▁The ▁so - called ▁L ik ▁To ▁Y ao ▁(' long ▁letters '), ▁which ▁der ives ▁from ▁L ik ▁Tai ▁Ma o , ▁or ▁L ik ▁H to ▁Ng ou k ▁(' bean ▁spr out ▁script '), ▁the ▁old ▁script ▁of ▁the ▁Ma o , ▁or ▁Chinese ▁Sh ans , ▁may ▁be ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁north . ▁In ▁this ▁systems , ▁v owel ▁signs ▁are ▁written ▁behind ▁the ▁con son ants . ▁ ▁Pr on oun s ▁ ▁Resources ▁Given ▁the ▁present ▁inst abilities ▁in ▁Bur ma , ▁one ▁choice ▁for ▁sch ol ars ▁is ▁to ▁study ▁the ▁Sh an ▁people ▁and ▁their ▁language ▁in ▁Th ailand , ▁where ▁estimates ▁of ▁Sh an ▁refuge es ▁run ▁as ▁high ▁as ▁two ▁million , ▁and ▁Ma e ▁Hong ▁Son ▁Province ▁is ▁home ▁to ▁a ▁Sh an ▁majority . ▁The ▁major ▁source ▁for ▁information ▁about ▁the ▁Sh an ▁language ▁in ▁English ▁is ▁Dun wo ody ▁Press ' s ▁Sh an ▁for ▁English ▁Spe akers . ▁They ▁also ▁publish ▁a ▁Sh an - English ▁dictionary . ▁ ▁As ide ▁from ▁this , ▁the ▁language ▁is ▁almost ▁completely ▁und es cribed ▁in ▁English . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Further ▁reading ▁ ▁S ai ▁Kam ▁Mong . ▁The ▁History ▁and ▁Development ▁of ▁the ▁Sh an ▁Script s . ▁Chi ang ▁Mai , ▁Th ailand : ▁Sil kw orm ▁Books , ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁▁ ▁The ▁Major ▁L anguages ▁of ▁East ▁and ▁South - E ast ▁Asia . ▁Bernard ▁Com rie ▁( Lond on , ▁ 1 9