The official national language,
spoken by almost 100 per cent of the population,
is Thai, classified by linguists as belonging to a Chinese-Thai branch of the
Sino-Tibetan family. It is a tonal language, uninflected, and predominantly
monosyllabic. Most polysyllabic words in the vocabulary have been borrowed,
mainly from Khmer, Pali or Sanskrit. Dialects are spoken in rural areas.
Principal other languages are Chinese and Malay. English, a mandatory subject in
public shoools, is widely spoken and understood, particularly in Bangkok and
other major cities.
Richly diverse in origin, the Thai language in use today is the end- result of a
centuries-long maturation.
Early Thai settlers in the late Dvaravati period gradually enlarged their own
Chinese-influenced, tonal, monosyllabic language by borrowing and adapting
certain Mon and Khmer words. Later, the Thais absorbed polysyllabic Sanskrit
(the classical language of Hindu India) and Pali words as Brahmanism and
Theravada Buddhism asserted their shaping influences. Foreign traders and
Chinese immigrants made minor additions in later centuries.
Today, standard Thai is spoken nationwide with regional dialects differing
widely from north to south and east to west.
King Ramakamhaeng of Sukhothai created the first Thai alphabet in 1283, basing
it on Mon and Khmer scripts which, in turn, were derived from a South Indian
script. With minor modifications - particularly individual character envolution
into more refined shapes - Ramkamhaenge's alphabet survived intact through the
centuries so that the modern Thai can read 13th century inscriptions as easily
as could his ancestors.
Importantly, Ramkamhaeng's achievement afforded the Thais a vital sense of unity
and lent impetus to a distinctive Thai cultural identity. Indeed, several major
literary workds, mainly Buddish is character, were written during the followin
century.
The spoken Thai language lends itself to alliteration. Similar sounding words
create plaesing rhythmic patterns and form a poetic language which is commonly
used in everyday conversation. Indeed, poetry is a major Thai art, and until
1850 all Thai literary works were in verse form. Spoken and written similes are
especially popular and parables are commonly employed, particularly for
trainning children.
A gregarious race that loves to joke and laugh, the Thais greatly appreciate
puns and double-enterdres which, besides enlivening everyday vernacular, spice
and propel outrageous dialogue in popular art forms such as folk theatre.
The written Thai language, read horizontally from left to right, as in English,
consists of 44 consonants and 32 vowels that combine to formulate sysllabic
sounds. The sounds are combined with five different tones- even, high, low,
rising and falling-to produce a melodious, lyrical language.
Generally speaking, spoken grammar is simple. The basic structure of Thai
sentences is subject/verb/object with adjectives following nouns. In many case,
verbs can be changed into nouns with the use of a prefix, e.g. khit (think)
with the prefix kwan becomes kwan khit (thought).
Each Thai word is complete inasmuch as there are no Thai suffixes, genders,
articles, declensions or plurals. Tenses are indicated by standard auxiliaries,
e.g. pai (go) with the auxiliary ja becomes ja pai (will go); with the auxiliary
kamlang becomes kamlang pai (am going); and with the auxiliary laew becomes pai
laew (go already (went)).
Different pronouns (at least 47, including some 17 I's and 19 you's) and
different qualifying nouns and verbs are used by different class - royalty,
ecclesiastics and lay people. Because Thai's pronominal structure illustrates
rank and intimacy, there are, in effect, four different languages - a royal
language, an ecclesiastic language, a polite everyday pernacular and an earthy,
pungent slang.
Illustrative of this wide range of variations is the verb to 'eat'. In royal
language, the word is sawuy; in ecclesiastic Thai, chan; rappratan is a formal
word used on engraved invitations and its shortened from, tan is everyday polite
usage. Kin is a colloqauial form used between friends; to use it with a new
acquaintance woule be viewed as presumptuous and perhaps rude. Even father down
are several vulgarisms which are offensive except when used between male
intimates in informal situations. (In the written language it is important to
understand that words within sentences are not separated, punctuation is rare
and grammar can be complicated.)
The most unusual of Thailand's "four languages" is the royal language, rachasap.
Royalty uses special words for common actions and for parts of the body. This
special, formal language is a mixture of words of Khmer, Pali and Sanskrit
origin c omplemented by specially-coined Thai words. The
Khmer-derived words are the same as those commonly begin spoken throughout
Cambodia today.
Rachasap is usually reserved for formal and state occasions, most royalty making
use of standard Thai, slightly modified, for everyday conversation among
themselves.
In conventional spoken Thai, two or more words are often combined to form
literal descriptions of common objects. Thus, 'ice' is nam khaeng (solid water)
and 'match' is mai keet fai (stick/strike/fire). Although satisfactory for
common objects, this system is inadequate for coining new Thai words that can
accurately convey Western concepts or recent scientific terms. Accordingly, the
Royal Institute, a government body responsible for publishing the Thai
encyclopedia, employs its commitee of language experts to coin equivalent Thai
words by drawing upon Pali and Sanskrit sources.
As a consequence, Thailand keeps pace with international trends and scientific
developments, proof that, in one important respect, Thai is still a growing
language.