Abstract:
Previous studies show that the transition area between Central Thai and Southern Thai tends to move further south, and age is the social factor that clearly influences this phenomenon. This study investigates variation of the transition area between the two dialects based on age and two additional social factors - education and attitude. It is hypothesized that the transition area will be more northerly if the speaker is older, more educated, and has a positive attitude to speaking the Southern dialect. Twenty locations at about 10 kilometres interval are selected. The first and northernmost location is at Amphoe Thap Sakae, Prachuap Khiri Khan province and the last and southernmost is at Amphoe Lamae, Chumpon province. At each location the researcher interviewed thirty informants, ten from each of the three age groups - 10-20, 30-40, and 50-60 years old. The questionnaire contains twenty semantic units as well as five questions concerning attitude to Southern Thai. The informants are then grouped according to their education (0-6 years, and 7 years and over), and attitude (positive and negative attitude to Southern Thai). Two types of analysis are used: the percentage of Southern Thai and Central Thai usage at each location, and multiple regression analysis. The percentage of Southern Thai and Central Thai usage at each location shows that when only language use is considered the transition area extends over three locations in Amphoe Tha Sae and Amphoe Muang, Chumpon province. Variation of the transition area occurs when either age or attitude is included. The transition area in the 50-60 years old group is above that of the 30-40 years old group.The latter is located above that of the 10-20 years old. The transition area of the group with positive attitude to Southern Thai is above that of the group with negative attitude. However, the transition areas of the two groups with different education background are located at the same place. The transition areas of the different groups are located close to the two Amphoes mentioned above except that of the 10-20 years old, which lies much further south in Amphoe Sawee, Chumpon province. When multiple regression analysis is used, the transition area for just language use is located at a single place in Amphoe Muang. Age and attitude influence dialect usage whereas education does not. The analysis yields the location of all of the transition areas based on different age groups and attitude. The transition areas of the three age groups with positive attitude are located above those of the three age groups with negative attitude. It is always the case that the transition areas of the older groups are located over those of the younger groups. Both types of analysis show that the hypotheses concerning age and attitude are confirmed whereas the on concerning education is negated.