[Tlc] Indigenous Tai lexicography

Tue Jun 10 00:48:19 PDT 2008

Dear Jon,
I suggest that you also post this to lists that focus on Southeast Asian
linguistics and lexicography such as sealang-l asialex etc. See info below.
I will post your query to sealang-l list, but in order to follow discussion
within the list, I suggest that you subscribe to the list.

There's also an Asian Lexicopgraphy organization. www.asialex.org    that
organizes conferences every 2 years. the upcoming conference will be in Dec
2009in BKK.

Another source is to contact Thai universities that do research in this
area, such as Dept. of Linguistics at Chula, Mahidol's Institute of Language
and Culture for Rural Development, Linguistics/Thai/Anthropology/Sociology
Depts. at Chiangmai University and Payap Univerity/SIL.

==================================================

*What*   SeaLex is an informal association of researchers and developers
interested in Southeast Asian lexicography.  SeaLex encourages:

   - developing dictionaries related to SEA languages of all kinds:  modern
   and historical, majority and minority.
   - making lexicographic resources, including dictionaries, text corpora,
   and sound files, available on-line for reference and reuse.
   - contributing relevant reference books, journals, conference reports,
   and theses to libraries *within Southeast Asia*.

*Why*   Many SEA languages share etymological influences and typological
features; moreover, the Indic-derived writing systems found across Burma,
Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia pose common technical difficulties.  Yet there
is little or no regional cooperation in SEA lexicography, nor are SEA issues
raised within other Asian lexicography groups.  Even some dictionaries of
SEA languages may be difficult or impossible to find within SEA itself.

   SeaLex provides an opportunity for researchers interested in SEA
lexicography to raise issues before an international discussion group of SEA
scholars.  It acts as a focal point for announcements and discussion of
projects, tools, and standards.  Finally, SeaLex provides a conduit for
seeking assistance and support.

*Who*   Anybody can join SeaLex discussions, or propose new directions for
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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2008 13:19:39 +0700
From: "Fernquest Jon" <fernquestj at Bangkokpost.co.th>
Subject: [Tlc]  Indigenous Tai lexicography
To: <tlc at lists.ucr.edu>
Message-ID:
       < 93D86A713BB9264B82351E61ED38C33F018A4BA9 at mail.Bangkokpost.co.th>
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To: tlc at lists.ucr.edu
Re: [Tlc] Indigenous Tai lexicography

Dear List Members;

I'm doing research on indigenous Southeast Asian lexicography (and also any
meta-discourse like text reflecting on the usage of words in texts).

Looking for any scholarly work that has been done on indigenous Thai or Tai
lexicography published in either a western language or Thai.

I wonder whether there were pre-western indigenous Tai language word lists
with dictionary-like features, whether there are any manuscripts that
contain such texts in central or northern Thai, and whether they have made
their way into published book form.

In Burmese there is the "that-bon kyan" or spelling book genre, that simply
lists all possible words in a particular sort order (see Okell, 1968). (The
emergence of this genre led eventually to increased uniformity of spelling
in indigenous texts, and also probably to a decrease in ambiguity.)

And in Pali there are pre-western indigenous dictionaries, essentially word
lists with dictionary-like features like: 1. grouping words by synonym, and
2. by meaning in a thesaurus-like way. For example, all words for "river"
grouped together, and all words for natural phenomena like "river,"
"mountain," etc grouped together. Cone (1996) discusses these dictionaries
and (Elizarenkova and Toporov, 1976) has a couple of pages organising words
in this fashion.

Pali Nissaya

Another indigenous textual genre performs a function similar to a
dictionary, namely Pali nissaya translations, pali interleaved with
translation to indigenous language. (See Okell, 1967, and Pruitt, 1994)

I believe that some of the people on this list have done research in this
area for Tai languages.

Also interested if any nissaya translations exist in published book form in
Thai, perhaps in cremation volumes? Nissaya translations were published
several times in book form in Burma during the colonial era. (See
bibliography in Stewart and Dunn, 1940)

In Skilling's two bibliographies of Pali literature in Thailand, there are
two sections devoted to "Nama-sapda" manuscripts which seem to be nissaya
translations (see Skilling and Santi Pakdeekham, 2004).
Also interested in work on Tai etymology done by Thai scholars. I noticed
that mention was made of works on Thai etymology recently by Thai language
scholar Dr Anan Laoloetworakun at Chulalongkorn.

Sorry, for perhaps providing too much detail in this posting.

Part of the purpose of this post is to stimulate discussion if anyone is
interested. The early history and origins of the written Burmese language
and texts, is a research interest, and comparison with neighboring textual
traditions seems like one way to gain insight.

Sincerely,

Jon Fernquest
Bangkok Post, Educational Services
http://readbangkokpost.com/

References

Cone, Margaret (1996) "The I.B. Horner Memorial Lecture 1995: Lexicography,
Pali and Pali Lexicography," Journal of the Pali Text Society, Vol. XXII,
Journal 1996.

Elizarenkova, T.Y. and V.N. Toporov  (1976) The Pali language, Nauka Pub.
House, Moscow.

Okell, John (1967) "Nissaya Burmese," Journal of the Burma Research Society,
vol. 50.

Okell, John (1968) "Alphabetical order in Burmese," Journal of the Burma
Research Society, vol. 51.

Pruitt, William  (1994) Etude linguistique de nissaya birmans : traduction
commentee de textes bouddhiques, Paris : Presses de l'Ecole francaise
d'Extreme-Orient.

Skilling, Peter and Santi Pakdeekham (2004) Pali and vernacular literature
transmitted in Central and Northern Siam, Bangkok : Fragile Palm Leaves
Foundation.

Stewart, J.A. and C. W. Dunn (1940-) A Burmese-English dictionary, published
under the auspices of the University of Rangoon, School of Oriental and
African Studies, University of London.
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