Vietic

Vietic refers to a branch of the Austroasiatic language family, spoken primarily in Vietnam and, to a lesser extent, in parts of Laos. The best-known member is Vietnamese, the national language of Vietnam, but the Vietic group also includes several minority languages spoken by ethnic communities across the country. The most widely spoken non-Vietnamese Vietic language is Muong, used by communities in rural areas of northern and central Vietnam. Other Vietic languages include Ede (Ra-De), Jarai (Giarai), Bahnar, Rhade (Rhade or Rade), Stieng, and several smaller varieties, many of which have relatively small speaker populations.

Linguistic classification within Vietic and its internal subgrouping are active areas of research. Scholars generally treat Vietic as a distinct branch of Austroasiatic, with Vietnamese forming a highly divergent member and the other languages forming regional clusters in the Annamite Mountains and Central Highlands. The languages share some phonological and lexical traits characteristic of Austroasiatic languages, but they also show substantial diversity, including differences in phonology, syntax, and vocabulary.

In terms of writing and standardization, Vietnamese uses a Latin-based script, Quốc Ngữ, established in the early modern period and now the national writing system. Minority Vietic languages often use adapted orthographies or are written with schemes based on the official script when literacy materials are available. Vietnamese dominates public life, education, and media, while many Vietic languages remain vulnerable to language shift, with varying degrees of intergenerational transmission and efforts toward revitalization and bilingual education in some communities.