Phonetic and phonemic study of Kui language spoken in Northeastern Thailand

本研究项目的目的是对泰国素林省孟高棉语之一的魁语进行语音和音位分析。南亚语系孟高棉语的特点之一是在该语系的一些语言中存在基于语音类型的音位对比。为了检查呼吸和正常发音的语音特性对比，用数据记录仪对Kuy音节进行了数字记录和分析。此外，还进行了实地工作，采访了一些学校的教师和学生，以调查苏林省桑卡县使用多种语言的情况。在该地区，除了魁语外，还使用泰语、老挝方言、北高棉语。根据调查，教师和学生都对使用当地语言（如魁语和北高棉语）持积极态度，尽管教材仅用泰语编写，因此，年轻人几乎都能完全掌握国语。从该地区192人的问卷调查中收集的数据清楚地表明，15岁以下的小学生一般都能很好地掌握泰语，以魁语为母语的人也擅长高棉语和老挝语，相比之下，以高棉语为母语的人不太擅长魁语或老挝语，而以老挝语为母语的人既不擅长魁语也不擅长高棉语。

The aim of this research project is to conduct phonetic and phonemic analysis of Kui language, one of Mon-Khmer languages spoken in Surin province of Thailand. One of characteristics of the Mon-Khmer languages of Austroasiatic language family is that the existence of the phonemic contrast based on phonation type found in some languages of the family.In order to examine the phonetic properties of breathy and normal phonation contrast Kuy syllables are digitally recorded with a DAT recorder and analyzed.In addition, field work was conducted for interviewing a few number of teachers and pupils of schools to survey the situation of multi-lingualism in Sankha district, Surin province. In the area, Thai, Laotian dialect, Northern Khmer are used in addition to Kui. According to the survey, both teachers and pupils have a positive attitude in using local languages such as Kui and northern Khmer, though teaching materials are written in Thai only, therefore, young people are almost all in full command of the national language. The data, which were collected from 192 people in the area in terms of a questionnaire, shows clearly that young pupils (under 15) in general are in good command of Thai, that Kui native speakers are also good at Khmer and Lao, as compared with Khmer native speakers who are less good at Kui or Lao, and Lao native speakers who are not good at Kui nor Khmer.