Analysis of Vocabulary and Language Compilation in Ancient Textbooks of Nakhon Phanom National Library in Honor of Her Majesty the Queen

Abstract

This article aims: 1) to analyze knowledge and categorize information from ancient textbooks of Nakhon Phanom National Library in Honor of Her Majesty the Queen and 2) to translate the original document, which is an ancient dialect, into words in the present Central Thai language that people from all regions can read and understand. It is analyzed by collecting data from ancient vocabulary textbooks of Nakhon Phanom National Library. Then, researchers interview key informants to check the vocabulary and content. The study found that the knowledge and vocabulary category from ancient textbooks was able to collect 130 names of diseases or symptoms of diseases which could be classified into 15 groups: 1) the heart circulatory system, blood and lymph, 2) the respiratory system, 3) the gastrointestinal tract and excretion, 4) the urinary system, 5) the skin system, 6) the musculoskeletal and tendons system 7) the nervous system emotional state and behavior, 8) deterioration of the body,  9) parasites and infections, 10) the eye, 11) the ear, nose and throat, 12) the oral cavity, 12) the oral cavity, complications in pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period and 15) injury and poisoning. The main method of treating diseases was found to be through herbal remedies, with records of 25 methods of concocting medicines or preparing herbal medicines and 20 methods of using drugs. The names of herbs and other ingredients in the drugs include 308 names of plants, 43 animal items, and 7 mineral items. The ancient textbooks were found to contain other wisdom concerning healing in the field of pharmaceuticals and drug use, the use of herbs, and wisdom about language.