THAI PEOPLE’S USE OF ENGLISH WORDS IN THE THAI LANGUAGE

Abstract

Research on Thai People’s Use of English Words in the Thai language aimed to investigate motivating factors in using English words in Thai, particularly an emphasis on existing English lexicons and different communication scenarios. The study examined whether speakers adopt English terms instead of Thai terminology or equivalents. Data was collected from 200 participants holding bachelor’s degrees or higher. The research findings revealed the hierarchy of reasons why Thai people integrate English terms into the Thai language, ranked from highest to lowest percentage as follows: Pronunciation convenience, accounts for 60 percent. Unfamiliarity with Thai alternatives, accounts for 26 percent. Awareness of Thai words but opting for English due to ease of recall, accounts for 11 percent. Lastly, the least prevalent reason was the specificity of vocabulary, making up 3 percent. The utilization of English words over Thai words is common among Thai speakers across all proficiency levels, driven by convenience, clarity, and effective communication to accomplish objectives.