ການຂ້າລ້າງເຜົ່າພັນ
[gahn-khah-lahng-pao-pun]
genocide Noun
* Note — Lao sentences and phrases are not typically spaced out by syllables. But, this is helpful for recognizing where syllables start and end.
Tips:
ການ [gahn] means work, and is also used as a prefix to make verbs into nouns.
ຂ້າ [khah] means to kill. ລ້າງ [lahng] means to wash. ເຜົ່າພັນ [pao-pun] can mean family, lineage, race, nationality, or tribe.
Tone Breakdown
ການ [gahn] — this syllable has a middle-class consonant, a long vowel, and a sonorant final consonant. As a result, this produces a low tone.
ຂ້າ [khah] — this syllable has a high-class consonant and a long vowel. This normally produces a rising tone, but this syllable has a ໄມ້ໂທ /mai toh/ tone mark. Therefore, the tone of the syllable is a low-falling tone.
ລ້າງ [lahng] — this syllable has a low-class consonant, a long vowel, and a sonorant final consonant. This normally produces a high tone, but this syllable has a ໄມ້ໂທ /mai toh/ tone mark. Therefore, the tone of the syllable is a high-falling tone.
ເຜົ່າ [pao] — this syllable has a high-class consonant and a special vowel. This normally produces a high tone, but this syllable has a ໄມ້ເອກ /mai ehk/ tone mark. Therefore, the tone of the syllable is a middle tone.
ພັນ [pun] — this syllable has a low-class consonant, a short vowel, and a sonorant final consonant. As a result, this produces a high tone.