Creation and Language Power in Songs Written by Surachai Chanthimathorn

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to study creation and language power in the uses of eloquences in expressing figures of speech and reflections related to politic, society, and economy found in lyrics written by Surachai Chanthimathorn, a famous Thai artist. The data were collected from 48 songs of the artist composed in commercial music industry in 1982. The principles of eloquences in expressing figures of speech and reflections were used in data analysis. The results of the study were as follows. (1) Rhetorical figures of speech most found in the song lyrics were personification, apostrophe, and paradox respectively. (2) Comparative figures of speech most found in the song lyrics were hyperbole, simile, antonomasia, and allusion respectively. (3) Audio figures of speech could be categorized into 3 aspects including 1) alliterations found to have the characteristics of two letter alliteration, three alliteration, and 7 letter alliteration respectively, 2) assonances found to have more assonances in line than between lines, and 3) Onomatopoeia found to have only 4 uses. (4) Reflection most found in the song lyrics were the reflections of society, politic, and economy respectively. In conclusion, creation and language expression found in lyrics written by Surachai Chanthimathorn could indicate unique characteristics of the artist in terms of uses of eloquences in expressing figures of speech and reflections related to politic, society, and economy. These individual identities significantly affected preferences of mass audiences.