Inscriptions from Northern Thailand in Dhamma Script (16th - 18th c. AD)

This project goes along with my dissertation on stone inscriptions of northern Thailand at the Humboldt-University of Berlin (Supervisor: Prof. Christian Bauer, PhD). This project is a both chronological and typological follow-up to the dissertation. The region of present-day northern Thailand has had an eventful and interesting history. To understand the history and culture of today's Thailand and neighbouring regions, an accurate knowledge of the history of northern Thailand is essential. The exploration and study of language and writing of this region is an area of research which may provide the basis for many other areas of history and social sciences. Northern Thailand has a very comprehensive, very well preserved and documented written culture. Stone inscriptions and inscriptions on mostly religious objects, in addition to manuscripts on palm leaf and on local paper (Samut Khoy) are the most important surviving written sources. Looking at the starting point in terms of region, history and written sources, the corpus linguistic research as part of linguistics is a very good and proven method, to research and analyse the language of this region accurately. With successful completion of my dissertation I have examined a particular part of this huge collection of inscriptions. The main script type of the dissertations inscriptions is written in Fak Kham. Another used script type is the Dhamma Lanna script. The objective of this proposed project, is now to linguistically examine the corpus of Dhamma Lanna inscriptions that is previously prepared by me but still in raw condition. Another ambition is to pioneer again with my publications. The situation is promising. Nearly all the inscriptions are recorded and documented. My preliminary work in this area was done through my own research, from which my dissertation came out as a published book. Results of this project will be a dictionary of the entire vocabulary of the Dhamma Lanna inscriptions. This dictionary will also have English translations and introductory notes on grammar in addition to the standard translation into modern Thai. All relevant objects and inscription carriers will be published in a separate catalogue. All inscription texts an their translations into English will additionally also be published as book. The entire group of Northern Thai inscriptions will be ultimately linguistically examined with my previously published dissertation on Fak Kham inscriptions and this projects dictionary, catalogue, introductory grammar and now together with all translated Dhamma Lanna inscription texts. For the first time a complete basis for further research will be given and will be available.