Why are westerners so offended over the word farang? Get over it.

[BangkokReady]

3 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

A Falang is the Thai word for the fruit we know as Guava.

The Thai word for guava is "farang". I'm afraid you have been misinformed.

[rott]

10 hours ago, Neeranam said:

When using 'farang', Thais use  'mun'(it).  They never say 'khon farang' but do with Asians, ie khon Jeen or Khon Yeepun

Nero (hope you excuse the familiarity) is that pronounced man or mun.? 

Or other.? 

[KanchanaburiGuy]

Hmmm. 

 

Denotations and Connotations. 

 

* Denotations are what a word means; it definition.

 

The Denotation of "hot" is something being at a temperature that most would consider uncomfortably warm. 

 

* Connotations are how words get understood. These might be radically different from how a word is actually defined. Radically different from its Denotation. 

 

Thus, one Connotation of "hot" might be "good looking" or "sexy."

 

"Man, that lady is HOT!"........... is probably not a description of her TEMPERATURE! To a lady who's "hot".......... you're probably more interested in giving her your phone number.......... than a glass of Iced Tea! 

 

Denotations AND Connotations. 

 

"Farang," like many, MANY words, has both Denotations and Connotations. 

 

Someone upthread said that "farang" is not a pejorative. Sure it is. The fact that it is not EXCLUSIVELY a perjorative........... doesn't change the fact that it is often used as one! (Connotation)

 

Weren't there a couple of highly publicized incidents not too long ago where a government official.......... (a transit boss, maybe?)........... was openly  talking about the dirty, smelly, arrogant and rude foreigners plaguing Thai society? ........... And didn't he pointedly refer to them/us as "farangs?" 

 

Surely no one believes that when he spoke this offensive and negative way............ that Thai people suddenly experienced a revelation........ "Oh, is THAT what they're like???" 

 

Of course not! He was just saying out loud.......... what many people say and think.......... when WE aren't within earshot! 

 

The CONTENT of what he said is not what was shocking. What was shocking was the CONTEXT in which he said it: Right out there in the open! 

 

He had the audacity to say "the quiet part" out loud! 

 

????????????

 

Denotations and Connotations. 

 

As we can see from a number of posts upthread, the DENOTATION of "farang" is not clear. I was told 10 years ago, or so, that the "best" definition my friend had come across, so far, after ten years in the country, was "long white nose!" ???????????? But when I learned that the Thai for the french language is "farangsayt" [no idea about the spelling! Lol], I decided the word probably had a very different origin! 

 

I only know that when "farang" is used DENOTATIVELY........ it is passive and unthreatening. There's no reason I know of to be upset about it. 

 

But man o man, when it is used CONNOTATIVELY........... there absolutely could be a silent sneer and "thooey" associated with it!

 

So, the bottom line is: "Farang" absolutely can be used as a perjorative........ and frequently is! 

 

 

 

[overherebc]

8 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I wonder if Cod reads the Thai news on Aseanow. 

Fishy question.

 

[Neeranam]

4 minutes ago, rott said:

No it's just rhyming slang.

 

What about weegee. Never seen it written down hope that's correct. 

Cockney rhyhming slang is offensive? Are you a  Dental flosser or a merchant banker? 

[rott]

2 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

The Thai word for guava is "farang". I'm afraid you have been misinformed.

Some places pronounce it as an R, others as an L. 

[NanLaew]

10 hours ago, BritManToo said:

10 hours ago, Neeranam said:

When using 'farang', Thais use  'mun'(it).  They never say 'khon farang' but do with Asians, ie khon Jeen or Khon Yeepun

I agree, it's a clear insult.

As Enid Blyton wrote, "And then there were two."

[robin hood]

Call me what you like I’ve been called a lot worse than farang

[rott]

1 minute ago, Neeranam said:

Cockney rhyhming slang is offensive? Are you a  Dental flosser or a merchant banker? 

You are the one who said sweaty sock is offensive.

Now answer re weegee. 

[NanLaew]

10 hours ago, Neeranam said:

10 hours ago, Naroge said:

Who's offended? Not me or any of my farang friends.

Probably because you don't understand. 

There's no need to be condescending now is there?

[NanLaew]

9 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I am Thai but everyone calls me a farang, even when they know my nationality. Happened in the bank the other day.

You are a naturalized Thai.

[2009]

11 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Deprnds entirely on the tone and context like most use of language.

 

 

Just like the word, "<deleted>"

 

EDIT: wow, that's ironic. The "N word" for black people gets deleted by Thaivisa (cos it is offensive), but "farang" doesn't.

[rott]

9 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Or sh-t hole to give it its proper name.

Really.? All of it.?

Including all the hotels and restaurants, the good properties, all the dark side.?

I never realised, but you obviously know all about it. 

[TheRealRobin]

Maybe do some research homework before you start writing. Generalisation is boring and lazy.

 

I've lived in Thailand for more than 4 years and I've never met anyone that cared much about being called or labeled as farang.

 

Also, what are all these racially charged words invented and used mostly by farangs? Most groups of people have derogatory words for groups that are different from their own, but in the west (unlike many Asian countries that I've been to) words like that are not acceptable in normal conversation. 

 

Your opinion of both Western society and farang in Thailand doesn't seem to be shaped by real-life experience.

[GarryP]

21 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I wonder if Cod reads the Thai news on Aseanow. 

Probably will because it has been mentioned on the Twitter feed. ????

[Neeranam]

9 minutes ago, rott said:

You are the one who said sweaty sock is offensive.

Now answer re weegee. 

Of course it is offensive. 

 

Weegie isn't. 

[NanLaew]

8 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Why do you think they need to refer to you by your skin colour?

Because they know if they called you fatty, or grouchy, or ugly, or smelly, or skinflint then that would be rude?

[Barefootknobby]

Never entered my mind, must be upsetting the usual lefties??

[Neeranam]

7 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

You are a naturalized Thai.

What's your point? 

[BritManToo]

4 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Because they know if they called you fatty, or grouchy, or ugly, or smelly, or skinflint then that would be rude?

You think they couldn't manage 'hansum man'?

I don't believe I've ever been in a situation where I had to refer to anyone, at any time, using a possibly insulting term.

[NanLaew]

8 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Mostly they hang out with bar girls, who are mostly from Isaan, and say falang

So how do they pronounce farang in the province that you came from?

[NanLaew]

8 hours ago, starky said:

Exactly. I know Thailand is a bit backward, but falang i would put in the same box as chocalate man. Probably innocuous but run round calling every fellow you see with darker skin chocalate man im guessing ya gonna <deleted> at least a few off. 

Only two of them so far.

[Neeranam]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

You thing they couldn't manage 'hansum man'?

This only happens in prostitution areas. 

[Neeranam]

2 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

So how do they pronounce farang in the province that you came from?

Farang

[overherebc]

4 minutes ago, rott said:

Really.? All of it.?

Including all the hotels and restaurants, the good properties, all the dark side.?

I never realised, but you obviously know all about it. 

It may have some some nice places but, at least pre covid, it had the name internationaly as the place where older 'farang', ( on topic ???? ) went for cheap sex with women or girls or ladyboys.

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, Neeranam said:

This only happens in prostitution areas. 

Maybe to you, but not to me.

[Neeranam]

20 minutes ago, KanchanaburiGuy said:

Weren't there a couple of highly publicized incidents not too long ago where a government official.......... (a transit boss, maybe?)........... was openly  talking about the dirty, smelly, arrogant and rude foreigners plaguing Thai society? ........... And didn't he pointedly refer to them/us as "farangs?" 

To be fair, he was misquoted by the gutter English press. 

[Neeranam]

Just now, BritManToo said:

Maybe to you, but not to me.

Are you saying you are called 'handsum man' by non-prostitutes?

 

Aren't you a pensioner? 

[BritManToo]

Just now, Neeranam said:

Are you saying you are called 'handsum man' by non-prostitutes?

Aren't you a pensioner? 

Not for my first 10 years in Thailand.

Then I was an international jet-setting playboy.

[NanLaew]

6 hours ago, Neeranam said:

They are the ones who should understand. 

However, some of these middle classed Thais, especially the Chinese ones are the ones that want to keep us down. 

Rather ironic as they came here mostly a couple of generations ago. 

We will never integrate as well as the Chinese. 

"Us..."?

 

"We..."?