Pronominal Reference in Standard Thai: Mirror of Interpersonal Relationships and Socio-Cultural perspective in Thai Society

Abstract

The paper entitled “Pronominal References in Standard Thai: Mirror of Interpersonal Relationships and Socio-Cultural Perspectives in Thai Society” mainly aims at illustrating the usage of Standard Thai’s pronominal references. The distinct uses of pronominal references include personal pronouns substituting for nouns denoting first, second, and third referents and also other nominal terms of address functioning the same way as personal pronouns, namely, kinship terms, status terms (title nouns), and personal names (given names and nicknames). This paper attempts to explain the interpersonal relationships between the five significant social classes of Thai people through the use of Standard Thai pronominal references. Furthermore, socio-cultural perspectives mirroring the true insights of Thai society are significantly and interestingly reflected in the analysis of how Thai people identify their social hierarchy and interpersonal relationships through these pronominal references.