An Analysis of the Structure and the Origin of the Spirit Terms in Lanna Language

Abstract

The objectives of this research are to analyze the structure, the origin of the spirit terms in Lanna Language. Collecting the spirit terms in Lanna Language from thesis and books between 1996 and 2018, as well as the data from the questionnaire of the Ministry of Culture and interviewing people who are domiciled in 8 northern provinces. The result found that the structure of the spirit terms in Lanna Language is 2-5 words combined to compose the spirit terms which has the relationship between head and modifiers. It can be divided into 4 groups which are 2 compound words of the spirit terms, 3 compound words of the spirit terms, 4 compound words of the spirit terms, and 5 compound words the spirit terms. The result also shows that the structure of the 2 compound words of the spirit terms is the most found and the 4 compound words and 5 compound words of the spirit terms is the least found. In addition, there are 15 categories of the origin of the spirit terms. It can be divided into 2 groups which are 1 origin of the spirit terms and 2 origins of the spirit terms, respectively.