Center of Excellence in Southeast Asian Linguistics
Pittayawat Pittayaporn

Selected Publications

Information structure and changes in Moklen word-form

In this study, we investigate an apparent discourse-based alternation between monosyllabic and disyllabic word-forms in Moklen, an Austronesian language spoken in Thailand. We explore whether factors of information structure condition the variable elision of the first syllable of certain disyllabic lexemes. Data was obtained through the implementation of a picture-based field stimulus to elicit a range of lexical material within narrow discourse contexts. Our results reveal that no single information status category (e.g., “given” or “new”) accounted for use of monosyllabic alternants overall. Applying a “bottom-up” approach to the study of information structure (Matić, 2022; Ozerov, 2018), we propose a shift to “topics” — information conveyed as mutual knowledge (Masia, 2022) — as one possible account for the observed changes in Moklen word-form. More generally, our study shows how information structure processes have the potential to contribute to contextual alternation between monosyllabic and disyllabic word-forms, a matter with implications for broader historical changes in word-form.

Mān on the Referentiality Continuum in Thai

Pronouns are traditionally defined as a pro-form of an explicit antecedent. However, the pronoun mān in Thai sometimes occurs without any co-referring explicit nominal expression, leading previous studies to consider them as non-referential. This study argues that, despite the absence of an explicit antecedent, such instances of mān have implicit referents that are inferable from context. One thousand instances of mān functioning as subject or object from the Thai National Corpus were analyzed in a usage-based approach. They were categorized according to their referentiality using three criteria: explicitness of a nominal antecedent, concreteness of a antecedent, and inference of a referent. The analysis reveals that the referentiality of the pronoun mān is not dichotomous but instead lies on a continuum in which one end expresses semantic referentiality with an explicit antecedent with a higher level of referent concreteness, and the other expresses pragmatic referentiality with an implicit antecedent with a lower level of referent concreteness. Additionally, different types of referential expressions–verb phrases, clauses, and discourse–and ambiguous cases among them strongly support the notion of gradience of referentiality.

Genetic variability of 23 autosomal STRs in Austroasiatic-speaking populations from Thailand

Austroasiatic (AA) speakers constitute around 4% of the population of Thailand, while the majority (89.4%) speak Kra-Dai (KD) languages. Previous forensic and population genetic studies in various Thai populations have employed a limited number of short tandem repeats (STRs). This study aims to expand the investigation of the genetic makeup of AA populations in Thailand and their relationship to KD populations using a larger number of autosomal STRs with the VeriFiler™ Plus PCR Amplification Kit. We generated 593 new genotypes from AA-speaking groups and combined them with previously reported data from AA and KD groups. A total of 1,129 genotypes across 23 STR loci were used to construct the largest allelic frequency profile for Thai and Lao populations. However, several loci deviated from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, likely due to the reduced genetic diversity in some highland populations, which should be considered in forensic investigations. Beyond forensic applications, our findings reveal genetic differences between AA-speaking groups in Northern and Northeastern Thailand. The AA groups from Northeastern Thailand exhibit greater genetic homogeneity and diversity, likely due to population interactions. In contrast, reduced diversity and increased heterogeneity in AA groups from Northern Thailand are possibly driven by genetic drift and cultural and geographic isolation. In conclusion, we emphasize the usefulness of increasing the number of autosomal STRs in forensic and anthropological genetic studies. Additional Y-STR and X-STR data from various AA-speaking groups in Thailand would further enhance and strengthen forensic STR databases in the region.

A proposal for a Thai-based Moklen orthography

Moklen [mkm] is a severely endangered Austronesian language spoken by a sea-based population along the Andaman coast in the southern part of Thailand. As an initial attempt to document this language, we propose a Thai-based orthography of Moklen that not only captures all the phonemic distinctions but also considers the social, political, and cultural contexts of Moklen communities. The proposal is based on fieldwork data collected intermittently in Bangsak, Phang Nga Province, Thailand, between 2017 and 2021. Based on Smalley’s (1959) criteria of adequacy, the proposed orthography adopts a subset of consonant and vowel symbols, as well as major orthographic rules of the Thai [tha] script. Notably, it includes a tone mark that captures a tonal distinction confirmed by this study. Moreover, it is flexible enough to allow indication of sociolinguistic variations reported in previous studies. While a formal evaluation of the proposed orthography is still needed, guidelines recommended by UNESCO are also adopted to assess several sociocultural determinants that may influence the usability and acceptance of the proposed orthography. The proposed orthography is a promising tool for the documentation of the language and has potential to contribute to efforts to preserve the cultural heritage of the Moklen community.

Revisiting “aberrant” features in Saek: Contact-induced changes and its position within Tai

This study challenges the notion of Saek as an aberrant member of Tai by proposing that certain features previously considered archaic are, in fact, contact-induced innovations. Specifically, it argues that multiple correspondences involving /j-/ and the alleged split of the Proto-Tai *A1 tone can be traced back to Vietnamese and Lao or Thai influence. Additionally, this paper asserts that Saek is closely related to Fusui, a Northern Tai dialect spoken in southwestern Guangxi. This paper concludes that Saek is a Tai language with some unique retentions and traces of contact with neighboring languages.

On Becoming Mainland: Unraveling Malay Influence on Moklenic Languages

This study examines the impact of Malay on Moklenic dialects spoken by Moklen and Moken communities to uncover the historical contact setting between Proto-Moklenic and Malay. It shows that a significant portion of Proto-Moklenic vocabulary was borrowed from Malay, while aspiration and three-way vowel height contrasts arose from Malay influence. Sociolinguistic dynamics resulting from contact between Moklenic and Malay, as reflected in the contact-induced changes, indicate a long-lasting and closely intertwined, though asymmetrical, relationship, which suggests widespread bilingualism and openness towards the influence of Malay.

Leveraging deep learning to shed light on tones of an endangered language: A case study of Moklen

Moklen, a tonal Austronesian language spoken in Thailand, exhibits two tones with unbalanced distributions. We employed machine learning techniques for time-series classification to investigate its acoustic properties. Our analysis reveals that a synergy between pitch and vowel quality is crucial for tone distinction, as the model trained with these features achieved the highest accuracy.

An exploratory investigation of interactions between syllabic prominence, initial geminates, and phrasal boundaries in Pattani Malay

This study investigates interactions among relative syllabic prominence, initial geminates (IGs), and prosodic boundaries in Pattani Malay (PM) against a background of previous analyses claiming that IGs are moraic and trigger a ‘stress shift’ or the linking of a pitch accent to the initial syllable. We conducted an acoustic study with 14 PM speakers, producing singleton–IG minimal pairs in naturalistic sentences. Our results show that the presence of IGs is not associated with the hypothesized phonological changes. Instead, it is associated with moderate increases in the duration of initial syllables, the intensity of the initial syllable vowels, and the f0 of the initial and final syllable vowels. On the other hand, the presence of a phrase-final prosodic boundary correlates with more drastic changes: in phrase-final position, final syllables exhibit final lengthening and falling contours of f0 and intensity, while, in the phrase-medial position, no lengthening is observed and f0 contours are rising. Furthermore, the effects of IGs are strongest in the phrase-final position, suggesting interactions between IGs and prosodic boundaries. Taken together, results cast doubts on the claim that IGs are moraic and associated with categorical differences in syllabic prominence profiles in PM and show that IGs effects are modulated by prosodic boundaries.

A Preliminary Investigation of the Phonetic Characteristics of Moklen Tones

Moklen, an endangered Austronesian language in Southern Thailand, is important for studying tonogenesis. Previous research confirmed the presence of two lexical tones in Moklen, but their nature is unclear. This study analyzed the acoustic properties of Moklen tones. Eight native Moklen speakers participated, producing 93 mono- and disyllables with varied tones, onset voicing, vowel length, and coda classes. Acoustic measurements were obtained from the stressed final syllables, including f0, F1, F2, H1*-A3*, and CPP. Results showed that f0 is the primary phonetic cue for tonal contrast in Moklen, accompanied by the difference in vowel quality and phonation type. Specifically, Tone 1 is characterized by higher pitch and a lower and more front vowel with modal voice, while Tone 2 has a lower pitch and a higher, more back, and breathier vowel. These characteristics bear similarities to register distinctions observed in Austroasiatic languages of Southeast Asia, suggesting a possible transphonologization of laryngeal properties into prosodic ones in Moklen. However, the exact segmental sources of Moklen tones still remain an open question.