“Human Scale Method"in Sgaw Karen inhabited in Southeast Asia―A system of units developed from scales of human body parts in a society without writing―

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  • Shimoda Atsuko
    Otsuma Women's University, Institute of Human Culture Studies, Behavioral Epidemiology
  • Ohsawa Seiji
    Otsuma Women's University, Institute of Human Culture Studies, Behavioral Epidemiology

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  • 東南アジア山地民（カレン）の人体尺に関する研究―無文字社会における身体を用いた単位系―
  • トウナン アジア サンチミン カレン ノ ジンタイ シャク ニ カンスル ケンキュウ ムモジ シャカイ ニ オケル シンタイ オ モチイタ タンイケイ
  • “Human Scale Method^|^quot;in Sgaw Karen inhabited in Southeast Asia―A system of units developed from scales of human body parts in a society without writing―

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Abstract

This paper investigated the following three points with respect to“Human Scale Method"which are currently used by Sgaw Karen inhabited in mountainous region of Southeast Asia's mainland. 1.Sorts, names and definitions of“Human Scale Method"which are currently used 2.Application of“Human Scale Method" 3.Usage survey of“Human Scale Method"by gender and age The Surveyed field was P village, Doisakhet district of Chiangmai province in Thailand. Informants were sought under the condition that eligible informants are people who currently use“Human Scale Method". As a result, number of male informants was 40 and that of female was 25. Ages of male informants ranged from 17 to 74 and those of female from 17 to 78. Survey period was from August to December of 2008. Interviews were conducted using Northern-Thai and Karen languages. As results of the survey, the following five points are summarized. 1.Male's usage ages of“Human Scale Method"ranges from 17 to 74 and female's from 17 to 78 years of age. People under than 17 years of age do not use“Human Scale Method". 2.The objects of body parts for scaling are concentrated in hand, forearm, upper-arm and chest. Other parts are never utilized for measuring. 3.The sorts and appellations of Karen's human scale are detailed, and defined. The number of“Human Scale Method"amounts to 39. 4.A unit system for every“Human Scale Method"is examined and defined. 5.All confirmed thirty nine kinds of“Human Scale Method"are used by males but females use only eleven kinds of them. 6.“Human Scale Method"are mainly used for production of commodities and furniture materials. The main usage explains the difference in gender. Namely, production of commodities and furniture materials are basically done by males. This paper elucidates that the usage rate of“Human Scale Method"in Karen people is subject to gender and age.

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