Diglossia and identity in Northeast Thailand

Linguistic, social, and political hierarchy

Bibliographic Data

ID3610109
AuthorsSaowanee T Alexander (Ubon Ratchathani University Thailand and University of Leeds United Kingdom), Duncan Mccargo (0000-0002-4352-5734, Ubon Ratchathani University Thailand and University of Leeds United Kingdom)
Year2014
Volume18
Issue1
Pages60-86
Publication date2014-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Sociolinguistics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1360-6441 • E-ISSN: 1467-9841
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/josl.12064
OpenAlexW2101211756
LanguageEN
Citations received18
References cited26

The paper explores diglossic relations between Central Thai and phasa isan, a variety officially known as a dialect of Thai, but linguistically close to Lao. Phasa isan is spoken by almost one-third of Thailand's population but its speakers in the Northeast are often stigmatized as uneducated and backward. We conducted field research mainly among university students in Ubon Ratchathani, a northeastern border province, by drawing upon data from survey questionnaires, reflective essays, interviews, and field observations. The findings suggest a transitional diglossic relationship in which Central Thai is the High and phasa isan the Low variety. These relationships are discussed in terms of nationalism, social hierarchy, and language maintenance and shift

Diglossia · Field (mathematics · Geography · Hierarchy · Identity (music · Language shift · Linguistics · Neuroscience of multilingualism · Political science · Politics · Population · Sociolinguistics · Sociology · Variety (cybernetics · Linguistic Variation and Morphology · Multilingual Education and Policy · Southeast Asian Sociopolitical Studies · Demography · Gender Studies

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