Abstract:
This study is aimed at investigating the patterns and the core meanings of the three analytic causative constructions in Thai; namely, the tham, the haj and the thamhaj constructions. The data used is from a corpus of modern Thai language. The study reveals that the tham construction has one pattern corresponding to one type of nature of causation. Its constructional core meanings involve (1) active causation (2) direct causation and (3) unintended causation. The tham construction has another one which is slightly deviant from the main pattern, but bears the similarity to the main pattern in constructional core meanings. As for the haj construction, it has five patterns corresponding to five types of nature of causation and the first four patterns convey the constructional core meanings which involve (1) inactive causation (2) indirect causation and (3) intended causation. As for the fifth pattern, although its constructional core meanings are distinct from the other four patterns, it slightly bears the similarity to the other patterns in that it shares similar structure and also conveys a causative sense. Thus, it is considered the case of a limited extension of the haj constructional meaning. For the thamhaj construction, it has one pattern corresponding to one type of nature of causation. Its constructional core meanings involve (1) active causation (2) neutrality in direct causation and (3) neutrality in intended causation. The thamhaj construction should therefore be considered another analytic causative construction in Thai as it has a distinctive pattern with distinctive constructional core meanings. Besides demonstrating the patterns and the semantics of the analytic causative constructions in Thai, this study helps understand the nature of construction as well. It is found that (1) the constructional core meaning corresponds to its pattern; that is, the constructional core meaning restricts the semantic properties of components of the construction; while, a difference in pattern causes a difference in meaning and, (2) the constructions are probably associated with a set of closely related senses called the constructional polysemy. However, some senses of patterns are hard to be put on a par with others. These are considered marginal cases. Ideas on the nature of construction mentioned above support the Construction Grammar Framework, which is within the Cognitive Paradigm.