. Whereas simple transcription of conversation and names,
such as the use of LRT in SCLao, requires only a subset of LRT.
Part I of LRT is organised for the simplistic use of this transliteration
scheme. Part II completes the scheme by introducing Lao grammar, sound
and word construction which closely parallels the RL language. This close
relationship would make it possible for a Lao text written in LRT to be
automatically translated to RL, and vice-versa.
Lao Romanisation Transcription:
LRT advanced
supplement: (to be produced)
LRT grammar and word construction, the topic parallels RL (Real Lao),
hence making the migration to RL studying easy.
LRT#1: Sentence Formation. How to make LRT readable.
LRT#2: Basic Phayanxana (Consonants). What the basic Lao consonant sounds are?
The basic Lao consonants are as follows: ( the [ ] delimits the closest sound to a Lao consonant)
LRT Sounding Lao Example k French [k] kai' (chicken) kh [cr]edit khai' (egg) qh [qu]ality qhon (people) ng si[ng] nguu (snake) j [j]ump jarn (plate) s [s]ing sarn (patio) x [s]oil xoo (Lao violin) y [y]ear yung (mosquito) d [d]ead dung (nose) t [t]ic to (table) th [t]otal thow (old) dh [t]ea dhuung (flag) n [n]ame nang (miss) b [b]aby bei (leaf) p [p]otential pa (fish) ph [ph]oto phar (cliff) fh [f]antastic fhar (wall) hp [p]arent hpii (ghost) f [f]amily farang (foreigner, Frenchman) m [m]e maa (mother) gn se[ni]or gnar (medicine) l [l]ove liing (monkey) r [r]ow raxa (royal) w [v]owel wii (hand fan) hh [h]i! hai (barrel) o* [or] ow (take) h [h]er huan (house) (o* is omitted when combined with other ending sounds)
LRT#3: Basic Sara (Vowels). What the basic Lao vowel sounds are?
There are 24 basic Sara sounds plus 4 special (hpiised) Sara. Basic Lao Sara sounds come in pair; the first one takes a sharp tone whereas the second takes a sustained sound. As a general rule, single vowels take a sharper tone while the double vowels take a sustained sound. Furthermore, the use of 'e' in LRT Sara, gives the Sara a sharp tone with the exception of 'ee' and 'ea', which are sustained tones.
These are 24 basic Sara sounds:
a ar i ii u uu eu ur e ee ae aa o oo oe or er ir oua ua ie ia eua ea
These are the 4 hpiised (special) Sara: ai ei ow am 
Note: ai and ei have similar sounds. The use of ei is prominently pronounced in the Lao northern dialect. Middle and southern Lao pronounce them the same. However, Lao correct writing dictates the proper use of ai and ei. The tone differences is significant when rhyme in verse and poem.
Below are the Sara with phonemic examples to help the reader get an understanding of what is meant by sharp and sustained tones:
LRT Sounding companion Sara a k[a]ki ar c[ar] i t[i]cket ii v[i]sual eu ??? ur ??? e [e]legant ee t[e]nnis ae b[e]tting aa b[aa] (sheep's sound) o p[o]tential oo [o]k or French b[eau] oe c[or]dial or p[or]tter er pott[er] ir s[ir] oua sq[ua]dron ua French l[oi] for law ie t[ie]r ia name mar[ia] eua ???? ea er_ar
Special (hpiised):
Lao example meaning sound like ai pai (go) ei bei (leaf) ow ow (take) am dam (black) d[um]b Below are examples of each Sara with a corresponding Lao word and its English equivalent: Sara Lao example English translation a ka (estimate) ar kar (crow) i ti (blame) ii tii (hit) u qhu (bucket) uu puu (crab) eu mhark-eu (pumpkin) ur mur (hand) e te (kick) ee thee (pour) ae lae (and) aa laa (stare) o to (table) oo dhoo (vase) oe oe (stew) or qhor (neck) er per (dirty) ir bir (lottery) oua toua (lie) ua hhua (head) ie jie (Chinese word for eat) ia mia (wife) eua heua (sweat) ea hea (boat) ai kai (far) ei bei (leave) ow dow (guess) am dam (black)
LRT#4: Phayanxana Pasom (Combined Sounds). How to convert low tones (Phayanxana) to high tones.
Below are Lao examples of these Phayanxana with their English equivalents:
Lao example meaning ngh ngheen fox yh yhuy furry/hairy nh nhar thick mh mhar dog lh lhang back wh whii comb
LRT#5: Vannayud (Intonation). How tones are used in Lao.
Tone Lao meaning pa neutral/flat fish pa' 1/4 higher forest pa" 2/4 higher aunt pa+ 3/4 high (rarely used in modern RL)
LRT#6: Maa Sakod (Derived Maa Sounds). How to expand the Lao vowel sounds.
Because more complex Lao vowel sounds exist beyond the basic Sara sounds,
extra vowel sounds are constructed with the combination of Sara and some
Phayanxana called the Tua Sakod. The Phayanxana Tua Sakod used as suffix
or ending sounds are: k d/t, b, ng, n, m, y and w. The derived sounds are
called the Maa Sakod sounds.
However, since these Maa Sakod are derived sounds, some combination of
sounds are best approximated with a complete sound substitution in LRT.
Sound substitution is noted with a slash (/). Such substitution of sound
also exists in RL, eg., Sara ar + Phayanxana w is pronounced ao as in Lao.
The table below is left for its completeness, some sounds do not exist
and are noted with ().
Basic Sara and examples of use with Maa Sakod:
Sara k ng d n b m y w
----------------------------------------------------------------------
a ak ang ad an ab am ai ow
ka hhak dang tad nan nab dam kai dow
estimate love nose cut noisy count black far guess
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ar ark arng ard arn arb arm ary/ay arw/ao
kar jark barng khard jarn darb jarm tay yao
crow leave thin torn plate sword sneeze die long
----------------------------------------------------------------------
i ik ing id in ib im (iy) iw
ti yhik ying pid kin sib phim -- siw
blame pinch shoot close eat ten type -- pimple
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ii iik iing iid iin iib iim (iiy) iiw
tii lhiik tiing miid tiin biib xiim -- hiiw
hit avoid move knife foot squeeze taste -- hungry
------------------------------------------------------------------------
u uk ung ud un ub um uy (uw)
khu khuk dhung khud bun yub kum khuy
bucket jail flag dig festival deflate subdue brag
------------------------------------------------------------------------
uu uuk uung uud uun uub uum uuy (uuw)
puu puuk suung kuud suun juub juum
crab grow high curly zero kiss bud
------------------------------------------------------------------------
eu euk eung eud eun eub eum (euy) (euw)
mhark-eu teuk deung qheud meun lueb xeum
pumpkin building pul think numb erase leak
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ur urk urng urd urn urb urm (ury) (urw)
mur thurk turng' murd purn surb lurm
hand cheap expand dark gun inquire forget
------------------------------------------------------------------------
e ek eng ed en eb em (ey) (ew)
te jek heng jed hhen jeb khem kick
Chinese lucky seven see hurt sulty
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ee eek eeng eed een eeb eem (eey) eew
dhee meek pheeng pheed keen dheeb keem hheew
pour cloud song sex recruit angel game cliff
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ae aek aeng aed aen aeb aem (aey) (aew)
lae and
------------------------------------------------------------------------
aa aak aang aad aan aab aam (aay) aaw/eo
laa khaak paang paad kaan xaab qhaam meo
look visitor fix eight core tasty edge cat
------------------------------------------------------------------------
o ok ong od on ob om (oy) (ow)
to nok vong sod qhon kob jom (see ory)
table bird circle fresh people frog sink
------------------------------------------------------------------------
oo ook oong ood oon oob oom ooy (oow)
thoe sook hoong dood joon koob hoom dooy
vase sad palace jump thief crusty gather yes-sir
------------------------------------------------------------------------
oe
oe
stew
------------------------------------------------------------------------
or ork orng ord orn orb orm ory/oy (orw)
khor xork korng kord sorn torb jorm khoy
neck search drum hug teach answer top wait
------------------------------------------------------------------------
er
per
dirty
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ir irk irng ird irn irb irm iry/euy (irw)
bir sirk dhirng pird ngirn kerb derm seuy
lottery war above open money shoes before ignore
------------------------------------------------------------------------
oua
toua
lie
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ua uak uang uad uan uab uam uay (uaw)
hhua buak kuang kuad kuan juab kuam luay
head add deer sweep annoy find cover rich
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ie
jie
eat
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ia iak iang iad ian iab iam (iay) iaw
mia piak siang kiad hian piab tiam khiaw
wife wet sound honor study compare prepare green
------------------------------------------------------------------------
eua (no examples)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ea eak eang ead ean eab eam eay (eaw)
hea xeak peang lead dean keab eam" peay
ship rope waste blood moon almost burb nude
------------------------------------------------------------------------
LRT#7: Phayanxana Juung (Leading Sounds). What silent vowels are and how to write phonetically (i.e. by sound).
Phayanxana Juung is the inverse of a silent vowel; the vowel is pronounced
even though it is not written.
In RL, leading sound (Phayanxana khuab) or Phayanxana juung (older version)
writing is more elegant, especially for poetry. The modern Lao have attempted
to simplify this rule by suggesting that Lao be written phonetically (ie.,
writing by sound). This was an attempt to make learning Lao easy. Similarly,
LRT adopts this "write by sound" method to make reading LRT text
more accurate.
Rule 3: When a Phayanxana sieng suung (a high tone coonsonant, eg. kh, s, th, ph, fh) is followed by a Phayanxana sieng tum' (a low tone consonant, eg. ng, y , n, m, r, l, w) the word is read as if there were a Sara "a" in between the Phayanxana. Thus, LRT texts are written accordingly.
Examples:
RL correct Read and write in LRT
----------------------------------------
khmu ---->khamu (a minority aborigine group)
rathbarn------>rathabarn (government)
fhrang------>fharang (French, Caucasian)