constitutional
เกี่ยวกับรัฐธรรมนูญ - Thai translation
Main Translations
English: constitutional
Thai: เกี่ยวกับรัฐธรรมนูญ (guùeb kân ràt-thá-má-nûn)
Detailed Explanation: The primary translation, "เกี่ยวกับรัฐธรรมนูญ," is used in legal, political, and formal contexts to describe something related to a constitution, such as laws, rights, or government structures. It implies adherence to fundamental principles and carries a formal, authoritative connotation. For instance, it is often used in discussions about democracy, human rights, or legal reforms, evoking a sense of stability and legality. In Thai culture, this term is frequently associated with national identity and governance, especially in contexts like constitutional amendments or court rulings.
Thai: การเดินเพื่อสุขภาพ (gaan dèn phêua sùk-khāp)
Phonetic: This is a secondary, idiomatic translation, primarily derived from British English usage.
Detailed Explanation: In informal British English, "constitutional" refers to a short walk taken for health and refreshment, often as a daily habit. The Thai equivalent, "การเดินเพื่อสุขภาพ," captures this nuance but is less commonly used in everyday Thai speech. It has a light-hearted, traditional emotional connotation, suggesting routine self-care and well-being. This usage is not as prevalent in Thai as the legal sense and may appear in health or lifestyle discussions, reflecting a cultural emphasis on physical activity for mental clarity.
Overview of Usage Scenarios
The word "constitutional" is versatile and appears in various contexts, primarily legal and political (e.g., discussing laws and rights), but also informal settings like health and daily routines. In legal scenarios, it emphasizes formality and adherence to rules; in everyday use, it can denote something inherent or habitual. Common scenarios include government debates, health advice, and educational discussions, making it relevant for formal writing, speeches, and casual conversations. This dual nature highlights its adaptability across professional, social, and personal domains, especially in English-speaking countries with strong democratic traditions.
Example Sentences
Example Sentences in Different Scenarios
Business Scenario
English: The company's policies must align with constitutional principles to avoid legal disputes.
Thai: นโยบายของบริษัทต้องสอดคล้องกับหลักการรัฐธรรมนูญเพื่อหลีกเลี่ยงข้อพิพาททางกฎหมาย (ná-yò-bòri sat khɔ̌ng bàn-làk dtɔ̀ng sàwt khlông gèp lak-kaan ràt-thá-má-nûn phêua lʉ̌k lèek èùk phí-pàt thaang gòt-mâai).
Grammatical Breakdown: "The company's policies" (subject) is a noun phrase; "must align" (modal verb + verb) indicates obligation; "with constitutional principles" (prepositional phrase) modifies the verb; "to avoid legal disputes" (infinitive phrase) explains purpose.
Structural Analysis: This is a declarative sentence with a complex structure, using subordination to show cause and effect. The adjective "constitutional" modifies "principles," emphasizing legal compliance in a business context, which is common in SEO-optimized corporate content.
Leisure Scenario
English: After a long day, I like to take a constitutional walk in the park to clear my mind.
Thai: หลังจากวันยาวนาน ฉันชอบเดินการเดินเพื่อสุขภาพในสวนเพื่อคลายความคิด (lǎng jàk wán yàao nàan, chăn chôp dèn gaan dèn phêua sùk-khāp nai sʉ̌an phêua klàai khwām khit).
Grammatical Breakdown: "After a long day" (prepositional phrase) sets the time; "I like to take" (subject + verb + infinitive) expresses preference; "a constitutional walk" (noun phrase with adjective); "in the park to clear my mind" (prepositional phrase + infinitive clause).
Structural Analysis: This compound sentence combines description and purpose, with "constitutional" as an adjective adding an idiomatic, informal tone. It's ideal for lifestyle blogs, highlighting relaxation in leisure contexts.
Formal Occasion
English: The judge emphasized the importance of constitutional rights during the court hearing.
Thai: ผู้พิพากษาเน้นย้ำถึงความสำคัญของสิทธิ์ตามรัฐธรรมนูญในระหว่างการพิจารณาคดี (phûu phí-pàk-sā nén yâam tʉ̌ng khwām sǎm-kan khɔ̌ng sìt thî tham ràt-thá-má-nûn nai baang-gaan pìt-jaa-naa khdee).
Grammatical Breakdown: "The judge" (subject); "emphasized" (verb); "the importance of constitutional rights" (object noun phrase); "during the court hearing" (prepositional phrase).
Structural Analysis: A simple declarative sentence with a focus on the object, where "constitutional" modifies "rights" to convey formality. This structure is typical in legal documents, enhancing SEO for topics like "constitutional rights explanation."
Informal Occasion
English: Let's go for a quick constitutional around the block; it's good for our health.
Thai: ไปเดินการเดินเพื่อสุขภาพรอบตึกกันหน่อย สิทธิ์ดีต่อสุขภาพของเรา (bpai dèn gaan dèn phêua sùk-khāp ràwp dtʉk gan nɔ̀i, sìt dèe tɔ̂ sùk-khāp khɔ̌ng raō).
Grammatical Breakdown: "Let's go" (imperative with subject implied); "for a quick constitutional" (prepositional phrase); "around the block" (prepositional phrase); "it's good for our health" (independent clause).
Structural Analysis: This imperative sentence uses "constitutional" idiomatically for a casual invitation, blending informality with health advice, suitable for social media or everyday SEO content.
Example Sentences in Different Sentence Types
Declarative Sentence
English: The constitutional amendment was approved by the parliament last week.
Thai: การแก้ไขรัฐธรรมนูญได้รับการอนุมัติจากรัฐสภาเมื่อสัปดาห์ที่แล้ว (gaan gɛ̀ɛ kǎai ràt-thá-má-nûn dâai rap gaan à-nùm-màti jàk ràt-sà-phā mʉ̂ʉa sàp-daa khee làew).
Grammatical Breakdown: "The constitutional amendment" (subject); "was approved" (verb in past tense); "by the parliament last week" (prepositional phrase).
Structural Analysis: Straightforward declarative structure, with "constitutional" as a modifier, used for factual reporting in news articles.
Interrogative Sentence
English: Is this policy in line with constitutional standards?
Thai: นโยบายนี้สอดคล้องกับมาตรฐานรัฐธรรมนูญหรือไม่? (ná-yò-bòri nee sàwt khlông gèp má-dtrà-sān ràt-thá-má-nûn rʉ̌ʉ mǎi?)
Grammatical Breakdown: "Is this policy" (subject + auxiliary verb); "in line with constitutional standards" (prepositional phrase); "or not?" (question tag).
Structural Analysis: Yes/no interrogative form, where "constitutional" adds a formal query, common in debates or Q&A sessions for SEO in legal queries.
Imperative Sentence
English: Respect constitutional norms in all your decisions.
Thai: ให้เคารพหลักการรัฐธรรมนูญในทุกการตัดสินใจ (hâi khao róp lak-kaan ràt-thá-má-nûn nai tʉ́k gaan dtàt sin jai).
Grammatical Breakdown: "Respect" (imperative verb); "constitutional norms" (object); "in all your decisions" (prepositional phrase).
Structural Analysis: Direct imperative, urging action with "constitutional" for emphasis, often in educational or motivational content.
Exclamatory Sentence
English: What a significant constitutional reform this is!
Thai: นี่เป็นการปฏิรูปรัฐธรรมนูญที่สำคัญเพียงใด! (nee bpen gaan bpàt-ì-rûp ràt-thá-má-nûn thîi sǎm-kan phiang dai!)
Grammatical Breakdown: "What a significant" (exclamation starter); "constitutional reform" (noun phrase); "this is!" (predicate).
Structural Analysis: Exclamatory structure for emphasis, with "constitutional" heightening the emotional tone, useful in opinion pieces.
Example Sentences of Different Difficulties
Simple Sentence
English: The law is constitutional.
Thai: กฎหมายนี้เป็นไปตามรัฐธรรมนูญ (gòt-mâai nee bpen bpai tam ràt-thá-má-nûn).
Grammatical Breakdown: "The law" (subject); "is" (verb); "constitutional" (predicate adjective).
Structural Analysis: Basic subject-verb-adjective structure, ideal for beginners.
Intermediate Sentence
English: She argued that the bill violates constitutional rights.
Thai: เธอโต้แย้งว่ามีการละเมิดสิทธิ์ตามรัฐธรรมนูญ (thəə dtôo yàeng wâa mee gaan lá-mèt sìt thî tham ràt-thá-má-nûn).
Grammatical Breakdown: "She argued" (subject + verb); "that the bill violates" (subordinate clause); "constitutional rights" (object).
Structural Analysis: Includes a subordinate clause, making it moderately complex for intermediate learners.
Complex Sentence
English: Although the court upheld the law, many experts question its constitutional validity in light of recent amendments.
Thai: แม้ว่าศาลจะสนับสนุนกฎหมาย แต่ผู้เชี่ยวชาญหลายคนตั้งคำถามถึงความถูกต้องตามรัฐธรรมนูญท่ามกลางการแก้ไขล่าสุด (mɛ̂ɛ wâa sān jà sà-nùp sà-nùp gòt-mâai tàe phûu chîao chân lʉ́ay khon dtâng kham thaam tʉ̌ng khwām tʉ̂k dtɔ̀ng tam ràt-thá-má-nûn thām krʉ̂ng gaan gɛ̀ɛ kǎai lâat sʉ̀t).
Grammatical Breakdown: "Although the court upheld the law" (subordinate clause); "many experts question" (main clause); "its constitutional validity" (object); "in light of recent amendments" (prepositional phrase).
Structural Analysis: Multi-clause structure with concessions, suitable for advanced contexts like academic writing.
Related Phrases and Expressions
Synonyms/Near Synonyms:
- Legal – Used in contexts emphasizing lawfulness, e.g., "legal framework" for formal agreements.
- Fundamental – Refers to basic principles, e.g., "fundamental rights" in human rights discussions.
Antonyms:
- Unconstitutional – Describes something against the constitution, e.g., in court cases invalidating laws.
- Illegal – Broadly means against the law, often used interchangeably in non-constitutional contexts.
Common Collocations:
- Constitutional rights – Refers to basic freedoms, e.g., in human rights advocacy for SEO in legal topics.
- Constitutional crisis – Describes a major governmental conflict, e.g., in political analyses.
Cultural Background and Usage Habits
Cultural Background:
- Cultural Point 1: In Western democracies like the UK and US, "constitutional" is deeply tied to national identity, symbolizing the rule of law and individual freedoms. For instance, the U.S. Constitution is a cultural icon, often referenced in media and education, which influences global perceptions of governance.
Usage Habits:
- Habit 1: The term is frequently used in formal settings like legal debates or news reports, with high popularity among professionals such as lawyers and politicians. In informal contexts, like the health walk meaning, it's more common in British English and less so in Thai, where it's adapted for wellness trends, making it popular among older demographics or health enthusiasts.
Grammar Explanation
Grammatical Function:
"Constitutional" functions primarily as an adjective, modifying nouns (e.g., "constitutional rights" as the object). It can also act as part of a compound noun in idiomatic uses (e.g., "a constitutional walk").
Tense and Voice:
As an adjective, "constitutional" does not change with tenses but can appear in various sentence voices. For example, in active voice: "The government upholds constitutional laws." In passive voice: "Constitutional laws are upheld by the government." This flexibility allows it to adapt to different narrative styles without alteration.
References
Etymology and History:
The word "constitutional" originates from the Latin "constitutio," meaning "arrangement" or "decree," evolving through Middle English to its modern form in the 17th century. Historically, it gained prominence during the Enlightenment and the drafting of national constitutions, such as the U.S. Constitution in 1787, influencing global legal systems.
Literary References:
- From "The Federalist Papers" by Alexander Hamilton: "The Constitution is the supreme law of the land," highlighting "constitutional" in a foundational context (Source: 1787-1788 publications).
- In Charles Dickens' "Bleak House" (1853): "A constitutional walk was his daily ritual," illustrating the informal usage in British literature.