Verbs of Caused-Separation in Thai and Khmer: Lexical Semantics and Language Convergence in Mainland Southeast Asia

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the question of whether and to what extent language convergence within a linguistic area may extend into the domain of lexical semantics. To investigate this question, it examines similarities and differences among verbs of separation in Thai and Khmer – two genealogically unrelated languages that both fall within the Mainland Southeast Asian (MSEA) linguistic area. Descriptions of caused separation events were first elicited from native speakers of the languages. Cluster analyses (Jaccard’s index and average linkage) were performed to determine the domain’s categorisation—together with analyses of the verb distributional patterns. A comparison was made to uncover (dis)similarity in semantic categorisation and provide input for discussion on areal semantics. The findings reveal that Thai and Khmer are both parallel and different from each other at the lexical semantic level. The two languages have comparable but not identical numbers of semantic categories. Also, in their organisation of caused-separation events, Thai and Khmer are sometimes similar and sometimes different. The groupings present cross-linguistic trends (cf. Majid et al., 2004, 2008), parallel distinctions not widely reported in the cross-linguistic research, and language-specific differentiation. Further, parallelism specific to Thai and Khmer is evaluated as evidence of area-specific convergence, thus enhancing MSEA’s status as a linguistic area at the lexical semantic level. To assess the evidence of convergence, a method of triangulation with languages outside the immediate area is utilised. The study opens the way for further research regarding general context and specific mechanisms associated with patterns of Thai-Khmer semantic convergence.