Color Terms and Mountain Culture in Thailand: A Sociocultural Linguistics Perspective
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Abstract
This article presents a sociocultural linguistics study aimed at exploring the relationship between color terms and the social and cultural context of mountain communities. These communities exhibit non-basic color terms, which are conceptualized as extending beyond basic color categories to reflect ecological and cultural influences. The study employs a sociocultural linguistics perspective to examine how language interacts with the social and environmental contexts of the communities. A mixed-methods approach is used, with data on color terms collected through interviews with key informants in the Phu Khiao Mountain Range, specifically in Kaset Sombun district, Chaiyaphum province. The participants include four individuals (two females, two males) aged between 40 and 50. The research tool utilized is a set of standardized color sheets consisting of 93 colors. The research findings are presented in both quantitative and qualitative terms. The results indicate that the social and cultural traditions of communities in mountainous areas include non-basic color terms that are closely linked to the colors of plants and animals indigenous to the mountains. Additionally, these terms are influenced by the geography, environment, way of life, and culture of the community, as well as by their dependence on the mountains for their livelihoods. Consequently, non-basic color terms exhibit a dynamic relationship with the society and culture of the people residing in close proximity to the mountains and relying on them. However, it is noted that these terms for non-basic colors may undergo changes in the future if the cultural practices of the people no longer involve access to the mountains or if natural conditions change.
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