English language ability and the Thai professional class

[BananaBandit]

On 12/23/2022 at 12:55 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

And if these Thais are higher up on the social ladder, do they want to be heard using broken English?

No, probably not.  I'd failed to consider that factor, but it's likely significant.

[zzaa09]

Savages. Barbarians.

Those that don't comprehend the English.

[FriendlyFarang]

3 hours ago, BananaBandit said:

I visited that link with considerable interest.  Thank you for sending.

 

I recall reading some English-language articles in Thai publications with bylines attributed to Thai writers.  The quality was good, far better than most examples found in the link you sent.  I don't quite understand the reason for such a disparity.

 

Do you know the best link to review English writing by actual Thai professors?

I think the books found there are usually written by professors, take for example this one: http://cuir.car.chula.ac.th/handle/123456789/60446?src=%2Fbrowse%3Ftype%3Dauthor%26value%3DVishnu%2BKotrajaras%26brw_total%3D2%26brw_pos%3D0

I did read a few pages, I'd dare to say that the number of pages without any English language mistakes is probably very small, most pages seem to have multiple mistakes. This is from a professor at the "No. 1 University in Thailand".

Edited December 27, 2022 by FriendlyFarang

[DavisH]

On 12/24/2022 at 12:01 PM, BananaBandit said:

I don't know for sure.  But I would assume an advanced degree professional in a world-class city like Bangkok would have some English proficiency.  Also, someone like a clinical psychologist would likely have significant experience with research articles and other such materials that often appear exclusively in English.

Medical students often use english books in Thailand. I know of my my past students studied to be a pharmacist and used lots of pharmacy books in english. Now working in a private hospital here. So I suspect that their english comprehension is much more advanced than speaking/listening for the most part. Having said that, I've had no problems talking with any doctor or dentist in Bangkok and surrounds. 

[herfiehandbag]

On 12/27/2022 at 7:30 PM, BananaBandit said:

Why is that?

   

I'd wanted to post a question on that particular matter, but I feared a deluge of inane responses from some of the forum's more reflexively spiteful contributors.

 

You don't strike me that way at all.  

 

So I'd be especially interested to hear your viewpoint.

An interesting question. Books seem to only really feature here as study textbooks or instruction manuals. There seems very little in the way of traditions of reading novels and historical accounts for entertainment.

 

Perhaps it is because in western societies near universal literacy has been around for many generations. Certainly in the second half of the last century an increase in leisure led to a demand for reading. The printed book was a significant source of entertainment, demand was fed and satisfied by public libraries and the development of paperback publishers like Penguin.

 

Here universal literacy has really only been established in the last two generations or so. Reading is a central part of education, but during this (more recent) time we have also seen the rapid development of cheap video technology, video CD, DVD and now MP4 and streaming technologies. Perhaps because of this reading for pleasure as opposed to reading for education has never really become established.

 

My take on it anyway!

Edited December 28, 2022 by herfiehandbag

[digbeth]

32 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

An interesting question. Books seem to only really feature here as study textbooks or instruction manuals. There seems very little in the way of traditions of reading novels and historical accounts for entertainment.

 

Perhaps it is because in western societies near universal literacy has been around for many generations. Certainly in the second half of the last century an increase in leisure led to a demand for reading. The printed book was a significant source of entertainment, demand was fed and satisfied by public libraries and the development of paperback publishers like Penguin.

 

Here universal literacy has really only been established in the last two generations or so. Reading is a central part of education, but during this (more recent) time we have also seen the rapid development of cheap video technology, video CD, DVD and now MP4 and streaming technologies. Perhaps because of this reading for pleasure as opposed to reading for education has never really become established.

 

My take on it anyway!

the annual book fair would beg to differ, with attendance from all over the nation with kids from out of town willingly travelling to Bangkok to buy the latest books, the breath and variety of book on offer if heartening

but it is true that literacy and reading for pleasure are the preserve of the few, rather than many, pocket books costing half a day of minimum wage is not tenable, plus the local bookstore, even chain store ones are a dying breed

[Maybole]

My grandweans all speak excellent English but are confused by technical terms.

I have to be careful to use pedantically correct English to them, no reverting to my native Ayrshire dialect although wife Who spent 25 years in Scotland understands me.