One-syllable English-Thai Transliterated Words in Advertisements for Products of UNIQLO Thailand

Abstract

The objective this research is to present an analysis of morphemes in one-syllable English-Thai transliterated words used in advertisements for products of UNIQLO Thailand focusing on the transliteration and syllable structure. Data were collected from UNIQLO Thailand e-newsletters issued between 1 October 2019 and 30 September 2020 containing a total of 836 statements in which there were 45 morphemes in one-syllable English-Thai transliterated words. The results of the analysis revealed 31 morphemes which were transliterated correctly according to English-Thai transliteration rules, and the frequency of which was 222 times. These morphemes were correctly transliterated in four aspects as follows. Transliteration in accordance with the comparison table of English vowel sounds and consonant sounds was the most frequently found, followed by transliteration in accordance with the use of the mark dictate in a silent letter, transliteration in accordance with the Royal Institute Dictionary of the Thai Language, and transliteration in accordance with the rules for words containing double letters, respectively. There were 14 morphemes found to be incorrectly transliterated, and the frequency was 267 times. The most frequently found aspect was transliteration that was not in accordance with the comparison table of English vowel sounds and consonant sounds, followed by the incorrect use of the tone markers, the incorrect use of the short vowel marker, and transliteration that was not in accordance with the comparison table of English vowel sounds and consonant sounds when used with a final consonant and a tone maker combined. Syllabic analysis revealed five patterns of syllable structure, and the most frequently found was C(C)VS^1,3, followed by C(C)VVS^1,2, C(C)VVN^0-4, C(C)VV^0-4, and C(C)VN^0-4, respectively.