A semantic analysis of verb serialization in Cantonese and Thai

Abstract

This thesis compares the use of serial verbs in Cantonese and Thai. Verb serialization, simply defined as a string of two or more verb phrases without an overt coordinate marker, has been studied extensively in these two languages. However, a common platform to compare these two languages is lacking in the research. This study therefore aims to minimize the research gap. The study also aims to establish how functional meaning is added through grammaticalization, since serial verb constructions are often precursors to the grammaticalization of functional morphemes. The research was based on the use of stimuli and parallel texts i.e. The Pear Film. Three native speakers of each language were asked to watch the film, then to recount it based on their recollections. The findings show that there are significant similarities between Cantonese and Thai, and scholars have proposed that this is due to areal influence. The scope of this study was narrowed down to the elicitation of data, without any corpus analysis. Future research could include this, which will provide a more comprehensive and well-rounded comparison of verb serialization in these two languages.