The study of the Northern Thai dialect: Phonetic variations of Sao Wa sub-variant in Chiang Rai province

This paper examines the phonetic differences between the Sao Wa sub-subdialect and the standard Chiang Rai subdialect of the Northern Thai dialect, based on the author's personal experience as a member of the speech community. The analysis indicates that the Sao Wa sub-subdialect exhibits tendencies to lengthen vowels and alter pitch patterns in markers, resulting in distinct pronunciation and connotations compared to the standard Chiang Rai dialect. This study enhances our understanding of lesser-known subdialects within the Northern Thai dialect and provides insights into the sociolinguistic dynamics of language variation in the region