Ethnosmantic: Studying Language to Access the Cognitive Systems of Ethnic Groups and Observations on Componential Analysis, Semantic Categorization, and Folk Taxonomic Methods from Research on Kinship Terms, Color Terms, Surname Naming, and Toponyms in th

Abstract

Ethnosemantics, a study of language and meaning, aims to understand the cognitive or cultural systems of any given community or group. As a particular language often contains embedded ideologies within its vocabulary, this article presents three main points: 1) the meaning, origins, and principles of ethnosemantics, 2) semantic componential analyses, categorization, and folk taxonomy, and 3) insights gained from analyzing language structures in research conducted in the Thai language, which applies the concept of ethnosemantics. From the presentation of these points, it is evident that the study of ethnosemantics relies on three crucial principles: semantic componential analyses, categorization, and folk taxonomy. The utilization of these principles has led to research interest in the study of the  Thai language, covering kinship terms, color terms, naming traditions, and the etymology of place names in Thai languages and ethnic groups. As a result, this research has provided observations on effective methods for analyzing language data, including semantic componential analysis, meaning analysis, categorization of meanings, and pattern and structure analysis.