Maleng language
Maleng, also known as Pakatan and Bo, is a Vietic language of Laos and Vietnam.
Maleng has the four-way register system of Thavung augmented with pitch.
Malieng, despite having the same name as Maleng, is a dialect of Chut.
Varieties
Maleng consists of three dialect clusters:- Maleng ; Kha Pakatan; Malang; Arem/'Harème. Sub-varieties include Kha Muong Ben and Kha Bo.
- Ma Lieng, also known as Pa Leng
- Kha Phong ; Maleng Kari; Maleng Bro. Also known as Kha Nam Om'. The Kha Phong live in 2 to 3 villages in Laos, and in one village in Hà Tĩnh province, Vietnam. Strongly influenced by Lao. Maleng Bro was documented by Michel Ferlus in 1992, and also by the 2012-2013 Russian-Vietnamese Linguistic Expedition.
Distribution
Maleng is spoken in the following villages of Laos and Vietnam.- Khammouane province, Laos
- *Nậm Huay
- *Pung Kợt
- *Song Khon
- *Upper Nrong River
- *Xang Huay E An
- Quảng Bình province and Hà Tĩnh province, Vietnam
- *Hương Lâm
- *Hương Liên
- *Lâm Hóa