Abstract:
This research is a diachronic study of discourse connectors in Thai. The discourse connectors elicited from published documents dated from the Sukhothai period to the present are examined in terms of their function, structure, as well as meaning. It is found that discourse connectors in Thai can be classified according to their functions into two types-the micro and the macro level connectors. The micro level connectors are then subcategorized according to their meaning into 13 subtypes: contrastive, conditional, conjecture, alternative, additive, temporal, causal, purposive and resulative, comparative, exemplificatory, restatement, conclusion and enablement. The macro level, on the other hand, are divided into 6 types: transitional, additive, elaboration, conclusive, causal, and adversative. The sample document of the Sukhothai period can be devided into two types of discourse : narrative and procedural. Fifty connectors are found in the document. These 50 connectors are of eleven types of the micro level and two types of the macro level of the cohesion. The micro level connectors are of the contrastive, conditional, conjecture, additive, temporal, causal, purposive and resulative, comparative, exemplificatory, restatement and enablement types. The macro connectors describe transition and elaboration. The sample document of the Ayudhya period belongs to four types of discourse : narrative, procedural, hortatory, and expository. There are 90 connectors found in the document. These 90 connectors are of twelve types of micro level and two types of macro level. The micro level types are contrastive, conditional, conjecture, alternative, additive, temporal, causal, purposive and resultative, comparative, exemplificatory, restatement, and enablement ; whereas the two types at the macro level are elabloration and causal. The sample document of the Ratanakosin period belongs to four types of discourse : narrative, procedural, hortatory, and expository. There are 198 connectors found in the documents. These 198 connectors are of 13 types at the micro level and 6 types at the macro level. The micro level connectors are contrastive, conditional, conjecture, alternative, additive, temporal, causal, purposive and resulative, comparative, exemplificatory, restatement, conclusion and enablement while the macro level connectors are transitional, additive, elaboration, conclusive, causal and adversative. The development of the connectors in terms of number, form, function, as well as meaning are also analysed. The study reveals that the change in term of number and form are the most apparent. This is due to the fact these connectors are needed to express attitude and opinions. The change in terms of meaning, on the other hand, is not significant. It is found that only six reveal semantic changes. Nevertheless, the number of connectors of almost every semantic type became larger.