คลี่คลาย

[DavidHouston]

Rikker,

I am currently reading portions of "อักษรไทยโบราณ" by ธวัช ปุณโณทก. I would like to understand the technical use in the linguistic context of the phrase "คลี่คลาย" as in the following sentence:

"รูปสัณฐานของตัวอักษรได้คลี่คลายมาจากศูนย์อักษรปัลลวะที่พลในดินแดนประเทศไทยและใกล้เคียง"

A number of sentences use the word "คลี่คลาย" in this sentence and with the compound, "การคลี่คลายพัฒนารูปแบบตัวอักษร".

Does "คลี่คลาย" refer to distinguishing the physical letters as an alphabet from its predecessors or usages in surrounding areas? Does it refer to distinguishing clearly the letters themselves from others in the relevant alphabet? Does it mean broadly accepted by the writers (or chiselers) in the particular geographic area which is co-located with the spoken language?

Thanks.

[Rikker]

In this context I think คลี่คลาย encompasses two aspects: spread (as in geographical dissemination) but also change (as in to the actual symbols of the writing systems). The meaning 'develop' seems especially clear when used in the compound คลี่คลายพัฒนา. So depending on the particular context we might translate it as either 'spread' or 'developed'.

"รูปสัณฐานของตัวอักษรได้คลี่คลายมาจากศูนย์อักษรปัลลวะที่พลในดินแดนประเทศไทยและใกล้เคียง"

"The form of the letters spread from the center of Pallava writing in the area of (what eventually became) Thailand..."

Change in writing systems is gradual and often unsystematic, as is also the case with change in spoken language. The two processes are separate, even though they interact. Even among contemporary inscriptions, the exact shape of the symbols used varied from city to city, and even chiseler to chiseler. Small differences compound over centuries, and other changes are introduced that better suit a particular language, eventually leading to quite different writing systems across a broad geographical area, all originating from one parent alphabet. I think this is the process described by คลี่คลาย / คลี่คลายพัฒนา.