The origins of the Tai Dam alphabet are unknown, though the shapes of the letters suggest that they might have been modelled on the Lao and/or Thai alphabets. Alternative writing systems, including some based on the Latin alphabet, are also used to write Tai Dam.
Tai Dam, or Black Tai/Tai Noir, a Tai-Kadai language closely related to Lao and Thai which is spoken by around half a million people in north-western Vietnam and northern Laos. There are also Tai Dam speakers in Yunnan province of China, and in parts of northeastern and central Thailand, where they are known as Lao Song or Lao Song Dam.
These ideographic symbols are customarily addded after consonants
(no mark) | ![]() |
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|
low consonants | tone 1 | tone 2 | tone 3 |
high consonants | tone 4 | tone 5 | tone 6 |
Much of the information on this page was provided by T. R. Carlton of the University of Alberta (sherwoodcopy@telusplanet.net).
Information about Tai Dam language, literature and culture (and Tai Dam fonts)
http://www.seasite.niu.edu/tai/TaiDam
Free Tai Dam fonts
http://scripts.sil.org/TaiHeritage
Ahom, Aiton, Bouyei, Dehong Dai, Kam, Khamti, (Tai) Khün, Lao, Lue, Northern Thai (Kam Mueang), Shan, Sui, Tai Dam, Tai Laing, Tai Phake, Tai Ya, Thai, Yang Zhuang, Zhuang
A-chik Tokbirim, Adinkra, Adlam, Armenian, Avestan, Avoiuli, Bassa (Vah), Beitha Kukju, Borama / Gadabuursi, Carian, Carpathian Basin Rovas, Chinuk pipa, Chisoi, Coorgi-Cox, Coptic, Cyrillic, Dalecarlian runes, Deseret, Elbasan, Etruscan, Faliscan, Galik, Georgian (Asomtavruli), Georgian (Nuskhuri), Georgian (Mkhedruli), Glagolitic, Global Alphabet, Gothic, Greek, Irish (Uncial), Kaddare, Kayah Li, Khatt-i-Badí’, Khazarian Rovas, Korean, Latin, Lepontic, Luo Lakeside Script, Lycian, Lydian, Manchu, Mandaic, Mandombe, Marsiliana, Messapic, Mongolian, Mro, Mundari Bani, N'Ko, North Picene, Nyiakeng Puachue Hmong, Odùduwà, Ogham, Old Church Slavonic, Oirat Clear Script, Ol Chiki (Ol Cemet' / Santali), Old Italic, Old Nubian, Old Permic, Ol Onal, Orkhon, Oscan, Pau Cin Hau, Phrygian, Pollard script, Runic, Székely-Hungarian Rovás (Hungarian Runes), Somali (Osmanya), South Picene, Sutton SignWriting, Sunuwar, Tai Lue, Tangsa, Todhri, Toto, Umbrian, Uyghur, Wancho, Yezidi, Zaghawa, Zoulai
Page last modified: 01.06.21
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