Why are expats so bad in Thai?

[CharlieH]

Off topic removed

[Tchooptip]

8 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

In hindsight its mostly on facebook, a post in thai and facebook dishes up a translation. The original post in thai is something like "on my way to Bangkok" and the translation will be something like "the trip to Bangkok cuddle"

 

Thanks for help, I will try and screen-shot it and post on language forum.

I do not know if Facebook translates with Google translate? It could also be the Microsoft translating system, by the way, clever than Google translate.

[sanemax]

2 minutes ago, Tchooptip said:

I do not know if Facebook translates with Google translate? It could also be the Microsoft translating system, by the way, clever than Google translate.

Where is that located ?

Do you have a link ?

[Tchooptip]

13 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Where is that located ?

Do you have a link ?

https://translator.microsoft.com/

Never used it myself, but I have iTranslate downloaded on Appstore and also on my Macbook I know they use Microsoft and not Google translate, many times the translation is better than with Google, but anyway for the Thai language none of them is very good

[Billy Bloggs]

I too fall into the too lazy(or really I have better things to spend my time on) maybe if I didnt have a thai partner it would be different but she is the one I do all the extra stuff for anyway

[CharlieH]

26 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Where is that located ?

Do you have a link ?

PM sent

[Antonymous]

10 hours ago, Antonymous said:

It takes someone of low intelligence to come up with a comment as simple as that.

Let me be more specific.

According to ilanguages.org

40% of the world are monolingual

43% are bilingual

17% speak 3 or more languages

I am not aware of ANY studies that correlate multilingualism to IQ. Among my own circle of friends in Thailand I know many very smart people with multiple degrees and life achievements who cannot speak more than a few words in Thai language.

And to the contrary I have come across a fair few idiots who are multilingual!

The main factor to learning another language is the desire to learn and has little if anything to do with IQ.

Enjoying a happy and productive life in Thailand manifestly does not require proficiency in Thai language. There are many posters here who have testified to that.

Thai language is hard for native English speakers and harder yet for older people to grasp. So an expat will only have a desire to learn if there are environmental factors that make the effort and commitment worthwhile. Perhaps if your job requires it, or if you are hell bent on laying Thais who can’t speak English, for example.

Whatever, an expat who cannot speak Thai is in no way an inferior or less intelligent person than the expat who may be fluent.

[Ajarnbrian]

Those foreigners who have spent much time in Thailand but don`t see any reason to learn some of the language are to be pitied. Please make an effort, show some respect and at least learn some of the basics. Thai people will appreciate you more too. 

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

At that rate and requirements, I would be expecting a guarantee of fluency.

I know a good Thai teacher who will teach you on line for I think 500 baht an hour. She is very good and very patient (well she was with me).

 

If you need her please pm me for details. She lives in the BKK area.

[Aussieroaming]

9 hours ago, melvinmelvin said:

you should add French and Arabic to that list

 

Agreed, I was naming but a few

[Aussieroaming]

9 hours ago, Denim said:

Fair enough but Thai expats tend to live in Thailand.

 

My local noodle does not speak any of the more useful languages you mention.

Yes agreed, but I travel a lot and everytime I think of a language to learn I tend to think of where I might work next on fifo. I am based here (POH, home) but I work elsewhere, so learning Thai always goes to the backburner even though I would like to learn it.

[GreasyFingers]

10 hours ago, JimmyTheMook said:

It's a reflection of their IQ - simple as that.

More intelligent people will learn a language (any language)

if exposed to it for a prolonged period.

 

  

BS

[TKDfella]

7 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

But English is very conducive to pidgen. How you. You OK. You pretty. Beer me. Where you come from. Where you go. Have baby (patting my belly).

All languages are conducive to or suffer from pidgin simplifications. Used from early 19th century. Strangely enough, many Thai constructions are literally already in pidgin state, as far as English transliteration is concerned. This is due the Thai words lacking 'a' 'the' etc Khun sabai dee mai = you ok/good/well ? Khun law = you handsome, Khun maa jaak nai = you come from where? Khun bai nai = you go where? So here it is not pidgin English, it is a Thai person speaking in the literal translation sense.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Yes agreed, but something I cant quite understand is this, if I say a word or phrase and it isnt correct, I am told its wrong, and "not sound correct,not understand what you talk".

BUT if a 3 yr old who cant form words 100% says it they understand in an instant ? how is that ?

 

In English if the words are near enough you can easily work out what they are trying to say, but it seems in Thai, if its not spot on they havnt got a clue ! as though its a different language altogether. 

I do try to communicate better with a couple of techniques. I use phrases, not sentences. I also find alternative ways to say things so a Thai will have two chances at understanding me.

It's also about qualifiers and context. I'm damned if I can pick the difference between the words for knee, food and the colour white in Thai. To my ears, they are all the same. So pointing and adding an adjective helps a Thai understand.

My Thai GF understands me quite well, because there is a lot of context in what we talk about. On the other hand, her Thai father speaks a village dialect and communication is very difficult.

[poanoi]

11 hours ago, blazes said:

 And no matter how bad your pronunciation of English, both natives AND foreigners will understand what you are trying to say. 

 

umm, i got forced to listen to a scot and someone else from london,

after straining my ears and patience i just gave up,

no reason to try to understand when they arent trying to be understood

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I'm damned if I can pick the difference between the words for knee, food and the colour white in Thai.

It's the words around it that count.

Knee = Hua cow

rice = cow Knee-ow or cow suay

eat = gin cow

white = see cow

come in = cow maa

 

There's rarely any cows on their own.

Edited November 5, 2018 by BritManToo

[Lacessit]

Just now, BritManToo said:

It's the words around it that count.

Knee = Hua cow

rice = cow Knee-ow or cow suay

white = see cow

Er - I think the phrase Hua Cow means I am hungry. Do you confuse Thais often?

[BritManToo]

8 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Er - I think the phrase Hua Cow means I am hungry. Do you confuse Thais often?

Not as much as you apparently.

Maybe you're confusing hee-iw with hoo-wa, can't do any better as I'm not allowed to use Thai script.

(Never heard a Thai say hee-iw cow ...... hungry is just hee-iw in a really whiney voice)

Edited November 5, 2018 by BritManToo

[canuckamuck]

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Not as much as you apparently.

Hua kow is top of the knee if you get the tone right.  Hue kow is hungry if you get the tone right

[CharlieH]

18 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

It's the words around it that count.

Knee = Hua cow

rice = cow Knee-ow or cow suay

eat = gin cow

white = see cow

come in = cow maa

 

There's rarely any cows on their own.

Thought "cow nee ow" was sticky rice ? Plain was the the cow on its own ?

[BritManToo]

11 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Thought "cow nee ow" was sticky rice ?

I just had both for dinner, from the rice store at the end of the road, the kids ate most of the sticky rice.

cow suay is steamed rice.

(and you have to say suay as soo-way else it would be unlucky rice)

Edited November 5, 2018 by BritManToo

[GreasyFingers]

9 hours ago, ParadiseLost said:

There is English, and then there is English.

 

I disagree. This is why most foreign (EU) people who think they can speak English are actually terrible at all the finer points.

 

English is an incredibly diverse language, full of nuance and best of all, the ability to say something without actually saying it: sarcasm (especially) confounds (and frustrates) every foreign speaker I have met - no matter their status in life.

 

Don't want to even start talking about comedy, or sense of humor...

Especially when spoken by an Australian.

[Lacessit]

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I just had both for dinner, from the rice store at the end of the road, the kids ate most of the sticky rice.

Look forward to some constipation in the kids.

[BritManToo]

Just now, Lacessit said:

Look forward to some constipation in the kids.

Off topic,

Have you noticed how Thais are always constipated and foreigners always have the runs?

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, GreasyFingers said:

Especially when spoken by an Australian.

Oh dear. An Aussie basher. What did we do to you?

[Lacessit]

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Off topic,

Have you noticed how Thais are always constipated and foreigners always have the runs?

Yes. Thais are constipated because they love sticky rice. We have the runs because Thais put chili in everything, whether it's needed or not. Except sticky rice.

Edited November 5, 2018 by Lacessit

[GreasyFingers]

9 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

*Laughing*

I think the "you are beautiful" is most guys introduction to the subtle tonal differences. Suay is one of the first words I learnt (with the intention of possibly seeing girls naked). I quickly learned that suay means beautiful or with an imperceptible tonal difference means "a curse on your buffalo" or something similar. (Certainly didn't lead to seeing girls naked)

 

For me, any Thai language skills went down hill from there, lol

My Thai language teacher in Oz also said the wrong tone meant "show me your tits".

[GreasyFingers]

8 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Oh dear. An Aussie basher. What did we do to you?

No, not a basher, just a speaker. I remember talking to a French lady at a bar in Samui. She could speak reasonable English and understand English speakers but my Oz accent was too difficult for her. But that was not a real problem as I cannot speak Thai either but survive when necessary.

[GreasyFingers]

9 hours ago, andre47 said:

Yes, many Thais don't like to speak Thai with farangs. I think that is because for us it is difficult to use the right tones. Then the meaning is changing and for Thais difficult to understand.

 

Don't give up. For me, I am learning Thai now for 3 years, it is going much better now. Sometimes Thais are trying to ignore my Thai but I insist in speaking Thai with them. When they are realizing that I know some Thai they start to take me seriously and talk Thai with me. Often they are much friendlier when they feel that a farang can speak Thai.

How do you handle the 5 drunken Thais that want to talk to you at the same time.

[Antonymous]

1 hour ago, Ajarnbrian said:

Those foreigners who have spent much time in Thailand but don`t see any reason to learn some of the language are to be pitied. Please make an effort, show some respect and at least learn some of the basics. Thai people will appreciate you more too. 

I knew a university ajarn in Chiang Mai 25 years ago, an American, who liked to clink glasses with his neighbours in a bar. I taught him that the Thai word for 'cheers' was 'chak waow'. For weeks afterwards he'd cheerily raise his glass to all and sundry and yell those words. I don't know whether he also did so when dining with his faculty at work, but imagining it always brought a chuckle. Not sure if Thais appreciated his efforts, but it sure made them laugh.