Cooking Terms in Patani Malay: An Ethnosemantic Study
Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to analyze the meanings of Patani Malay cooking terms in three provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat in the southern part of Thailand. The researchers applied the theoretical framework of the componential analysis proposed by Katz and Fodor (1963); Leech (1974); and Nida (1979) to analyze dimensions of contrast and semantic components of the cooking terms used in those three provinces in order to reveal the food culture of Patani Malay people. The data were collected from the Patani Malay dictionaries, cook books of southern Thai food and informant interviews. Nineteen cooking terms were found in Patani Malay. There are five dimensions of contrast which are PURPOSE, HEAT, TIME, EQUIPMENT and MAIN INGREDIENTS. Each of these dimensions entails the significant semantic features which distinguish one cooking term from others. The study reveals ways of cooking and food culture of Patani Malay people; namely, most Patani Malay food are cooked by heat, Patani Malay people prefer dried food and soup to greasy and oily food. In addition, the cooking terms showed that they strictly obey and follow the Islamic laws. Most ingredients, especially spices, reflected that their food culture is influenced by other countries such as India, China, and Indonesia.
KEYWORDS
Componential analysis, Cooking terms, Food culture, Patani Malay