The analysis and comparison of errors in using Chinese words that have common meanings as the word ‘approximately’ (ประมาณ) in Thai language a Study Case of Phetchaburi Rajabhat University

Abstract

This research entitled “Analysis and Comparison of Errors in the Use of Chinese Words with Meanings of Estimate in Thai” aimed to 1.) analyze the characteristics of using adverbs showing intonation 语气副词 (Yǔqì fùcí) meaning “approximately” in Chinese for 3rd-year students, Department of Chinese Language, Phetchaburi Rajabhat University and 2. ) compare the adverbs which means "about" in Thai and Chinese, the sample group of this research was 3rd-year students, Department of Chinese Language, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Phetchaburi Rajabhat University, Academic Year 1/2020. The sample group consisted of 22 people. The research tool was a test of the use of words in Chinese that have a common meaning as the word "about" in Thai.

The analysis of errors in the usage of Chinese words “大概(dàgài)、左右(zuǒyòu)、前后(qiánhòu)、大约（dàyuē）and 差不多(chàbùduō)” which literally means "about" in Thai showed that the samples used the adverb which pronounced 语气副词 (Yǔqì fùcí) meaning "approximately" in Chinese correctly 210 times, representing 47.73% of the sample and using the adverb which pronounced语气副词 (Yǔqì fùcí)  meaning "approximately" in Chinese incorrectly 257 times, representing 58.41% of the sample, when compared with Thai, it can have 4 meanings: “โดยประมาณ” which means approximately, “ประมาณ” which also means approximately, “ราวๆ” which means around and “เกือบ” which means almost. When comparing with Chinese,  It has two meanings, “大概(dàgài)and 大约（dàyuē）”, which is a form of 一对多 (yīduìduō). Therefore it often affects foreign language misuse. The most common misuse was the misunderstanding of the Mandarin grammar of “大概(dàgài)、左右(zuǒyòu)、前后(qiánhòu) 、大约（dàyuē）and 差不多(chàbùduō)”resulted in the incorrect selection, so learning Mandarin Chinese grammar will help to avoid such mistakes.