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Glite Dictionary
Black Tai

Black Tai

9.9
A Tai language spoken in northern Vietnam by people living along the Red and Black rivers
  • noun
translation icon : Tai Negro
  • The Black Tai language is an essential part of the cultural identity for many people in northern Vietnam.

Examples

  • She traveled to Son La province to learn more about the traditions of the Black Tai community.

  • Linguists have studied the grammatical structure of Black Tai to compare it with related Tai languages.

  • The Black Tai language is rich in history.

  • Many Black Tais live in northern Vietnam.

  • Linguists have studied the grammatical structure of Black Tai to compare it with related Tai languages.

  • The Black Tai language is an essential part of the cultural identity for many people in northern Vietnam.

  • She traveled to Son La province to learn more about the traditions of the Black Tai community.

Surface Forms

Black Tai singular
Black Tais plural

Morphology

black + Tai

The meaning is directly derivable from its parts: 'Tai' names a language/ethnic branch and 'Black' functions as a modifier identifying a specific subgroup or variety. Color-based labels for language/ethnic varieties are common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer this refers to a particular Tai language/group.

Etymology

Black Tai may come from the group's dark clothes. Black described their traditional dress and Tai is the people's name, so the phrase came to mean their 'language'.