The Study of the Features of the Syymbols used to represent Thai Tones in Thai Language Teaching Textbooks for Foreigners at Fundamental to Basic Levels in different purposes of use

Abstract

The purposes of the research paper are to 1.) study the characteristics of the Thai tone mark symbols found in Thai textbooks for foreign learners at the fundamental and beginner levels, 2.) compare the differences between the Thai tone mark symbols found in the textbooks, and 3) analyze the relationship between different purposes of use in textbooks and Thai tone mark symbols. The results of the research showed that there were eight types of symbols representing Thai tone marks that appeared in textbooks. They are as follows: 1.) the use of the international phonetic alphabet (IPA) to represent tones, 2.) the use of zero forms, 3.) the use of the combination of dots and underlines, 4.) the use of a combination of dots, underlines, and diagonal strokes, 5.) the use of arrow symbols, 6.) the use of straight lines and curves, 7.) the use of acronyms, and 8.) the use of numbers. Comparatively, the study reveals that the International Phonetic Alphabet was the most widely used. Furthermore, it discusses the various types of Thai tone mark symbols and the several objectives of their application in each textbook. Lastly, results of the study also that the International Phonetic Alphabet continued to be used most frequently to represent tone marks in textbooks, particularly those used for learning and teaching.