On the Binding Preference for Thai Reflexives: The Role of Morphology, Syntax, and Pragmatics

Abstract

Thai reflexives have two forms: a bare form tuaʔeŋ ‘self’ and a compound form tuakhǎwʔeŋ ‘himself, herself’. They can be bound by either local or long-distance antecedents. This study investigates the extent to which morphological forms of reflexives, locality constraint and pragmatic factors determine the selection of antecedents for Thai reflexives. Results from a binary forced-choice judgment task show that contextual information is a crucial factor guiding the selection. When contextual information is insufficiently available (i.e., unbiased/neutral), locality constraints are likely to be obeyed. The form of reflexives, bare or compound, does not seem to influence the binding option of Thai reflexives, except in the long-distance biased context where the compound form tuakhǎwʔeŋ is preferred. This study complements previous studies on Thai reflexives by addressing the role of contexts on the binding options for various forms of reflexives.

Keywords

• anaphora
• morphological form
• syntax
• pragmatic context