irrigated mountain rice. In fact, however, some Hmong grow wet rice, and some Northern Thai grow their rice in swiddens (Judd 1964; Chapman 1978). Enormous similarity in rural culture is to be found among all peoples throughout mainland Southeast Asia, even those who consider themselves to be different peoples In all this discussion the semantic factors have not been studied very much, but when people call themselves Thai or Kuy or Phong or Malay they are using a word, a linguistic term. They are perform ing a linguistic act, using language, so we need to look at the issue of ethnic identity linguistically, as well as in other ways. This involves not only what Phlong means, but also how people create the meaning of Phong