Reflections on Violence against the Elderly as Appeared in the Thai Newspapers

Abstract

This research aimed to analyze the language strategies and representation of violence against the elderly which appeared in the Thai newspapers; Thairath and Khaosod from 2015 to 2016. The results revealed that the semantic strategies in representation against the elderly which appeared in the Thai newspapers was harsh expressions to address both the elderly men and women. Based on the characteristics of the expressions which had been found, it was revealed that criticism and insult to the elderly appeared in the elderly men more than those in the elderly women. Harsh expressions to address the elderly appeared in the forms of both a single word and a compound word. Meanwhile, words or phrases manifesting physical and psychological violence against the elderly men and women had been found. They had been demonstrated through both verbal and nonverbal strategies and appeared in the elderly men more than those in the elderly women. There were six types of representations of violence against the elderly which appeared in the Thai newspapers; 1) physical abuse, 2) psychological abuse, 3) material abuse or financial abuse, 4) violation right, 5) self-abuse and 6) neglect.