This thesis describes the linguistic innovations of pronominal self-reference and particle usage of cisgender women and third-gender (transgender, non-binary) speakers in Thailand, using Thai talk...Show moreThis thesis describes the linguistic innovations of pronominal self-reference and particle usage of cisgender women and third-gender (transgender, non-binary) speakers in Thailand, using Thai talk shows and series as a source of data. The study finds that both groups of speakers innovate self-reference strategies and index their gender/sexual identities through gender-neutral pronouns, zero anaphora, kinship terms, nicknames and the frequent use or avoidance of feminine forms. Additionally, the study looks into how other people refer to women and third-gender persons in a discursive context.First, this paper begins with an introduction to the relevant theoretical framework regarding language, gender/sexuality, and identity. Following that is background information concerning the current reconceptualizations of gender/sexual identities in Thailand. Next, the traditional Thai pronominal reference strategies and gendered status particles are introduced, followed by the case study about the pronominal self-reference strategies and other particle choices made by cisgendered women, transgender women, and non-binary persons in Thai talk shows and series. I conclude with a discussion of these innovative linguistic practices in the context of changing gender roles in Thailand, and of how speakers use these features to establish new gender identities in day-to-day interaction.Show less
Bodhgaya is situated in the state of Bihar in India and is known as the place where the Buddha became awakened while sitting under a Bodhi tree, which is marked by the diamond seat (Sanskrit:...Show moreBodhgaya is situated in the state of Bihar in India and is known as the place where the Buddha became awakened while sitting under a Bodhi tree, which is marked by the diamond seat (Sanskrit: vajrasana). The holy site developed in recent times from a small village to one of the most important places of Buddhist pilgrimage on an international scale. For this research I focus on how Bodhgaya, as a lieu de mémoire, became a global village, and show how the visual culture of three foreign temples from Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand visually express on the one hand their relationship with the site as a place of memory, and on the other hand their relationship with their home country.Show less
