Official Romanization of Thai (Siamese)

THE transcription of Thai into Western alphabets is difficult not only because tone and aspiration are such marked features of language, but also because even in popular speech innumerable words are not pro? nounced as they are spelled, and in that of educated classes many words of Sanskrit and Pali origin are used. Moreover, many things have not names in Western sense, but honorific titles, and supposed names of some well-known places in Thailand are only parts of long titles selected for easy reference. The word ayuthia, for instance, occurs in full titles of both Ayuthia and Bangkok. Even terms which enter into formation of geo? graphical names share in this complication, 'mother of waters,' for instance, being written for 'river.' Numerous attempts to romanize Thai were made during nineteenth century (see O. Frankfurter, -J. Siam S. iii, Pt. 2, c. 1906, p. 52), and systems of Roman Catholic and American Missions were suc? cessful, though they lacked precision required for rendering of per? sonal and geographical names. The Royal Survey Department of Siamese Government developed a system of its own, while Court followed Hunterian system as used in Burma and India. That of Survey Depart? ment a real system, but it was not understood as it had never been explained. One had to learn three or four pages of explanation before one could pronounce a word of it. The results of Hunterian system did not accord with pronunciation of language, and Court had to make exceptions in rendering of personal names. Petithuguenin discerned a serious weakness of systems, in failure to reconcile hieratic with demotic practice, and in 1912 he proposed a dual system which would allow for Sanskrit and Pali elements of cultivated language and for phonetics of popular speech (J. Siam S. ix, Pt. 3, 1913, pp. 1-9). He based his literal transliteration on accepted romanization of Devanagari characters, while in his phonetic transliteration he tried to maintain continuity with early work of Pallegoix and Missions. King Vajiravudh was at that time developing a dual system for use in Court Circulars, and submitted his work to council of Siam Society for consideration (J. Siam S. ix, Pt. 4, 1913, pp. 1-10). The council thereupon appointed a committee to about various schemes and on the feasibility of adopting a system of romanization for publications of Siam Society. It may be noted that dual systems of Petithuguenin and King Vajiravudh anticipated 'broad' and 'narrow' transcriptions now con? sidered necessary by International Phonetic Association for adequate treatment of any language. The committee made a report and recommended a system in 1913 (J. Siam S. x, Pt. 4, 1914, pp. i~2i). The system was severely criticized by king (ibid., pp. 25-33), who raised fundamental objection to all sound-for-sound systems: importance of regional differences in pro? nunciation. He pointed out that Siam would need three transliteration

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