Language and Cultural Co-characteristic Existing in Thai Folktales with Lao People’s Democratic Republic Folktales

Abstract

      The objective of study was to compare the language and cultural co-characteristics existing in folktales of Nakhon Ratchasima Province of Thailand and those of Vientiane and Xaignabouli Provinces of Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The samples consisted of 155 Thai and 126 Lao folktales obtained by interviewing folktale tellers.

The research findings were as follows. The Thai and Lao folktales could be classified into 11 categories. Regarding language and cultural co-characteristics, they could be classified into three ethnic identities, namely, 1) behavior, 2) architecture, and 3) music, sports and local playing while co-language characteristics were found, namely, 1) word usage, 2) word repetition, 3) use of English words, and 4) idioms. Culturally, 14 co-characteristics were found, namely, 1) habitat settlement. 2) government, 3) education, 4) family system, 5) way of life, 6) occupation, 7) self-conduct, 8) value judgment, 9) religion, 10) beliefs, 11) rituals and traditions, 12) public health, 13) transportation, and 14) wisdom of the tellers.

Moreover, the majority of the Thai and Lao folktales had similar plots even though some differences existed after people moved from their origins. Nevertheless, the folktales still reflected various social aspects.