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The study of cooking terms in the four Thai dialects is an ethnosemantic study. There are three purposes for this study: (1) to analyze the components and dimensions of contrast of the cooking terms in the four Thai dialects; (2) to compare cooking terms in the four Thai dialects; (3) to analyze Thai locals’ food culture reflected in cooking terms in the four Thai dialects. The research is limited to the study of only the food cooking verbs, excluding the making of desserts, snacks, beverages and alcoholic drinks. The terms being studied are divided into three steps: ingredient preparation; food making; and management after cooking. In this research, the researcher selects data collection points by considering dividing areas in the four regions, choosing one province per area, and then selecting three informants per each data collection point, making a total of 30 informants. Informants must have the following qualifications: must use such dialect as mother tongue; can be any gender; 45 years old or more; never move to other provinces for longer than three years; and have knowledge and expertise in making local food. The study found cooking terms in the four Thai dialects, divided into three cooking steps: the ingredient preparation step as follows: 119 terms in central Thai dialect; 110 terms in northern Thai dialect; 110 terms in northeastern Thai dialect; 123 terms in southern Thai dialect, the food making step as follows: 32 terms in central Thai dialect; 47 terms in northern Thai dialect; 39 terms in northeastern Thai dialect; 27 terms in southern Thai dialect, the management after cooking as follows: 7 terms in central Thai dialect; 7 terms in northern Thai dialect; 2 terms in northeastern Thai dialect; 2 terms in southern Thai dialect, making a total of 625 terms. The result of componential analysis shows that the ingredient preparation step can be separated into two types: preparing ingredients that have not gone through any process such as washing, chopping; and preparing ingredients by certain processes such as parboiling fish, boiling eggs, marinating fish. Ingredient preparation terms in the four Thai dialects contain four dimensions of contrast: preparing method’s dimension; utensil’s dimension; ingredient’s dimension; and power using’s dimension. Preparing ingredients by certain processes has three added dimensions: heat using’s dimension; ingredient doneness’ dimension; and dimension of duration of time. Preparing method’s dimension is the main dimension which exists as every term’s component while the other dimensions are not prominent in term classification, existing only when significant in meaning of that term, therefore, do not exist in every term. The food making step contains seven dimensions of contrast. The three main dimensions which exist in every term are food making method’s dimension, heat using’s dimension, and ingredient doneness’ dimension. Ingredient’s dimension, utensil’s dimension, and dimension of duration of time are dimensions of contrast that are not prominent in classifying meanings of cooking terms in the food making step, therefore, do not exist in every term.
In terms of folk taxonomy, it is found that there is a hierarchical relationship, thus terms of the same level have different meanings. Also, it is found that there are four levels of different level terms which have unity. These are: unique beginner level which is “prepare” in the ingredient preparation step, “make” in the food making step, and “manage” in the step after cooking; generic level; specific level; and varietal level. By studying the cooking terms in the four Thai dialects, it is found that there are homonyms, homographs, synonyms, and terms which appear to be used only in the locality. The cooking system of Thai people in the four regions consists of cooking steps starting from preparing, to making, and managing after cooking, all related to each others as a process. In analyzing food culture, it is found that cooking terms are related to heat using, and there are also cooking terms that are not related to heat using, a lot of which are found in the Northeast. Food flavors of Thai people in the four regions are different. The central Thai taste salty, spicy, sweet, and sour. The northern taste salty, slightly spicy, not familiar with sugary sweet, coconut milk, and oil, have pleasant scents from herbs and spices. The northeastern taste spicy, salty, have pleasant scents from savory vegetables. The southern taste spicy from chili and pepper, along with turmeric. The spiciness in southern food differs from the spiciness in the other region’s food. The central and southern frequently use coconut milk in cooking whereas the northern and northeastern do not usually use coconut milk in cooking. Moreover, curry pastes are important ingredients in cooking for every region. Ingredients that Thai people in the four regions use for cooking are those that can be found in the local. When having a lot of ingredients, Thai people in the four regions apply various methods of food preservation. |
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