Farangs And Falangs

[tracer5050]

I love reading this stuff even if it get kind of boring sometime.

[kiakaha]

Why oh why do people say 'falang' when it is obviously 'farang'?

Would a foreigner unable to pronounce the letter 'r' and calls a rabbit a 'wabbit' also write 'wabbit' in a letter or a forum post? No, I think not. So copy this mispronunciation, both verbally and in writing? Why 'falang'?

I have a theory.

The type of farang who uses the word 'falang' has spent too much time around Thai's who can't say 'farang'. Read into that what you will . ..

"The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"

Spoken by 4 guys : British, American ,Aussie, Kiwi...let me ask you, whose pronunciation is correct ?

Saying it is one thing but why do people insist on spelling it this way?

I know that those Thais who say 'falang' still spell it correctly unless they are illiterate.

Due to being Irish I say things in a certain way but I don't write the way I speak as this would lead to confusion.

are you thick ? can you read and write thai ? fa®(l)ang is a thai word, written in thai script and pronounced based on the thai consonant and vowel rules.

Whether the 2nd consonant has more of an "r" or an "l" sound is subject to many different reasons.

learn thai properly, travel all over the country and you will here all sorts of this words pronounced differently based on region,social-demographic of people speaking etc.....

[ajarnmark]

One Thai girl said that some Thais use "l" instead of "r" in Thai because they want to be seen as Chinese-Thai as they view them as hip and rich or something. Not saying it's true, but that was her theory. She was mainly referring to youngsters.

Totally opposite to what is reality. If you want to sound like rich and hi-so, u must be able to pronounce r correctly.

[Pepe']

Anyone who's interested in this subject can use the forum search (try the search words farang and pronounced). This topic has been discussed so many times I've lost count.

Well, pardon me for breathing.

My question isn't about why Thais say it. It's why do farangs say it? There was a subtext to the question and it was ironically aimed at another thread, but sometimes I fear I'm too obtuse for my own good.

----------------------------

Knowing you've got a problem is half the battle...

[qwertz]

The word farang is very old and has done the rounds of the world.

If anyone is really interested in the origin, note the following.

It was originally Germanic and described the Franks who were so heavy handed in the crusades they earned all Europeans the name Ferenghi.

The French may not like this but their country is named after the Franks too (German = Frankreich)

Even our own word foreigner is a corruption of the same.

And the pronunciation is entirely depend on region and folk.

Hope this helps.

[farangsay]

The word farang is very old and has done the rounds of the world.

If anyone is really interested in the origin, note the following.

It was originally Germanic and described the Franks who were so heavy handed in the crusades they earned all Europeans the name Ferenghi.

The French may not like this but their country is named after the Franks too (German = Frankreich)

Even our own word foreigner is a corruption of the same.

And the pronunciation is entirely depend on region and folk.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for that Qweltz.

[OxfordWill]

I've heard the Queen on Tele say "falang".

[lannarebirth]

I've heard the Queen on Tele say "falang".

I used to live with a princess, She said falang also. Very good manners she has, too.

[OxfordWill]

are you thick ? can you read and write thai ? fa®(l)ang is a thai word, written in thai script and pronounced based on the thai consonant and vowel rules.

Whether the 2nd consonant has more of an "r" or an "l" sound is subject to many different reasons.

learn thai properly, travel all over the country and you will here all sorts of this words pronounced differently based on region,social-demographic of people speaking etc.....

Couldn't agree more..

[Kimera]

The word farang is very old and has done the rounds of the world.

If anyone is really interested in the origin, note the following.

It was originally Germanic and described the Franks who were so heavy handed in the crusades they earned all Europeans the name Ferenghi.

The French may not like this but their country is named after the Franks too (German = Frankreich)

Even our own word foreigner is a corruption of the same.

And the pronunciation is entirely depend on region and folk.

Hope this helps.

Many years ago I asked the origin of the word, I was told that it developed from the Thai inability to pronounce the words French and foreigner

[sukanyacondo]

Why oh why do people say 'falang' when it is obviously 'farang'?

Would a foreigner unable to pronounce the letter 'r' and calls a rabbit a 'wabbit' also write 'wabbit' in a letter or a forum post? No, I think not. So copy this mispronunciation, both verbally and in writing? Why 'falang'?

I have a theory.

The type of farang who uses the word 'falang' has spent too much time around Thai's who can't say 'farang'. Read into that what you will . ..

My wife prefers to say farong she says it tastes better????? she never stops eating

[sukanyacondo]

I have a theory.

The type of farang who uses the word 'falang' has spent too much time around Thai's who can't say 'farang'. Read into that what you will . ..

I too have a theory.

The type of falang who thinks that the plural of Thai is 'Thai's' has not spent enough time around a classroom and would - as a consequence - be well advised not to attempt to sneer at others.

But it's only a theory.

Hahahaha. Hoisted on my own petard.

But, really, I'm not sneering. I'm genuinely baffled as to why farang people who can quite easily say farang . . ummm . . don't. Instead they say falang.

Cuz theyr'e taking the p1ss!!

[tw25rw]

I have a theory.

The type of farang who uses the word 'falang' has spent too much time around Thai's who can't say 'farang'. Read into that what you will . ..

I too have a theory.

The type of falang who thinks that the plural of Thai is 'Thai's' has not spent enough time around a classroom and would - as a consequence - be well advised not to attempt to sneer at others.

But it's only a theory.

Hahahaha. Hoisted on my own petard.

But, really, I'm not sneering. I'm genuinely baffled as to why farang people who can quite easily say farang . . ummm . . don't. Instead they say falang.

Cuz theyr'e taking the p1ss!!

I do it because I can't roll my Rs (memories of Benny Hill as the Chinaman) and the girls I know are from Issan. I tell them my name , Barry, and they say it back as Bellee. When I correct them, they look mystified as they think they're saying it right.

[cdnvic]

So we are taking a Thai word, and assuming that they (Thais) are in fact mispronouncing it because our own spelling we've established for the word differs from how Thais have been speaking it for 300 or so years?

How collectively up ourselves can we get?

Edited August 22, 2007 by cdnvic

[bendix]

How collectively up ourselves can we get?

I don't know about collectively, but on a personal level I've got a hel_l of a lot more wriggle room.

[garro]

Why oh why do people say 'falang' when it is obviously 'farang'?

Would a foreigner unable to pronounce the letter 'r' and calls a rabbit a 'wabbit' also write 'wabbit' in a letter or a forum post? No, I think not. So copy this mispronunciation, both verbally and in writing? Why 'falang'?

I have a theory.

The type of farang who uses the word 'falang' has spent too much time around Thai's who can't say 'farang'. Read into that what you will . ..

"The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"

Spoken by 4 guys : British, American ,Aussie, Kiwi...let me ask you, whose pronunciation is correct ?

Saying it is one thing but why do people insist on spelling it this way?

I know that those Thais who say 'falang' still spell it correctly unless they are illiterate.

Due to being Irish I say things in a certain way but I don't write the way I speak as this would lead to confusion.

are you thick ? can you read and write thai ? fa®(l)ang is a thai word, written in thai script and pronounced based on the thai consonant and vowel rules.

Whether the 2nd consonant has more of an "r" or an "l" sound is subject to many different reasons.

learn thai properly, travel all over the country and you will here all sorts of this words pronounced differently based on region,social-demographic of people speaking etc.....

I am not quite sure why you need to resort to insulting me me but I will respond to your post anyway. Yes I can both read and write Thai and I have been studying it for the five years I have lived here. I am very much interested in Buddhism, and have been since my teens, and spend a lot of time reading books about Thai Buddhism which have not been translated into English. I have also helped with some translation work for a temple near Mai Sai.

In the accepted transliteration system of Thailand ร is always written as r, this has nothing to do with pronounciation, but more to do with a shared system of transliteration so as to aid understanding. If every word was written the way it was pronounced by each dialect it would cause a lot if confusion. We don't do this in English so why do you think it should be done in Thai.

When I disagee with somebody on TV I try and put across my own view without insulting them, but I see that you are not capable of this so perhaps you should try and learn some basic manners. I always feel that it is a bit cowardly insulting people on an anonymous forum.

Edited August 23, 2007 by garro

[garro]

are you thick ? can you read and write thai ? fa®(l)ang is a thai word, written in thai script and pronounced based on the thai consonant and vowel rules.

Whether the 2nd consonant has more of an "r" or an "l" sound is subject to many different reasons.

learn thai properly, travel all over the country and you will here all sorts of this words pronounced differently based on region,social-demographic of people speaking etc.....

Couldn't agree more..

If you are going to insult somebody at least have the decency to use your own flames rather than someone else's.

I wonder if yourself and kikaha would be so quick asking strangers 'are you thick?' if it were face to face

Edited August 23, 2007 by garro

[dttk0009]

I say 'falang'. I know 'farang' is the proper pronunciation. I hang out with Thai people who say it the same way I do. I spell it as falang because it's the phonetic translation, like every other word.

Life is good.

Here's another one that'll grind bendix's gears.

Why is Sukhumvit spelled with a v, when it's clearly a w sound?

[Suszzy]

farang or falang..whatever you say is not a big deal,is it?

as long as people around you understand the meaning..

anyway..happy birthday stranger!!

i mean..mr bendix

[steveromagnino]

I say 'falang'. I know 'farang' is the proper pronunciation. I hang out with Thai people who say it the same way I do. I spell it as falang because it's the phonetic translation, like every other word.

Life is good.

Here's another one that'll grind bendix's gears.

Why is Sukhumvit spelled with a v, when it's clearly a w sound?

Because that is the correct system of romanisation of Thai developed a few years ago.

Using the same system is why it is Shinawatra, and not Shinawhat. Confusing I know....but bear with me.

And is why it would be farang and not falung.

Oar maybee, because it sounds aye bit like this wee should rite it just ass it sounds far-lung.

Jus because dem fellas at da freezin works in da Otara speek like dis, don't me I gonna rite like dat aye.

[meemiathai]

Every thai person I met says falang or some says farerererererang to me. So I say falang or sometimes farerererererang.

What is the big deal?

[WaiWai]

Thanks, Garro & Stevero......o. I get it now. I thought we were just using our alphabet to reflect what we said/heard in Thai and was not aware of an established sytem.

Hmm, I guess some of us are doing what I thought, though, since we don't know the system.

[AlbertTatlockDeceased]

Isn't it the simple fact that if you learn Thai..ie from a book or course, Farang is pronounced Farang,regardless how it is spelled, if however you are new to the language, and pronounce it as you hear it..i.e in the north, then it is clearly Falang (i.e. you have no former schooling in the language)....is it really that hard? The thai V is a W in pronunciation... Wor When as my 6 year old keeps critisising me ...is there a V sound in Thai? I cannot recall one, only lots of K and G

It must be similar to my dialect and other dialects in the Uk...sometimes completely unrecognisable !

[WaiWai]

I learnt only recently that there's a Lanna alphabet. Does it have a letter for the "r" sound ?

[qwertz]

The simple fact is that the word is of foreign origin anyway.

How many of us call our car a "folksvagen" or a "bay em vay" when in fact that is the correct pronunciation.

If you don't learn the exact pronunciation at an early age, you'll find it difficult to master as an adult.

[meadish_sweetball]

Thanks, Garro & Stevero......o. I get it now. I thought we were just using our alphabet to reflect what we said/heard in Thai and was not aware of an established sytem.

Hmm, I guess some of us are doing what I thought, though, since we don't know the system.

Actually 'Sukhumvit' is not according to the established system (RTGS- Royal Thai General System of Transcription http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Thai_Ge...f_Transcription ).

It should be Sukhumwit ... as for the cause of the exception, I don't know.

[raindrops]

Seriously though, I think this forum is a fantastic subject for a novel. I must get round to it one day.

When will that be?

[bendix]

Soon. I just havent decided if it's a comedy or a tragedy.

Would you like to feature in it?

[geronimo]

Why oh why do people say 'falang' when it is obviously 'farang'?

Would a foreigner unable to pronounce the letter 'r' and calls a rabbit a 'wabbit' also write 'wabbit' in a letter or a forum post? No, I think not. So copy this mispronunciation, both verbally and in writing? Why 'falang'?

I have a theory.

The type of farang who uses the word 'falang' has spent too much time around Thai's who can't say 'farang'. Read into that what you will . ..

Having read the several pages of replies to this post, I wonder if this kind of conversation would come up if we were all in the same room. I think not. Happy Birthday Bendix and incidentally there are many productive activities one can get into to stave off boredom.

[raindrops]

Soon. I just havent decided if it's a comedy or a tragedy.

Would you like to feature in it?

ermmm..errrrr.....not a good idea....not a good idea