Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Kadai language

Kadai language

1 9.9
A family of languages spoken in Southeast Asia that includes Thai and Lao
  • noun
  • Specialized
: idioma kadai
  • The Kadai language family includes Thai, Lao, and several other languages spoken in Southeast Asia.

Examples

  • The Kadai language family includes Thai and Lao.

  • Speakers of a Kadai language may also be familiar with Chinese influences due to their geographic proximity.

  • Many linguists have studied the origins of the Kadai language group.

  • Many people in Thailand speak the Kadai language.

  • The Kadai language family includes Thai, Lao, and several other languages spoken in Southeast Asia.

  • Many linguists have studied the origins of the Kadai language group.

  • Speakers of a Kadai language may also be familiar with Chinese influences due to their geographic proximity.

Synonyms

Kadai
vsKadai language
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A group of related languages spoken in Southeast Asia like Thai and Lao

is the same meaning but uses the fuller phrase form
Kam-Tai
vsKadai language
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of related languages spoken in Southeast Asia like Kam and Tai

focuses on Thai and Lao languages rather than Kam and Tai

Surface Forms

Kadai language singular
Kadai languages plural

Morphology

Kadai + language

The phrase 'Kadai language' is compositionally transparent: 'Kadai' denotes a group/family of languages and 'language' names a specific language, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it means a language belonging to the Kadai family. This noun–noun construction is a regular, cross-linguistically common composition and therefore readily understandable to B1 learners who know the parts.

Etymology

Kadai language may come from an older label people used to group related languages in Southeast Asia. So today Kadai language means the 'family' of these related languages, for example Thai and Lao.