"Lao mian" in Chinese means "strirred noodles"
First up, let us discuss the local perspective. Speakers of Laomian who reside in mixed-ethnic communities generally speak Laomian at home while speaking the major local ethnic language in public. Because children are learning the predominant local language, the average age of Laomian speakers is climbing into the sixties and seventies in areas of mixed communities. Because of the growing number of people who can speak many languages, the dominance of the Chinese language has had a significant impact on the Laomian settlements.
Bisu is spoken in the home, in the hamlet, and in the fields among other Bisu people. When Northern Thai persons (such as those who have married Bisu) are present, a group of Bisu conversants will naturally convert to Northern Thai. In Doi Chompuu village, community meetings are frequently held in Northern Thai for the advantage of Northern Thai males married to Bisu women. Nonetheless, when difficulties with Northern Thai people are discussed (land swindles, attempts by a Northern Thai temple to "take" the village's single adult Buddhist monk, etc.), meeting attendees have been observed to switch to Bisu.
Next up is the national perspective on the preservation of Laomian. China is the only country in the world where Laomian is still spoken. Yunnan Province, Lancang County, Menglian County, Ximeng County, and Menghai County are some of the only localities in China where this language is still spoken. Due to the lack of information regarding steps the Chinese government has taken to preserve the Bisu/ Laomian language, I will be talking mostly about the preservation of Bisu/ Laomian by the Thai government. First up is the language policy of the Thai government, the curriculum of schools in Thailand must be taught in standard Thai. Students are discouraged from speaking minority languages at school for fear of being bullied. Ethnic languages in Thailand has gotten the attention of the Thai Royal Family. The Thai Royal Family has been actively involved in improving the lives of various ethnic minorities for many years, especially through agricultural programs and the promotion of native crafts. Because of their limited numbers and lack of readily recognized cultural attire, the Bisu had not been included in previous Royal Projects. However, in 1999, a group of Royal Project medical workers began making regular visits to Doi Chompuu Village. The Thai government has taken certain attempts to promote ethnic minorities' distinct cultures. As Thailand became a popular tourist destination in the late 1980s, much of this began. The Thailand Tourism Authority has supported a variety of hill tribal fairs, festivals, and sporting events, some of which have been shown on national television. The Bisu would like to participate in these festivities, and there has been talk of recreating their traditional attire in order to attract Thai officials' attention.
Last but not least is a global take on the issue of language loss. While information regarding a global protective issue of Laomian is scarce, many global organizations such as Wikitongue, Endangered Languages Project and 7,000 languages are taking action against the rapid loss of endangered indigenous languages throughout the world.
"Wikitongues safeguards language documentation, expands access to mother-tongue resources, and directly supports language revitalization projects."
These languages help to benefit the cause of language preservation by raising awareness and educating the public on these languages. Regular webinars open to the public are held on Facebook and lives on Instagram with language professionals from all over the world.
You can help by volunteering for these organizations, aiding the minorities in your region who speak ethnic languages, and simply educating yourself by learning more about the importance of language preservation.
Sources:
"Laomian". Endangered Languages. Viewed 02/11/2021
Laomian at Ethnologue. Viewed 02/11/2021
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