A Comparative Analysis of the Types of Words and Factors Influencing the Selection of Address Terms in Japanese and Thai

Abstract

This research aimed to compare the types of words and factors influencing the selection of address terms in Japanese and Thai. Data were collected from Thai original short stories and their Japanese translated versions. The results revealed that the address terms more prevalent in Thai than in Japanese were proper nouns, nouns and noun phrases, second-person pronouns, and kinship terms. Those are the direct address terms on a high level of entering the addressee’s personal space. On the other hand, the address terms more prevalent in Japanese than in Thai were demonstrative pronouns and the absence of address terms. Those are indirect address terms on a low level of entering the addressee’s personal space or not entering the addressee’s personal space at all. Therefore, it can be concluded that the level of directness in each address term related to the level of entering the addressee’s personal space was one of the factors that make the selection of types of address terms in Japanese and Thai different.