Research on Naming diseases in Tai Yo : Takhlor, KeangKoi, Saraburi Province

Abstract

This research intends to study naming disease mechanism which appears in Tai Yo . The results show 57 diseases have been given names in Tai Yo with two major mechanisms; Direct naming and Metaphorical naming.
Begin with Direct naming mechanism accounts for 35 diseases, these names have furthur divided into 2 groups according to prefix the first syllable of each disease. First catagory, 26 diseases excibit the first syllables stand for diseases’ symtom while other 9 diseases demonstrate the first syllables with body parts of which symtom occurs. The second mechanism, Metaphorical naming has combined 22 diseases together which could be divided into 9 bundles. Hereafter, bundle of 3 diseases are called by natural metaphor, 3 diseases were methaphorically named after animals or animals parts and 4 diseases were named after things or consuming products. Meanwhile, a disease was named after a plant and another one named after an occupation, bundle of 2 diseases were named after a location as well as a group of only one diseases was named after a kind of ghost. Follow by 2 diseases were metaphorically named after its symtoms or characteristic of body parts which symtoms occur and final bundle of filthiness metaphor names represent 5 diseases.