Grammatical Functions and Semantic Aspects of “Ɂan” In Sukhothai Period

Abstract

This paper focuses on studying and analyzing the grammatical functions and semantic aspects of the word "Ɂan” appeared in the Sukhothai period through data collection from inscriptions dated in Sukhothai period and from the Trai Phum Phra Ruang (or Traibhūmikathā) of Phya Lithai. The study found the grammatical functions of the word “Ɂan” used during the period in 7 roles as nouns, class terms, classifier, pronoun, relative clause marker, subordinate adverbial clause marker and topic marker. The word “Ɂan” referred to “thing” while it was used as noun, but it could not clearly indicate its definition when it was used as other functions. It is obviously that the word “Ɂan”, during the period, appeared as noun. Moreover, it shows a trace of the word “Ɂan” was developed from noun to classifier and, in the Sukhothai period, the word “Ɂan” mostly appeared as relative clause marker at 59.94 percent, as classifier at 16.58 percent, and scarcely as class terms at 0.08 percent, respectively.