Language Change in Pali-Sanskrit Loanwords in the Northern Thai Version of Paññāsa Jātaka

Abstract

This research aimed at studying phonological and lexical changes in Pali-Sanskrit loanwords in the Northern Thai Version of Paññāsa Jātaka. 1,725 Pali-Sanskrit loanwords were collected from a research report entitled “A Critical Study of Northern Thai Version of Paññāsa Jātaka.” The study of phonological and lexical changes is done in Pali-Sanskrit loanwords, and from orthographic forms and sounds reflected by the orthographic forms. The phonological and lexical changes in Pali-Sanskrit loanwords are described based on concepts of language change in historical linguistics.

The results of this research reveal that Pali-Sanskrit loanwords have changed phonologically and lexically. The phonological changes are the changes in vowels and consonants from the original Pali-Sanskrit words used as the loanwords in the Northern Thai Version of Paññāsa Jātaka. The phonological changes in vowels and consonants are caused by sound changes; phonetic change; sound loss; and sound addition. The lexical changes are changes in the syllable structure, meaning, and grammatical system or word class of the original Pali-Sanskrit words used as the loanwords in the Northern Thai Version of Paññāsa Jātaka. Syllabic restructuring of the original Pali-Sanskrit words used as loanwords can be classified into two types. The first type is syllabic restructuring that does not affect the number of original syllable structures. The second type is syllable restructuring that affects the number of original syllable structures. The semantic changes can be classified into three types: restricted meaning, extended meaning, and shifted meaning. The grammatical changes are the changes in word class of the original Pali and Sanskrit words used as loanwords in the Northern Thai Version of Paññāsa Jātaka.