A COMPARISON OF COMPOUND WORDS IN NORTHERN THAI DIALECT AND LAO LANGUAGE

Abstract

This research aimed to analyze and compare the Northern Thai dialect compound words and the Lao language in 4 aspects: 1) the number of compound words, 2) similarities and differences of the meanings, 3) factors in creating compound words, and 4) determination of the meaning of compound words which from Lanna-Thai dictionary, Mae Fah Luang version (Rungruangsri, U., 2004) and Lao Dictionary (Onmaneesorn, T., 2008)

              The research results indicated that there were 11,010 words of the Northern Thai dialect compound words (80.52%). There were 2,663 words of the Lao compound words (19.48%).              In terms of the meanings of compound words in the Northern Thai dialects and the Lao language, it indicated that there were 358 compound words with similar meanings (87.96%) and                       49 compound words with different meanings (12.04%). Thus, the number of compound words with similar meanings outpaced the number of compound words with different meanings was 309 words (75.92%). There were the most two common factors in creating compound words in both the Northern Thai dialect compound words and the Lao language. First, it was the livelihood factor (Northern Thai dialects were 56.51% and the Lao Language was 58.84%). The others were the nature and environment factor (Northern Thai dialects were 56.51% and the Lao Language was 18.93%).

              In conclusion, the findings indicated that although the Northern Thai dialects contained more compound words than the Lao Language, the application of meaning and other factors were similar.