Do Thais understand sarcasm?

[Lacessit]

A few days ago, I was waiting in line to cash in the remaining credit on Food Court cards. A Thai woman pushed in front of me to buy 300 bahts' worth.

 

As she was turning away, I thanked her in Thai for being patient. She looked quite confused.

 

What do you think?

[G_Money]

1.  I don’t think they understand sarcasm in the way Westerners do.

 

2.  How good is your Thai?   Maybe she misunderstood or could of been poor her poor manners 

 

You’re a seasoned veteran of Thailand.  You should know situations like this will happen occasionally.

[pattayasan]

14 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

A few days ago, I was waiting in line to cash in the remaining credit on Food Court cards. A Thai woman pushed in front of me to buy 300 bahts' worth.

 

As she was turning away, I thanked her in Thai for being patient. She looked quite confused.

 

What do you think?

 

She may well have understood and not been prepared to carry on the conversation as she would be well outside her comfort zone. Thais are naturally non confrontational. Furthermore, as a farang, you are low in the social pecking order. Thais are no more immune to this sort of attitude than some of us are in our own countries.

Edited November 3 by pattayasan

[London Lowf]

Most posters on here do not understand sarcasm, let alone many other subtleties of the English language.

[chipperPDU]

no, they don't and even many westeners don't.

[Middle Aged Grouch]

It's not that they do not understand scarcasm. They just don't care for basic politeness and respect when dealing with falangs.

[JeffersLos]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

I thanked her in Thai for being patient. She looked quite confused.

 

Write in Thai exactly what you said, then we can help you more. 🙂

[BangkokReady]

Absolutely not.  Doubly so if you're British and have dry humour, they will just think you are being serious and insulting them. 

 

They do like to do some teasing, but I think it's always very OTT and obvious, not like we're used to back home.  I think they even go as far as to often say "kidding, kidding" to make sure.  Their humour is very slapstick and simple.  

[theblether]

In my experience they will be sarcastic with good friends, outside that they wouldn't dream of taking the risk of losing face/causing offence etc 

 

The OP knows he was being sour, and he may well have been entitled to be sour. But when there's no potential victory, don't fight. 

 

 

[Hummin]

No success with irony or sarcasm in Thailand

 

 

If you struggle with withdrawal, there is help

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, London Lowf said:

Most posters on here do not understand sarcasm, let alone many other subtleties of the English language.

 

Sarcasm from strangers is difficult to detect without 'expression' which is why using 'emojis' often helps in text...

[Lorry]

Yes, they do.

But its very difficult to sound sarcastic in a language other than your mother tongue, as can be seen daily  on this forum. And in another culture,  it's even more difficult. 

 

These weird aliens running around Sukhumvit and similar places say Kobkhunkap ("I am very grateful for what you did for me") all day long, when there is no reason for gratitude at all: they say it when nong does her job or when they get 17 baht change at 7/11. So this guy, he said it when I cut in line in front of him... strange ...but they are really friendly,  aren't they?

 

 

 

[FritsSikkink]

3 hours ago, pattayasan said:

Furthermore, as a farang, you are low in the social pecking order. 

You might be but others aren't

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, BangkokReady said:

Absolutely not.  Doubly so if you're British and have dry humour, they will just think you are being serious and insulting them. 

 

They do like to do some teasing, but I think it's always very OTT and obvious, not like we're used to back home.  I think they even go as far as to often say "kidding, kidding" to make sure.  Their humour is very slapstick and simple.  

 

I agree with this... 

 

Dry humor is often lost, but I've met Thai people with dry humor, but I think it works in a different way than 'our dry humor' which is usually accompanied with an element of sarcasm... 

 

My Wife hates it....

She'll be driving... we'll be on a long road, with no turns in sight and she'll ask "which way?"..  I'll reply, turn left here..... 

... and as soon as I've opened my mouth I know I've made a mistake as she's no pi$$ed off with me for being sarcastic !!!

 

 

The most amusing was when I went for a fertility test (when we were trying for a child)... 

I had to go to the hosptial w@nking room... but before I did, a nurse gave me a little plastic cup... and asked..

.. "How many times have you erm... "

.... "erm, what"

.. "How many times have you erm... finished"

.... "I finished breakfast already"

.. "No, I mean How many times have you erm... "

.... "erm, what" (at this point I know I'm going to hell).

.. "How many times have you... er...  finished, er finished for baby"

.... "oh, you mean, how many times have I ejaculated ?"

[palpablie relief on the nurses face] ... "Yes"

.... "This  month or this week?"

[relief on the nurses face dissapears] .. "in the last 24 hours"

.... "ah, ok...  6 times yesterday evening and 3 times this morning"  (I'm definately going to hell).

[Nurse then writes the numbers in a little book]...   the sarcasm completely lost...  but, my evil inner me is chuckling and my wife is embarrased... 

 

 

 

 

[it is what it is]

2 hours ago, Middle Aged Grouch said:

It's not that they do not understand scarcasm. They just don't care for basic politeness and respect when dealing with falangs.

 

speak for yourself, i find thai's generally friendly, polite, tolerant and good humoured.

[GammaGlobulin]

Yes.

Thai people understand sarcasm.

Thai people ARE human, after all....

Obviously.

 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Yes.

Thai people understand sarcasm.

Thai people ARE human, after all....

Obviously.

 

However, while there exists the unifying bond of 'humanity',  divergent cultural norms manifest themselves in subtle yet significant ways, such as the reception of sarcasm. In these cultural contexts, sarcasm is often interpreted literally, stripping it of its intended nuance and rendering it unwelcome.

 

[GammaGlobulin]

27 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

However, while there exists the unifying bond of 'humanity',  divergent cultural norms manifest themselves in subtle yet significant ways, such as the reception of sarcasm. In these cultural contexts, sarcasm is often interpreted literally, stripping it of its intended nuance and rendering it unwelcome.

 

 

Just more Harris-like Word Salad....

 

Or, was this your intention?

 

[scubascuba3]

I see posts on Facebook where they seem to get it

[ColeBOzbourne]

In general, I've found that jokes and sarcasm do not translate well from one language/culture to another.

[mancub]

Mostly only at "playground" level

There's a reason why Mr Bean works so well, but Blackadder never would survive translation .😁

[richard_smith237]

 

10 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

11 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

However, while there exists the unifying bond of 'humanity',  divergent cultural norms manifest themselves in subtle yet significant ways, such as the reception of sarcasm. In these cultural contexts, sarcasm is often interpreted literally, stripping it of its intended nuance and rendering it unwelcome.

 

 

Just more Harris-like Word Salad....

 

Or, was this your intention?

 

 

Here you go... I’d have assumed that someone so relentlessly self-promoted as an intellectual would grasp the post without requiring further explanation.

 

But, alas, comprehension is apparently too lofty a goal for you - here's a simpler version for your comprihension... 

 

....People everywhere are the same in some ways, but they do things differently. For example, some people from different cultures don’t understand joking in a mean way, called sarcasm. They take it as real and don’t like it.

 

---------

 

On a separate note, while I do appreciate the 'Harris-like Word Salad' remark - an amusing insult - I remain perpetually baffled by how you Americans manage to wedge politics into even the most unrelated of conversations. It’s as if your national pastime is the art of irrelevant political tangents. Truly impressive, in the most bemusing sense of the word.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 4 by richard_smith237

[Digitalbanana]

18 hours ago, Lacessit said:

As she was turning away, I thanked her in Thai for being patient. She looked quite confused.

 

What do you think?

In many Asian cultures, sarcasm is often expressed through the use of honorific language or extreme polite forms of address, which can signal a sarcastic or ironic intent. Was that the kind of Thai you spoke?

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, Digitalbanana said:

In many Asian cultures, sarcasm is often expressed through the use of honorific language or extreme polite forms of address, which can signal a sarcastic or ironic intent. Was that the kind of Thai you spoke?

 

Thats a very good point - I've seen witnessed this as a form of sarcasm in Thailand... 

 

....  I think the Thai's call it 'killing someone softly' or some variation of such... 

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

Here you go... I’d have assumed that someone so relentlessly self-promoted as an intellectual would grasp the post without requiring further explanation.

 

But, alas, comprehension is apparently too lofty a goal for you - here's a simpler version for your comprihension... 

 

....People everywhere are the same in some ways, but they do things differently. For example, some people from different cultures don’t understand joking in a mean way, called sarcasm. They take it as real and don’t like it.

 

---------

 

On a separate note, while I do appreciate the 'Harris-like Word Salad' remark - an amusing insult - I remain perpetually baffled by how you Americans manage to wedge politics into even the most unrelated of conversations. It’s as if your national pastime is the art of irrelevant political tangents. Truly impressive, in the most bemusing sense of the word.

 

 

 

 

 

While I am sure few are able to relieve your bafflement by most lofty Topics of mine, and in reply to your question, the main reason is Twain.

 

[NativeBob]

Nope. Thai sense of humor is quite different from Albanian, and better don't try your luck being witty with them. Look at any thai comedy - that's perfect example what do they consider "funny" and "hilarious"

 

Just don't try. western humor in Thailand is retarded Mr.Bean character. 

[connda]

Nope.  That's why it's so fun to use sarcasm around them. 

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, Digitalbanana said:

In many Asian cultures, sarcasm is often expressed through the use of honorific language or extreme polite forms of address, which can signal a sarcastic or ironic intent. Was that the kind of Thai you spoke?

I don't know if thanking her for being patient is the kind of Thai I spoke.

 

Kobkuhn krap is usually regarded as excessively polite. Krap, not so much. I used the former.

[Keeps]

8 minutes ago, NativeBob said:

Nope. Thai sense of humor is quite different from Albanian, and better don't try your luck being witty with them. Look at any thai comedy - that's perfect example what do they consider "funny" and "hilarious"

 

Just don't try. western humor in Thailand is retarded Mr.Bean character. 

Did you know that Norman Wisdom was a comedic and cultural icon in Albania? Boring but true. 555

 

He was one of only a handful of Western actors who was allowed to ply his trade whilst Albania was under the rule of the communist dictator Enver Hoxha.

 

Norman's tag line was 'Mr Grimsdale' who was a bit pompous and Norman's nemesis in the films he starred in as 'Pitkin'.

 

I did warn you it was boring. But still true.

[Keeps]

My Thai Mrs understands sarcasm perfectly well. She often punches me violently in the face when I am sarcastic towards her.