Tai Yo language


Tai Yo, also known as Tai Mène and Nyaw, is a Tai language of Southeast Asia. It is closely related to Tai Pao of Vietnam, where it may have originated. It was once written in a unique script, the Tai Yo script, but that is no longer in use. The language is known regionally in Laos and Thailand as Tai Mène and Tai Nyaw and, in Vietnam as Tai Do and Tai Quy Chau. Superficially, Tai Yo appears to be a Southwestern Tai language but this is only because of centuries of language contact and it is properly classified with the Northern Tai languages. The Nyaw/Nyo spoken in central Thailand and western Cambodia is a dialect of Lao and not the same as Tai Yo.

Tai Mène

The Mène people of Laos claim to be from Xieng Mène in Vietnam. These two names correspond to the following two towns in Nghệ An Province, Vietnam, located near Quỳ Châu.
Tai Mène appears to be related to Tai Pao, whose speakers claim to have originated from Tương Dương District, Nghệ An province, Vietnam. Tai Mène or related languages may have also been spoken in Thường Xuân District, Thanh Hóa, Vietnam by the Yo people.

Distribution

Tai Mène is spoken in Borikhamxay Province, in many villages of Khamkeut District and several villages in Vieng Thong District. The Vietic languages Liha, Phong, Toum, Ayoy, Maleng, and Thaveung are spoken nearby.