An Analysis of Language in Café Names in Ubonratchathani Province : Code Mixing and Meaning

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the naming of coffee shops in Ubonratchathaini province in terms of language use and meaning. The data was derived from a list of recommended cafes (a total of 111 cafes) on the website www.retty.co.th, in which users can review and recommend their favorite restaurants and café. The findings were reported descriptively. Results show that 56.76% are names in English and 35.14% are code-mixed names. The naming in Thai was found only 6.3%. The analysis of meanings shows that 43.18% of the names have meanings related to places, locations and nature perceived as distinctive characteristics of provinces in “Isan (Northeastern)” region. Words used in most names are short, simple and easy to recognize and they express positive meanings. This implies that language choice represented in the naming practice portrays the mixture of the Western culture and local identity