Cooking Terms in the Central Thai Dialect: An Ethnosemantic Study

Abstract

This research is the study of cooking terms in the central Thai dialect. It aims to analyze the components and dimensions of contrast of the cooking terms in the central Thai dialect. The study is limited to only the verbs of food cooking, excluding the making of desserts, snacks, beverages and alcoholic drinks. The researcher collects data by interviewing informants living in central Thailand, divided into middle central Thailand, eastern central Thailand and western central Thailand, namely Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Chonburi and Ratchaburi, respectively. The researcher selects three qualified informants per province. The results show that there are 69 cooking terms in the central Thai dialect. Through componential analysis, it is found that there are 11 dimensions of contrast. Semantic similarities and differences are understood when combining each term’s semantic feature. Through folk taxonomy, it is found that cooking terms in the central Thai dialect have semantic relationships in the same and different levels. Most of the cooking terms belong to specific classes. Some of the cooking terms in the central Thai dialect have similar meanings in two aspects: Firstly, the terms which have different semantic features in such dimensions that do not make the terms’ overall meanings different, for example, purposes or ingredients which are not the main ingredients. These terms appear as the same terms. Secondly, the terms which have different semantic features in such dimensions that make the terms’ overall meanings different, for example, how to cook, main ingredients. These terms appear as different terms.