Abstract:
The research aimed to gather and investigate the riddles used by the Thai-Khmer ethnic group in Ban Thungwang Sub-district, Satuk District, Buriram Province, by examining their contents, structures, and values. The data were elicited from 30 informants in the field research and documents concerned, the results were presented in a descriptive analysis form.The study revealed that, there were 365 Thai-Khmer riddles which could be divided into 10 categories according to their contents. These categories were arranged from the greatest number to the least number as utensils, animals, languages, parts of body, nature, diet, games, religions, traditional customs, and others, respectively. Eighteen Thai-Khmer riddles are similar to thai riddles in their questions and answers, but, different in language used. There were three ways in asking the riddles i.e. direct way, indirect way, and intelligence test. The diction structures of the riddles were spoken language, ambiguous words, nonsense words, reduplicates, particles, adverbs of manner, and onomatopoeia.The figures of speech in the riddles consisted of simile, metaphor, paradox, and personification. Moreover, play upan words, like inverse combination, homophony, syllable clipping, and. interpretation, were found in the riddles. And also, four kinds of rhythmic unit and prosody of the riddles were evidenced in the study : one foot, two foots, three foots, and four foots, Finally, the riddles values were to entertain the riddles players, to reflect culture and tradition, to enhance the villagers appreciation in the importance of language, and to nurture the players.