Conjunct Verbs and Verbs-in-Series in Thai (Serial Verbs, Compound Verbs)

Abstract

This dissertation deals with two general types of verb phrases in Thai: conjunct verbs and verbs-in-series. Conjunct verbs in Thai have received little attention in previous works; the classification and analysis of conjunct verbs in this study is, therefore, primary. I conclude that all conjunct verbs function like verbs and are most adequately treated at the lexical level.

In Thai, verbs-in-series appear as two different types of constructions: serial verbs and compound verbs. Serial verb sequences can have any of the following interpretations: sequential, purposive, unordered, and simultaneous. A preferred interpretation is determined by considering the semantic information and the speech context. The shared subject constraint holds in all cases of serial verbs in Thai.

I present a classification of compound verbs in Thai. Four types of these verbs--directional compound verbs, culminative compound verbs, modal compound verbs, and aspectual compound verbs--are analyzed.