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โครงการพัฒนาหนังสืออิเล็กทรอนิกส์เฉลิมพระเกียรติ สมเด็จพระเทพรัตนราชสุดา ฯ สยามบรมราชกุมารี

- intestine - [t*nÖ] ‘ทอ(ลําไส)’ (SASS)

- abscess
- [huºap] ‘หัว’ (SASS)

- small bell - [lu@Ök] ‘ลูก’ (SASS)

- film (role)
- [mupan] ‘มวน’ (SASS)

- jackfruit seed - [mept] ‘เม็ด’ (SASS)

Table 2 A comparison between Thai Sign Language Classifiers and corresponding Thai
classifiers and the referent nouns

Finally, semantically, most Thai SL classifiers cover a different set of referent nouns when
compared with the corresponding Thai ones. Even an SASS classifier handshape, with its
wide scope of referent nouns, many of its referent nouns bear no physical resemblance to the
handshape - this argues for arbitrariness. Moreover, when the entire hand configuration is
considered where handshape is just a component of its parts, the classifiers are more arbitrary
than iconic since hand movement is arbitrary. In all, Thai SL classifier system cannot be said
to be less arbitrary or less complex than that of spoken Thai. On the contrary, taken all these
into consideration, Thai SL classifiers may be said to be as complex and arbitrary if not more
than the Thai ones. Age-wise, Thai SL is much younger than spoken Thai, the difference
between the two is no less than half a millennium.

Acknowledgements:
This paper is a part of the Thai Sign Language Online Dictionary project funded by Kasetsart
University Research and Development Institute grant number อ.ช. 4-50 and iGroup Press. The
video clips for Thai Sign Language are available for viewing at
http://pirun.ku.ac.th/~fhumalt/THSL/THSL/THSLindex.html.

References:

AIKHENVAL, Alexandra Y. 2003. Classifiers: A Typology of Noun Categorization Devices. New
York: Oxford University.

ALLAN, K. 1977. Classifiers. Language, vol. 53, pp.285-311.

ARONOFF, Mark, MEIR, Irit , PADDEN, Carol, and SANDLER,Wendy. 2003. Classifier
Constructions and Morphology in Two Sigh Languages. In EMMOREY, Karen, ed. 2003.
Perspectives on Classifier constructions in sign languages. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, pp. 53-
84.

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