“Don’t complain about our English, If you can’t speak Thai” - sign at restaurant goes viral - again

[ravip]

3 minutes ago, uli65 said:

every day there is another evidence  for the thai megalomania.

Is it a typo?

thai megalomania? Or myself's megalomania?

 

[Moonfire]

complain:  For myself what I have seen for over 10 years with this word is frankly a misunderstanding of what is actually happening.

 

When correcting speech, say showing the correct sounds the letters make to be able to speak the word correctly.....this is often taken as a complaint.

 

Just the other day it was the word yoga, most Thais that I know say it where it sounds like yoka. Try to explain the ga sound and what happens, stop complaining about my speech. When in fact just trying to help. Thus as always a big deal is made out of nothing other than trying to be helpful. 

Edited January 20, 2020 by Moonfire

[JustAnotherHun]

5 minutes ago, uli65 said:

every day there is another evidence  for the thai megalomania.

As you can read in this topic, the megaomaniacs are not the Thais :-).

And for these an information for free:

The upcoming world language is Mandarin. Time for you all to go back to school.

[BradinAsia]

2 hours ago, ParkerN said:

Yes. well. English is the default uniquitous language of the world. Thai isn't. It must surely be the responsibility of Thais to speak English, not for Europeans or Americans (both of whom come here mainly for cheap beaches, cheap food or cheap sex) to learn how to order Somtam in Thai or to engage a waiter whose IQ is likely less than 90 in conversation (quantum mechanics anyone?).

 

Seems reasonable for foreigners to boycott jingoistic little restaurants like this one. It probably isn't very clean anyway and it seems they need a few lessons in how not to <deleted> their customers off.

 

Typical racist drivel of White Westerners. Where do white folk get this fairy-tale idea of being so intelligent. Most Westerners I've met in Asia are barely literate in their own language. If the Thai waitress speaks English at a 10% level, that makes her at least 10% more intelligent than most farang who are minimally capable in only one language. She is likely much more intelligent than the phony white guys with their dreamy mindset of white privilege. In reality, they are the most boring <deleted> on the planet. 

Edited January 20, 2020 by BradinAsia

[ravip]

2 minutes ago, Naturesway said:

If you have the willing and interest to overcharge foreigners with minimum double or triple prices then you should have the sense and interest at least to be able to speak to them, otherwise it will just be a very one sided business 

With THAT logic, they will have to speak an umpteen number of languages!

At least, lets thank them for that sign... it has kept us idlers with nix to do happy at our keyboards, flexing our imaginary muscles and exhibiting our superior knowledge!

[holy cow cm]

52 minutes ago, Yinn said:

Hmmmmm 

Interesting thinking. I agree can, sometimes. Look confident/smile/ thai polite way. Not look same “lost”.

Sometimes, I not sure why, but sometimes it really like that. 55555

 

But not think “most” Thai.

Most Thai never meet/speak with foreigner. Most Thai expect foreigner can not speak thai. 

 

But the one who do speak with foreigner often,  some/most can “feel” it.

 

You correct. Hard to explain it. Just the feeling/way. 55555 

intersting thinking. 

Hahahahha. Yeah thought so for way too many years now from personal experience. Like the Thai person just starts chirping away from the beginning with you like never ever having a pre-thought of they will be talking to a wall... Explains a lot. Yes and agree in some instances for Thai not ever in direct relations seeing foreigners but I still know even there when in those never instances of places that have no foreigners or interaction that they still get a feeling or some sort of energy from something. Got to love Thai people!

 

Have a good day Yinn!

Edited January 20, 2020 by holy cow cm

[Guderian]

I think the Thais need to take lessons in how to understand a farang trying to speak their language.

 

* Remember that many of the tones used by the farang are likely to be incorrect, but by a process of elimination they should be able to figure out which word it is that the farang is attempting to pronounce.

* Remember that the farang's accent is likely to be very strange, worse even than Aberdonian to an Englishman's ears, lol. Make allowances for it, few non-native speakers ever truly master the local accent, even when they are fluent in a language.

* Remember that the farang will have a limited vocabulary and help him where you can. He will also be saying things in the simplest, most-literal sense, not in the roundabout colloquial way that the Thais prefer to use when communicating. Reply to him slowly and as simply as possible.

 

When it comes to languages, it's never a one-way street, there needs to be give and take on both sides.

[ravip]

4 minutes ago, Moonfire said:

complain:  For myself what I have seen for over 10 years with this word is frankly a misunderstanding of what is actually happening.

 

When correcting speech, say showing the correct sounds the letters make to be able to speak the word correctly.....this is often taken as a complaint.

 

Just the other day it was the word yoga, most Thais that I know say it where it sounds like yoka. Try to explain the ga sound and what happens, stop complaining about my speech. When in fact just trying to help. Thus as always a big deal is made out of nothing other than trying to be helpful. 

In real, there are some sounds that Thais cannot pronounce at all. I think its same with all of us - there are some Thai sounds (or maybe any other foreign sound) that we cannot get right, at all.

That's normal, for a human IMHO

[Assurancetourix]

1 hour ago, ravip said:

Please explain. Very difficult for the common man to understand your unique and extraordinary post.

writes the one who answers jingthing who has the trifle of 100,414 posts on this forum ...

[Tchooptip]

At the foot of the Eiffel Tower Don't complain about our English, If you can't speak...French ????

 

[ThomasThBKK]

43 minutes ago, Ireland32 said:

If you don’t want Farangs coming to ur business , or expanding , Remain Ignorant

 

Once again entitlement, thinking every farrang is a native english speaker... Most aren't get over it.

 

[ravip]

2 minutes ago, Assurancetourix said:

writes the one who answers jingthing who has the trifle of 100,414 posts on this forum ...

100,414 posts? So ALL understands 100%?

Sorry, forgive me please, I DONT understand your post either... or am I misunderstanding your intentions? 

[yokat]

I wish I spoke thai. When I see my coworkers who stayed here for many and barely speak thai it makes me hope that one day I will get the motivation to learn it.

But one thing is sure, it would never come to me to complain about someone's english, especially in a country where it's not the official language. The skilled english speaker should be the one able to put their ideas into simple words.

 

I see some posts saying the restaurant should not treat customers like that (putting up the sign), but I can assure you that all reasonable people I know wouldn't care. I can see them losing the patronage of entitled english speakers, but isn't it exactly why they put the sign up in the first place ?

Edited January 20, 2020 by yokat

[Mister Fixit]

37 minutes ago, Woolsgibb60 said:

So if they been to university and have a degree in english and they can speak fluent english did they buy the degree how can u be a english and u cant speak english how did they get a degree in english plus over the years how many tourist be visiting this country and thai still  cant speak english so it show u how lazy the tourist can only speak 1 language they are only here for say 2 weeks holiday 

I haven't got the faintest idea what that is all supposed to mean, otherwise I'd attempt an answer!  ???? ????

[Bundooman]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

I'd very much like the TAT to put THAT in their next promotional leaflets being distributed on the next tourism roadshow...

Or, as a response:-

"Please don't expect us to spend our hard-earned holiday money if you can't be civil, polite and know that we are short term tourists and unlikely to speak Thai! 

Used to love you too"!

 

Anyone got a child's chalkboard? - photo the two together and splash it all over Thai sites!

THEN let's see what TAT and Thai 'Netizens' think of that!

 

Incidentally, I do speak Thai, I can read and write it! I just think that this Thai originated sign is inexcusably rude and unnecessary. It would certainly put me off eating there! It is they who should make that effort. But I agree that who live here longer should learn at least basic thai language

[natway09]

Try some of the waiters in France ,,,,hardly a word of English

[Assurancetourix]

I want to understand that in a Thai restaurant the normal language used is Thai so I totally agree with the sign;
but on this forum,  obligatory language is English, it would be good for ALL the members to make the effort to write in comprehensible English and not in Thaiglish as it is the case for some ....

[ravip]

2 minutes ago, Bundooman said:

Or, as a response:-

"Please don't expect us to spend our hard-earned holiday money if you can't be civil, polite and know that we are short term tourists and unlikely to speak Thai! 

Used to love you too"!

 

Anyone got a child's chalkboard? - photo the two together and splash it all over Thai sites!

THEN let's see what TAT and Thai 'Netizens' think of that!

 

Incidentally, I do speak Thai, I can read and write it! I just think that this Thai originated sign is inexcusably rude and unnecessary. It would certainly put me off eating there! It is they who should make that effort. But I agree that who live here longer should learn at least basic thai language

WOW! Now this far exceeds space technology!

Please, why not you do the project yourself? I am sure it would be a world class hit!

[HuaHinHim]

2 hours ago, ParkerN said:

Yes. well. English is the default uniquitous language of the world. Thai isn't. It must surely be the responsibility of Thais to speak English, not for Europeans or Americans (both of whom come here mainly for cheap beaches, cheap food or cheap sex) to learn how to order Somtam in Thai or to engage a waiter whose IQ is likely less than 90 in conversation (quantum mechanics anyone?).

 

Seems reasonable for foreigners to boycott jingoistic little restaurants like this one. It probably isn't very clean anyway and it seems they need a few lessons in how not to <deleted> their customers off.

Cool your titties Parker it ain’t that big of a deal, just grab some fried rice and a beer or two and watch the world go by.

i mean they did say please

Edited January 20, 2020 by HuaHinHim

[Assurancetourix]

2 minutes ago, natway09 said:

Try some of the waiters in France ,,,,hardly a word of English

you can write the same thing about a pub or a restaurant in Great Britain ... or in Germany or in Spain or in Italy ...
I do not quote the Netherlands because curiously in this country many people are bi and even sometimes tri-lingual

[alex8912]

47 minutes ago, Thailsacien said:

Someone who speaks 3 languages is a trilingal
Someone who speaks 2 languages is a bilingal
Someone who speaks 1 language is a merican ???? 

Then go look at a map of Europe with little tiny England on it and all the dozens of countries soo close by whose citizens often speak 3 or more languages and people from the North of England can’t even be understood by the ones in the South and most English can’t speak another language. Now look at gigantic USA and from the middle of the country you can fly a couple hours and still be in the USA or from East to West coast it’s a 6 hour flight and still the same language and everybody understands each other!   Now explain to me why the British are so bad at not only speaking their own language but so bad at speaking the languages of countries just a few hundred miles away?? 
 

More on topic that sign was done in fun with a little ( nit noy) sarcasm. The people who claim it’s rude on here just have thin skin about everything. Get over it! 

Edited January 20, 2020 by alex8912

[ravip]

3 minutes ago, natway09 said:

Try some of the waiters in France ,,,,hardly a word of English

But... they are French. No one dares to object.

 

[spidermike007]

The astonishing thing about social media, from my point of view, is the number of incredibly petty things, like this sign, which in reality means nothing, that "go viral". What does it mean? What bearing does it have on anything? Does the world really have that much time on their hands, where they have to break tiny, incredibly insignificant things like this down? Is that what we have been reduced to? Is that not a very alarming statement about contemporary culture? 

[Borzandy]

Another way to get more tourists.

[claffey]

2 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

I speak only a few Thai words but I agree with the sign.

Only because I have witnessed too many Falang get upset or even yell at staff at various places because they cannot understand English.  Calling them stupid and the such.

It can be frustrating but not really their fault. Blame the government for not making them learn English in school.

If you want good English interaction with mostly polite people, go to the Philippines 90% there speak.

But they do make them learn English. There are thousands of ESL teachers working here, both in private and government schools. The problem is that they dont take their education seriously and are more interested in Instagram. The Thai teachers should be explaining to their students the importance of learning English. However they often make fun of the ESL Teachers or hate them because they earn more than them. The whole system is broken..

[Tchooptip]

56 minutes ago, monkfish said:

My wife used to ask, why don't you correct my English when I speak to I can be better?
So I did correct her English then she was like why you always correct my English I'm not English girl.
Sometimes you just can't win.
Yet if we try to speak Thai they will correct us and correct us and even laugh if there's a slight mistake in the pronunciation.

I could have wrote that too, 100% with the same words????

[Roy Baht]

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

The astonishing thing about social media, from my point of view, is the number of incredibly petty things, like this sign, which in reality means nothing, that "go viral". What does it mean? What bearing does it have on anything? Does the world really have that much time on their hands, where they have to break tiny, incredibly insignificant things like this down? Is that what we have been reduced to? Is that not a very alarming statement about contemporary culture? 

No. This has been a good discussion. Many points of view have been raised. Multiple perspectives considered. For the most part, logically and politely. No flames or trolling that the mod had to remove. This is TV at its best. It's food for thought and everybody feeds.

[1FinickyOne]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Translation of Love you.

Hate you.

Bring money.

Shut up.

Go home. 

man have you gone negative.. but you have been here long enough to know that an extremely high tourist area is not representative of yhe rest of thailand..

[ravip]

4 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The astonishing thing about social media, from my point of view, is the number of incredibly petty things, like this sign, which in reality means nothing, that "go viral". What does it mean? What bearing does it have on anything? Does the world really have that much time on their hands, where they have to break tiny, incredibly insignificant things like this down? Is that what we have been reduced to? Is that not a very alarming statement about contemporary culture? 

A resounding YES!

This is the price of 'development'. You will never see this type of bikkering in the 3rd, 4th, or in the 5th world countries and below!!!!!

Money + an idle mind = ?

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Define Ethnocentric.  It's been stated before, Thailand is in a world of it's own. Up until recent years, that worked, but now with a desire for 40 million tourist, they better well learn English. In case you haven't noticed, China is soon the be the large English speaking population in the world. No knowing Thai is not problem, but people who work in retail and tourism, it is a problem.