A Comparative Study of Tai-Phuan, Tai-Phake and Lao-Wiang

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Kasetsart J. (Soc. Sci) 22 : 193 - 198 (2001) «. ‡°…µ√»“ µ√å ( —ß§¡) ªï∑’Ë 22 : 193 - 198 (2544) A Comparative Study of Tai-Phuan, Tai-Phake and Lao-Wiang

Wilaisak Kingkham

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Tai-Phuan is a dialect language spoken in fifteen provinces of Thailand, whereas Tai- Phake is a minority language spoken in ten villages in Assam, India, and Lao-Wiang is a dialect language spoken in twenty-three villages in Thailand. Phonology: Compared with Tai-Phuan, Tai-Phake and Lao-Wiang show a reduction in the consonant and phonemes. On the other hand, they have preserved all the six tones in the three varieties. On the scale of similarities one finds that the three languages reject the syllabic structure : VC. The three languages do not allow certain aspirated consonants or voiced consonants to occur in the word-final positions. Lexicon: In the analysis that follows, the researchers presented the fieldwise vocabulary. Identical forms and cognate forms are later taken up as similar vocabulary items. Next we count the different forms and finally we list words from Tai-Phuan and Lao-Wiang in which there were no corresponding Tai-Phake words. Key words: Tai-Phuan, Tai-Phake, Lao-Wiang

INTRODUCTION The language of Tai-Phuan, Tai-Phake and Lao-Wiang are still used in communication and being Most of the linguists believe that the Standard a segment of a group known as minority language. Thai used nowadays in communication is one of the Although the people of minority groups stay away Tai-Dialects. The languages of Tai-Phuan, Tai-Phake from one another, some in other foreign countries, and Lao-Wiang are also classified as Standard Thai. such as the people in Assam, India, speak Tai-Phake. So a stydy of the dialect-history and its development However, it is believed that Thai or Tai is a great not only helps the learners to understand its contents language family generally spoken in South East Asia. but also benefits the one who is interested in it. People have created languages as a part of

Department of Thai Language, Faculliy of Humanities, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand. 194 «. ‡°…µ√»“ µ√å ( —ß§¡) ªï∑’Ë 22 ©∫—∫∑’Ë 2 their culture by their own requirement for and in the two villages i.e. Nam-Phake and Tipam- communication and understanding in several ethnic Phake for Tai-Phake in which forty informants were groups. In the same way, the ancestral languages of contacted. The corpus consists of 2,618 vocabulary ethnic groups used in the past might have been items, 1,500 sentences and recording of 25 interviews changed in accordance with time and laws of nature (total duration = 25 hours) that language should be always changed. If language did not change, they would become just dead RESEARCH METHODS language or language of non-communication. So we need to study the depth, understanding 1> Choose the research title on çA Comparative and comparison of three languages i.e. Tai-Phaun, Study of Tai-Phuan, Tai-Phake and Lao-Wiangé. Tai-Phake and Lao-Wiang classifying their similarities 2> Study the concerned documents. and dissimilarities, finding a clearer conclusion 3> Produce the equipment by managing the leading to a development of the languages mentioned questionnaires consisting of 2,618 word groups and above. 1,500 sentences. Tai-Phuan is spoken in fifteen provinces of 4> Aim at a group of 40 people to interview. Thailand Lop Buri, Ratchaburi, Phichit, Phetchabun, 5> Collect the materials by interview and the Phetchaburi, Phrae, Saraburi, Sing Buri, Suphan Buri, documents concerned. Prachin Buri, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Nayok, 6> Record the interview and transcribe Sukhothai, Udon Thani and Nan. phonetically onto literal materials. The Tai Phakes also known as Phakials, a 7> Analyze all meterials by a method of small population found in the riverine areas of minimal pairs. Dibrugarh district of upper Assam, were originally a 8> Analyze the sound materials by using a hill tribe within the famous Tai family. They call computer system. themselves as Tai Phake. 9> When there are some problems in the Lao-Wiang is a minority language spoken in analysis, more materials must be added. eighteen villages in Uthong district, Suphan Buri, two 10> Conclude the results and give found villages in Phanomsarakham district, two villages in suggestions. Sanamchaikhet district, Chachengsaw and one village in Kabin-Buri district, Prachinburi in Thailand. RESULTS The comparison of Tai-Phuan and Lao-Wiang with Tai-Phake is based on extensive field-work in The present study is divided into the following: the Ban Hinpak, Hinpak subdistrict, Ban mee district, 1) give the background of Tai-Phuan, Tai- Lop Buri province for Tai-Phuan, in the Ban Donkha, Phake and Lao-Wiang explains the scope of comparison Uthong district, Suphanburi province for Lao-Wiang and field work methodology. «. ‡°…µ√»“ µ√å ( —ß§¡) ªï∑’Ë 22 ©∫—∫∑’Ë 2 195 2) deals with the comparison of Tai-Phuan, TPH LW TP Tai-Phake and Lao-Wiang phonology covering / dam / / dam / / n m / çblacké segmental phonemes, suprasegmental phonemes, / dø:Ç // døÇ // nøÇ / çredé syllabic structures and consonant clusters. / da:w / / da:w / / n :w / çstaré 3) give the list of lexical items in the three Tai-Phuan and Lao-Wiang /f/ is replaced by varieties. /ph/ as Tai-Phake, that is a fricative is replaced by 4) summarizes the findings of the previous an aspirated plosive. For examples: chapters and discusses the areas for further research. TPH LW TP / f n / / fon / / phon / çrainé PHONOLOGY / fi: / / fi: / / phi: / çpocké The lexical items collected gave us the / f : / / f : / / ph : / çskyé following inventory of segmental phonemes: Vowel phonemes of Tai-Phuan and Lao-

Consonants of Tai-Phuan and Lao-Wiang: Wiang:

p, ph, t, th, b, d, k, kh, ? ii: m :, u u:,

e c, f, s, h, m, n, , Ç, l, w, y e e:, e :, o o:, Consonants of Tai-Phake: øø:, c c :,

p, ph, t, th, k, kh, ? aa: c, s, h, m, n, , Ç, l, w, y, Diphthongs: ia, a,m ua

A comparison of the consonant phonemes Vowel phonemes of Tai-Phake

shows that Tai-Phuan and Lao-Wiang has eighteen i, m u consonants and two semi-vowels whereas Tai-Phake e e o has fifteen consonants and two semi-vowels. Tai- ø c Phuan and Lao-Wiang has the bilabial plosive voiced a, a: /b/, labio-dental fricative voiceless /f/ and alveolar A comparison of the three inventories shows plosive voiced /d/ which Tai-Phake lacks. that Tai-Phuan and Lao-Wiang has a rich variety of The common lexical items show that Tai- vowels whereas Tai-Phake has a simplified system. Phuan and Lao-Wiang /b/ is replaced by /m/ in Tai- Length is phonemic in Tai-Phuan, but it is obliterated Phake as in in Tai-Phake with the single exception of /a:/.

TPH LW TP Tai-Phuan and Lao-Wiang have three / baw/ / ba~w / / maw / çto be lighté diphthongs /ia/, / a/,m /and/, /ua/ where as Tai-Phake / bet / / bet / / m t / çhooké does not have any diphthongs. / b : / / ba~: / / ma: / çshoulderé A comparison of the common vocabulary Tai-Phuan and Lao-Wiang /d/ is replaced by show that /n/ as in 196 «. ‡°…µ√»“ µ√å ( —ß§¡) ªï∑’Ë 22 ©∫—∫∑’Ë 2

TPH and LW ^ TP Consonant Clusters /ia/ is replaced by /e/ as in In Tai-Phake the following ten consonant /khiaw/ ^ /khew/ çgreené clusters are possible: pl, phl, kl, khl, tl, py, phy, ky, /siaÇ/ ^ /seÇ/ çsoundé khy and my, which Tai-Phuan and Lao-Wiang lack.

/kh at/ ^ /kh t/ çfrogé With the exception of /m/ all the initial

Tai-Phuan and Lao-Wiang / a/m is replaced by consonants in the clusters in the variety are one of / e / in Tai-Phake as in. the four voiceless plosives: /p/, /ph/, /k/ and /tl/. The

TPH TP second member of the cluster is /l/ or /y/.

/k m a/ ^ /k / çsalté

/s a/ ^ /s e / çtigeré Tones

e /h m a/ ^ /h / çboaté Tai-Phuan has six tones. Tai-Phuan and Lao-Wiang /ua/ is replaced by 1> Low tone /o/ in Tai-Phake 2> High tone TPH TP 3> Mid tone 4> Rising tone

/hua/ ^ /ho/ çheadé - 5> Falling tone /kuay/ ^ /koy/ çbananaé 6> High falling tone /luat/ ^ /lot/ çwireé Syllabic Structure Tai-Phake and Lao-Wiang have six tones : There are three syllabic structures such as 1> Low tone monosyllabic, disyllabic and polysyllabic structures 2> High tone in the three varieties. 3> Mid tone The syllabic structure of monosyllabic words 4> Rising tone is the same in Tai-Phuan, Lao-Wiang and Tai-Phake: 5> Falling tone cvT, cvcT, cvvT with the exception any consonant 6> Mid rising tone cluster does not occur in Tai-Phuan. The structure of the disyllabic word in Tai- There are six tones in the three varieties, Tai- Phuan, Lao-Wiang and Tai-Phake is the following: Phuan has high falling tone which Tai-Phake and cvcTì cvvT, cvcTì cvcT, cvvTì cvvT, cvvcTì cvcT, Lao-Wiang lack, whereas Tai-Phake and Lao-Wiang cvvcTì cvvcT, cvvcTì cvvT. have mid rising tone which Tai-Phuan lacks. The structure of polysyllabic words are rare The common lexical items show that there is in the three varieties. In Tai-Phuan and Lao-Wiang no change in the rising tone for the three varieties. the structure of polysyllabic words are loanwords In the case of other tones we found the following from Standard Thai. regarding the common lexical items: «. ‡°…µ√»“ µ√å ( —ß§¡) ªï∑’Ë 22 ©∫—∫∑’Ë 2 197 Tai-Phuan has high falling tone when Tai- language migrate and is influenced by other dominating Phake and Lao-Wiang have mid rising tone. languages. The different lexical items indicate the Tai-Phuan has high falling tone when Tai- areas of further research. The main question would Phake has high tone and Lao-Wiang has mid tone. be: where do these words in Tai-Phake come from? Tai-Phuan has high tone which is replaed by There are more gaps in Tai-Phuan and Lao-Wiang falling tone in Tai-Phake and Lao-Wiang. than in Tai-Phake. This may be because of the Tai-Phuan has falling tone whereas Tai-Phake limited functional value of Tai-Phake. A further and Lao-Wiang have low tone. study in this direction would be useful. Tai-Phuan has low tone whereas Tai-Phake and Lao-Wiang have mid rising tones CONCLUSION Tai-Phuan and Lao-Wiang have mid tone whereas Tai-Phake has high tone. The researchers summarize all the findings made earlier in this chapter. This will present a clear LEXICON picture of the comparison. The lexicon is analysed in terms of various The chapter also indicates further areas of interrelated semantic fields. For example, under research. For example, it would be interesting to PERSONS we get semantic fields such as relations, compare the other these varieties such as Tai-Khamti, occupations, age and sex, social status etc. The Tai-Khamyang, Tai-Rung, tai-Aiton with Tai-Phuan comparison between Tai-Phuan, Lao-Wiang and Tai- with Standard-Thai. A comparison of the Tai- Phake yields three types of lexical classes. The first varieties in Assam with that of Tai-Phuan and Lao- gives identical forms and cognate forms as similar Wiang will throw light on some important aspects of vocabulary items. There are words having some biligualism, especially on minority language regular phonological changes. These two classes communities. constitute the common vocabulary for the three varieties. The second class lists lexical items that are LITERATURE CITED totally different in the two varieties. The third class shows places where one of the three varieties lack Carl, Jame. 1989. Contrastive Analysis. London: words; that is, it shows semantic gaps. Longman. The high percentage of common vocabulary Dhogde R.V. and Wilaisak Kingkham. 1992 . items reveals the relatedness of the three varieties and çA Comparison of Phonology and Morphology in a sense justifies are attempt comparing the three. in Standard- Thai and Tai-Phake.é In PAN › The table showing the descending order of common ASIATIC LINGUISTICS the third International vocabulary is significant. It shows which semantic Symposium on Language and Linguistics. fields comparatively remain stable even when a Bangkok: Chulalongkorn University Press. 198 «. ‡°…µ√»“ µ√å ( —ß§¡) ªï∑’Ë 22 ©∫—∫∑’Ë 2 Goswami, S.N. 1998. Studies in Sino-Tibetan Nida, Eugene A. 1967. Mophology › the descriptive Languages. Gauhati Assam: Arunoday Press. analysis of words. (2 nd ed), Ann Arbor: Grierson, G.A. 1996. Linguistic Survey of India Vol. University of Michigan Press. II Part 1 Mon-Khmer and Siams Chinese Ruangdej P. 1976. çA synchronic › comparative (Including Khasi and Tai). Delhi: Motilal study of Modern Thai and Modern Lanna.é A Banarasdas. Ph.D thesis submitted to the University of Hass, Marry R. 1942 The use of Numeral classifiers Poona. in Thai. Language XVIII p. 201-205. New york ______1978. Ra?bopsiaÇ pha:sa:y :c Ç (Yong Press. Phonology) Southeast Asia Language Centre, Hockett C.F. 1958. A Course in Modern Linguistics. Mahidol University Press.

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