Thai Loan words in an Episode of the Khmer Ramayana: Rama Asleep by the Malefices of Vaiy Rābṇ

Abstract

This article aims to study Thai loanwords and the functions of those words that appear in Khmer literature titled “Reamker, the episode of Rama Asleep by the Malefices of Vaiy Rābṇ.” The study determines that there are 39 Thai loanwords found in the episode which can be classified into 4 categories based on their meanings. The first category is words related to life which can be divided into 3 subgroups: 1.1) words for organs in the body, 1.2) words for physical actions and 1.3) words for mental actions. The second category is words related to society and culture which can be divided into six subgroups: 2.1) addressing terms, 2.2) words for land and territory, 2.3) words for events, 2.4) words for everyday life items, 2.5) words for Nah Paht Song and 2.6) words for noble titles in the royal court. The third category is words related to nature which can be divided into 3 subgroups: 3.1) words for minerals, 3.2) words for nature that can be perceived by the five senses and 3.3) words for natural conditions that show the physical characteristics of people, animals, and things. The last category is miscellaneous words which can be divided into three subgroups: 1) words for numbers, 2) words for classification, and 3) words for positions. The results show that Thai loanwords in Khmer have three main functions. They are used as common words; moreover, they are also used to indicate the social status of the characters and the relationship between those characters.  Furthermore, they can be used to create literary aesthetic beauty.