Journal of Language and Culture

Cognitive semantic extensions of แม่ (mɛ̂ɛ, ‘mother’) compounds in Thai: A corpus-based analysis of conceptual metaphor, cultural schemas, and prototype effects

2026-03-15T08:43:27+07:00

This study examines the semantic extensions of the Thai kinship term แม่ (mɛ̂ɛ, ‘mother’) through a corpus-based cognitive semantic approach. Drawing on data from the Thai National Corpus (TNC), the analysis identifies 41 compounds in which mɛ̂ɛ functions as the initial morpheme, spanning domains of kinship, domesticity, economy, authority, origin, spirituality, and pragmatics. The findings reveal a radial category structure organized around the prototypical sense of ‘biological mother,’ with extensions motivated by conceptual metaphors (MOTHER AS SOURCE, MOTHER AS PROTECTOR, MOTHER AS AUTHORITY) and metonymic mappings (MOTHER FOR HOUSEHOLD MANAGER, MOTHER FOR MARKET VENDOR). Frequency data bear out prototype effects: high-frequency compounds such as แม่น้ำ (mɛ̂ɛ-náam, ‘river,’ 3,803 tokens) and แม่บ้าน (mɛ̂ɛ-bâan, ‘housewife,’ 956 tokens) form secondary prototypes, while low-frequency but culturally salient compounds such as แม่ย่านาง (mɛ̂ɛ-yâa-naaŋ, ‘vehicle guardian’) reveal distinctively Thai elaborations rooted in animist traditions. The study contributes to cognitive semantic theory by demonstrating how universal metaphorical structures interact with culture-specific schemas, and to Thai linguistics by identifying mɛ̂ɛ as a cultural keyword encoding Thai conceptualizations of gender, authority, morality, and the sacred.

Aesthetics of awkwardness in romance

2025-10-26T09:20:40+07:00

This paper investigates awkward moments in two films and a novel which feature the reunited lovers trope: Before Sunset, Past Lives, and Call Me by Your Name. Whilst it is commonly regarded as a negative affective force owing to its association with unease, embarrassment, and alienation, I argue that awkwardness can be aestheticized and employed in romance to highlight honesty, intimacy, and raw emotions between characters. For this reason, despite its distancing effect, awkwardness can also invite emotional involvement from the audience and even effect catharsis in the narratives. The discussion this research article offers is best described as postcritical, an approach posited by Rita Felski, who seeks to diversify the hermeneutic frameworks whereby one can academically study artistic materials. With this framework, my examination of the selected texts does not seek to critique the texts. Rather, the article adopts a descriptive approach in order to disentangle and articulate the aesthetic experience that art can create for its audience.

Roles of Muslim museums in conserving the cultural heritage of Makkah: A case study of the Al-Amoudi museum

2026-04-01T07:24:59+07:00

This study examines the role of Muslim museums in preserving Makkah’s cultural heritage through a case study of the Al‑Amoudi Museum, which displays objects and knowledge of traditional local lifeways. Using a qualitative approach documentary research and content analysis of academic sources, international reports, public materials, and on‑site interviews in Makkah the research finds that Al‑Amoudi functions as a site of collective memory and a mechanism for sustaining the identity of Makkah’s Muslim community. Its displays (tools, clothing, household items, historical documents) reflect everyday life, link past and present, and raise awareness of cultural heritage among residents and pilgrims. The museum also serves educational and cross‑cultural communication roles through lectures and programs that convey local history and promote understanding of Makkah’s religious, social, and economic diversity. It supports conservation activities such as object restoration. The study concludes that cultural heritage is a social process tied to identity and memory, and recommends cooperation among government, private actors, and local communities to strengthen the museum’s role as a sustainable cultural resource supporting Makkah’s identity long term.