Vocabularies on rice: Language Change and Relationships between Language and Thai culture

Abstract

The academic article aims to study 1) to collect and compile vocabulary related to rice from the Royal Institute Dictionary, 2011 edition, 2) to analyze the vocabulary related to rice in terms of linguistic changes, and 3) to examine the relationship between language and Thai culture. In this study, the author gathers rice-related vocabulary and uses criteria to classify the origins of the words from the Royal Institute Dictionary, 2011 edition. The author also synthesizes concepts and theories related to Thai language and culture in order to analyze the vocabulary concerning linguistic changes and the relationship between language and Thai culture.

Vocabularies on rice in the Thai royal institution dictionary 2011 A.D. are made by the combination of words. In the Thai royal institution dictionary 2011 A.D., there is ‘rice’ as the main word which is a prefix and another word as a suffix combined as word on rice totally 126 words. There are vocabularies on rice in the category of food totally 61 words, the category of lineage’s name totally 31 words, the category of ritual and faith totally 19 words, the category of plant’s name totally 7 words, the category of phrase totally 5 words, and the category of miscellaneous totally 3 words. Besides, in book of No.3 volume of the series of ‘new vocabulary’ dictionaries of the Thai royal institution dictionary, there are vocabularies on rice in the category of food totally 19 words, in the category of ritual and faith totally 1 word, and in the category of verb totally 1 word. Some vocabularies on rice in book of No.3 volume of the series of ‘new vocabulary’ dictionaries of the Thai royal institution dictionary have ever appeared before in the Thai royal institution dictionary 2011 A.D. but there are changes on meaning. Moreover, there are vocabularies on rice in dictionary of Doctor Bradley named the dictionary of the Siamese language 1873 A.D. which are different from the Thai royal institution dictionary 2011 A.D. Vocabularies on rice in the Thai royal institution dictionary, there are 12 words from the Isan dialect, 8 words from the Payap dialect, and 2 words from the foreign language. Vocabularies on rice in the Thai royal institution dictionary 2011 A.D. are so important in dimension of language to society and culture according to vocabularies on rice reflect culture, tradition, social condition and way of life which are the identity of Thai people as well.