A Semantics Study of Hand-Related Verbs in Chaingrai Dialect of Thai

Abstract

This study aims at classifying types of hands-related verbs spoken in Chiang Rai dialects by using componential analysis.

For the data collection procedure, the researcher started with defining hands-related verbs and grouping them in accordance with the Lanna-Thai dictionary. Then, the data was analyzed using componential analysis by taking the interrelationship between nouns and verbs into consideration to study the differences and components of each word. The data was checked by language informants who were originally born and raised in Chiang Rai.

The study showed that hands-related verbs can be grouped into nine categories: hands-related verbs indicating how to hold something; hands-related verbs indicating how to uncover something; hands-related verbs indicating how to move something; hands-related verbs showing how to raise something; hands-related verbs showing how to grasp something in a hole or take something out, which may or may not take something out of the hole; hands-related verbs showing how to make a scratch; hands-related verbs showing how to control or press something; and hands-related verbs showing how to touch something. In addition, this study also showed the differences of words in each category which denotes their closely-related meanings.