Kuy
Kui, Kuay, Cuoi
กูย, កួយ, ກູຢ
Native to	Thailand, Laos, Cambodia
Ethnicity	Kuy people
Native speakers	ca. 450,000 (2005–2006)[1]
Language family	Austroasiatic Katuic West Katuic Kuy
Writing system	Thai,Khmer,Lao (depends on countries they live)
Language codes
ISO 639-3	Either: kdt – Kuy (Kuay) nyl – Nyeu (Yoe)
Glottolog	kuys1235
ELP	Nyeu

This article containsKhmer text. Without properrendering support, you may seequestion marks, boxes, or other symbols instead ofKhmer script.

Kuy, also known asKui,Suay orKuay (Thai:ภาษากูย;Khmer:ភាសាកួយ), is aKatuic language, part of the largerAustroasiatic family spoken by theKuy people ofSoutheast Asia.

Kuy is one of theKatuic languages within theAustroasiatic family. It is spoken inIsan, Thailand by about 300,000 people, inSalavan,Savannakhet andSekong Provinces of Laos by about 64,000; and inPreah Vihear,Stung Treng andKampong Thom Provinces of northern Cambodia by 15,500 people.

Spelling variants and varieties include the following (Sidwell 2005:11).

• Kui
• Kuy
• Kuay
• Koay
• Souei. The term "Souei" is also applied to other groups, such as aPearic community inCambodia.
• Yeu
• Nanhang
• Kouy. A textbook in French is published for this variant (Parlons Kouy).

Van der haak & Woykos (1987-1988) identified two major Kui varieties in Surin and Sisaket provinces of eastern Thailand,Kuuy andKuay. Van der haak & Woykos also identified the followingdivergent Kui varieties inSisaket Province, Thailand.^[2]

• Kui Nhə:Sisaket District (10 villages),Phraibung District (5 villages),Rasisalai District (4 villages). About 8,000 people.
• Kui Nthaw (Kui M'ai):Rasisalai District (5 villages),Uthumphornphisai District (9 villages). All villages mixed with Lao/Isaan.
• Kui Preu Yai: Prue Yai Subdistrict,Khukhan District.

Mann & Markowski (2005) reported the following four Kuy dialects spoken in north-centralCambodia.

• Ntua
• Ntra: includes the subdialects ofAuk andWa
• Mla: 567 speakers in the single village of Krala Peas,Choam Ksan District,Preah Vihear Province
• "Thmei"

A variety of Kui/Kuy calledNyeu (ɲə) is spoken in the villages of Ban Phon Kho, Ban Khamin, Ban Nonkat, Ban Phon Palat, and Ban Prasat Nyeu inSisaket Province, Thailand.^[3] The Nyeu of Ban Phon Kho claim that their ancestors had migrated from Muang Khong,Amphoe Rasisalai, Sisaket Province.

InBuriram Province, Kuy is spoken in the 4 districts ofNong Ki,Prakhon Chai,Lam Plai Mat, andNong Hong (Sa-ing Sangmeen 1992:14).^[4] WithinNong Ki District, Kuy villages are located in the southern part of Yoei Prasat (เย้ยปราสาท) Subdistrict and in the western part of Mueang Phai (เมืองไผ่) Subdistrict (Sa-ing Sangmeen 1992:16).

The following is the phonology of the Kui (Surin) language:^[5]

Vowel sounds may also be distinguished using breathy voice:

The following list of Kuy village locations inSisaket Province is from Van der haak & Woykos (1987-1988:129). Asterisks (placed before village names) denote ethnically mixed villages, in which ethnic Kuy reside with ethnicLao orKhmer.

• Mueang District เมือง
  • Tambon Phonkho โพนค้อ: Phonkho โพนค้อ, Nong, Yanang, Klang, Non
  • Tambon Thum ทุ่ม: Khamin
• Phayu District พยุห์
  • Tambon Phayu พยุห์: *Nongthum
  • Tambon Phromsawat พรหมสวัสดิ์: Samrong, Khothaw
  • Tambon Nongphek โนนเพ็ก: *Khokphek โคกเพ็ก
• Phraibung District ไพรบึง
  • Tambon Prasatyae ปราสาทเยอ: Prasatyaenua ปราสาทเยอเหนือ, Prasatyaetai ปราสาทเยอใต้, Khawaw, Phonpalat, Cangun
• Rasisalai District ราษีไศล
  • Tambon Mueangkhong เมืองคง: Yai ใหญ่
• Sila Lat District ศิลาลาด
  • Tambon Kung กุง: Kung กุง, Muangkaw เมืองเก่า, *Chok

All Kui Nthaw/M'ai live in mixed villages.

• Rasisalai District ราษีไศล
  • Tambon Nong Ing หนองอึ่ง: *Tongton, *Huai Yai ห้วยใหญ่, *Dnmuang, *Kokeow, *Hang
• Uthumphornphisai District อุทุมพรพิสัย
  • Tambon Khaem แขม: *Phanong, *Sangthong, *Sawai, *Nongphae, *Phae
• Pho Si Suwan District โพธิ์ศรีสุวรรณ
  • Tambon Naengma หนองม้า: *Nongma หนองม้า, *Songhong, *Songleng, *Nongphae

• Khukhan District ขุขันธ์
  • Tambon Prueyai ปรือใหญ่: Preu Yai, Makham, Pruekhan, and village no.12

• Ethnic groups in Cambodia
• List of ethnic groups in Laos
• Ethnic groups in Thailand

• Mann, N., & Markowski, L. (2004).A rapid appraisal survey of Kuy dialects spoken in Cambodia. Chiang Mai: Dept. of Linguistics, Graduate School, Payap University.
• Mann, N., & Markowski, L. (2005).A rapid appraisal survey of Kuy dialects spoken in Cambodia. SIL International.
• Sidwell, Paul. (2005).The Katuic languages: classification, reconstruction and comparative lexiconArchived 2020-12-04 at theWayback Machine. LINCOM studies in Asian linguistics, 58. Muenchen: Lincom Europa.ISBN 3-89586-802-7

• Languages of Cambodia
• Languages of Laos
• Languages of Thailand
• Katuic languages
• Ethnic groups in Cambodia
• Ethnic groups in Laos
• Ethnic groups in Thailand

• Pages containing links to subscription-only content
• Language articles citing Ethnologue 18
• Webarchive template wayback links
• CS1 maint: publisher location
• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Articles containing Thai-language text
• Articles containing Khmer-language text