Chaaw- in the Thai Language

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the meaning of the complex word “[Chaaw-].” The investigation draws on data from four sources: the 2011 Royal Institute Dictionary, the 2004 Matichon Dictionary, the Khlang Kham, and the National Thai Corpus. The results of the study revealed that the signification of the complex word “[Chaaw-]” can be categorized into six groups: 1) A group of people who share the same ethnicity, 2) A group of people residing within the same area, 3) A group of individuals engaged in similar occupations, 4) A group of people united by a common religious belief, 5) A group of people facing the same circumstances, and 6) Other meanings. Additionally, the word undergoes change, overlap, and formation.