Kui Minority Language and Identity in the Digital Age
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Abstract
This article examines the online and offline media use of the Kui minority in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, focusing on their linguistic choices using social media. Without a writing system of their own, Kui speakers use majority languages for communication. The study explores the availability of media in Kui and the reasons for adopting national languages online. Findings highlight a desire for social inclusion while maintaining ethnic identity. Despite language shifts, Kui speakers persist in their cultural practices. This research challenges assumptions that language shift leads to cultural loss, showing how minorities navigate digital spaces without abandoning their heritages.
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