Time And Place Deixis In Maithili And English

Abstract

This study was entitled as Time and Place Deixis in Maithali and English. It aimed to identify time and place deictic expressions used in Maithali and compare them to the deictic expressions of English language. For this study I selected 90 Maithali speakers as the sample for the study from Saptari district. I used both primary and secondary sources of data. Questionnaires were used as a tool of data collection. The responses given by the informants were coded at first and then descriptively presented for analysis and interpretation. On the basis of analysis and interpretation, I came to the conclusion that the data were analyzed, interpreted and presented descriptively and statistically using tables and illustrations. The time deictic expressions found in Maithali are: Aae, Aaekail, Akhan, Akhanturent, Ebakhat, Khail, Parsal, Takhainkhina, Parso, Biteldin, Kailpahar, Dosarchhan, Din, Hapta, Mahina, Sal, Barso, Yeksal etc. The major Maithli place deictic expressions are: E, Oo, Opar, Nicha, Sangesang, Daya, Baya, Ata, Ota, Najik, Pachhadi, Agadi, Dur, Lag, Bahut Lag, Bahut Dur, Pajra, Bichme, Agari, Uside. The comparison of deictic expressions shows that. English place deictic expressions are richer than Maithali as there are different terms to refer to the same term in the a English language. Regarding the present time deixis, English is richer than Maithali because different terms in English are represented by the same term in Maithali. Time deictic expressions in Maithali are classified on the basis of tense system, proximal and distal, and pure and impure distinction. The study is divided into five chapters. Chapter one is an introductory part. It includes background of the study, statement of the problem, rational of the study, objectives of the study, research questions or hypothesis, significance of the study, delimitation of the study and operational definitions of the key terms. Chapter two deals with review of the related literature and conceptual framework. Chapter three includes methods and procedures of the study under which research design, population and sample, sampling procedure, data collection tools, data collection procedures, data analysis and interpretation procedures are presented. Chapter four presents the results and discussion. In this section, both statistical as well as descriptive approaches are used. Finally, chapter five consists of the findings, conclusion and recommendations of the study. The references and appendices form the concluding part of the thesis.