This study aims to examine the grammaticalization of Thai Serial Verb Constructions (SVCs) through a contrastive analysis with their Korean counterparts. Thai SVCs are classified into nine structural types: (1) Motion– Path SVCs, (2) Purposive / Re...
This study aims to examine the grammaticalization of Thai Serial Verb Constructions (SVCs) through a contrastive analysis with their Korean counterparts. Thai SVCs are classified into nine structural types: (1) Motion– Path SVCs, (2) Purposive / Resultative SVCs, (3) Simultaneous SVCs, (4) Beneficiary SVCs, (5) Manner SVCs, (6) Attitude / Modal SVCs, (7) Perception SVCs, (8) Aspectual SVCs, and (9) Comparative / Equative SVCs. For each type, the study compares the corresponding Korean expressions. The analysis reveals three major patterns: cases in which the verb order of Thai SVCs is preserved in Korean, cases in which the order is reversed, and cases in which certain verbs are omitted in the Korean equivalents. Among these, the third pattern is particularly noteworthy, as it provides insight into the grammaticalization of Thai SVCs. For example, when the first verb (V1) in instrument-related constructions corresponds to the Korean instrumental marker (eu)ro -(으)로, or when the second verb (V2) in comparative/equative SVCs corresponds to Korean comparative markers such as cheoreom ‘처럼’ or mankeum ‘만큼’, the lexical semantics of Thai verbs appear to weaken while their functional roles become more prominent. These patterns suggest ongoing grammaticalization in Thai serial verb constructions.