Decent Manner of Speaking in Thai Decorum (Sombut Phudee)

Abstract

This article involves to Philosophy and Ethics. The title is Thai Decorum (Sombut Phudee) in Moderate Postmodern Paradigm: An Analytic, Appreciative and Applicative Approach. This paper aims at analyzing good manner of speech, especially certain words used by the noble but seem impolite, such as “Hma (dog),” “Ku (I),” “Mung (you).” People who use these words are accused of being impolite because they are vulgar words. Good persons should use other polite words, such as “Sunakh (dog),” “Kraphm (I),” “Khun (you),” instead. However, using the words “Hma (dog),” “Ku (I),” “Mung (you)” or the words “Sunakh (dog),” “Kraphm (I),” “Khun (you),” will be considered, according to Thai Decorum, to be polite or not depends on the context of conversation. Also, it depends on the intention of the speaker, not the words themselves. If the speaker intents to depreciate human dignity of the other, any kinds of word can be impolite according to Thai Decorum. Therefore, intentions are more important than meanings attached to the words themselves. To speak politely requires good will for the speaker, rather than civilized words.