Birth Name Vs. Nick Name

[hiromj]

As it seems that all Thais have nick names, when speaking with your Thai significant other (GF/Wife), which name do you use? I know with my TGF, if I use her birth name I get a bit of a sideways look so I usually call her by her nick name. Just curious.

[gburns57au]

It is Thai superstition.....when they are born they are not called by their birthnames but rather a nickname to ward off and confuse evil spirits.

Sometimes a Thai will change his or her nicknames to try and change their luck or life.

So to call her by her birth name is to expose her to evil spirits.

I only use my wifes birth name for official purposes (such as our wedding) or if I am angry with her....never had to do that yet

[hiromj]

It is Thai superstition.....when they are born they are not called by their birthnames but rather a nickname to ward off and confuse evil spirits.

Sometimes a Thai will change his or her nicknames to try and change their luck or life.

So to call her by her birth name is to expose her to evil spirits.

I only use my wifes birth name for official purposes (such as our wedding) or if I am angry with her....never had to do that yet

Thanks for the information. I didn't know that. Now I know the reason for the "looks".

[Mosha]

My sister-in-law wasn't given a nick name but my wife was. I always use the nickname, usually shortened Thai fashion to the last syllable rather than western style to the first. She calls me ven.

[Stephen Cleary]

Culturally speaking, Jburns is right about the superstitious side to using ones nickname instead of real name, but these days the reasoning lies simply in appropriation.

In spoken every day Thai language, Thais will use with friends etc... their nickname instead of saying 'I'. Example "Lek is going to the market" ie.. "I (lek) am going to the market. So the usage of a one syllable nickname is much more suitable than a long-winded four syllable real name just to say 'I'.

You will notice that urbanite Thai children will often have two syllable Farang-sounding nicknames such as 'Jo-jo' 'Cookie' or 'Kitty' but more often than not, over time, they will be refered to the likes of simply 'Jo' (Jo-jo) 'Kee' (Cookie) or Kit (Kitty).

I've begun to notice that more and more Thais, have done away with giving their children long-winded real names and simply named them 'Nut', Jasmine' or 'Ying'. For both their real and nick-names. This shows that the idea of 'superstition' is once and for being buried.

[naka]

Culturally speaking, Jburns is right about the superstitious side to using ones nickname instead of real name, but these days the reasoning lies simply in appropriation.

In spoken every day Thai language, Thais will use with friends etc... their nickname instead of saying 'I'. Example "Lek is going to the market" ie.. "I (lek) am going to the market. So the usage of a one syllable nickname is much more suitable than a long-winded four syllable real name just to say 'I'.

You will notice that urbanite Thai children will often have two syllable Farang-sounding nicknames such as 'Jo-jo' 'Cookie' or 'Kitty' but more often than not, over time, they will be refered to the likes of simply 'Jo' (Jo-jo) 'Kee' (Cookie) or Kit (Kitty).

I've begun to notice that more and more Thais, have done away with giving their children long-winded real names and simply named them 'Nut', Jasmine' or 'Ying'. For both their real and nick-names. This shows that the idea of 'superstition' is once and for being buried.

No equivalent in the Thai language to "I" ?

Naka.

[Acquiesce]

As it seems that all Thais have nick names, when speaking with your Thai significant other (GF/Wife), which name do you use? I know with my TGF, if I use her birth name I get a bit of a sideways look so I usually call her by her nick name. Just curious.

My wife is Japanese. Although I can speak conversational Japanese, we only speak English at home as it seems to be the only English my son get exposed to.

You forget about this post?

[bina]

women and children and 'lower downs' use their name in place of I; its a way of showing 'lower' status in age or occupation: some men will also do that but rare... my husband would never say anon wants this or that, and he also only uses pom and when talking with himself or praying he uses the more literary version of I; i worked with someone that used his own name to refer to himself, or chan (no he wasnt a ladyboy either)as in : pong doesnt like the rain. he was lower in status then most of the guys around him.

and some men might use their name when speaking words of endearment lek rak dao.... mostly younger guys.

i use 'chan' and not di chan...

some nicknames change with circumstance sort of like with a bunch of guys: shorty, fatty, skinny, red... even if at home they had a different nickname from day one.

[mrbojangles]

As it seems that all Thais have nick names, when speaking with your Thai significant other (GF/Wife), which name do you use? I know with my TGF, if I use her birth name I get a bit of a sideways look so I usually call her by her nick name. Just curious.

My wife is Japanese. Although I can speak conversational Japanese, we only speak English at home as it seems to be the only English my son get exposed to.

You forget about this post?

Well spotted Acquiesce. Maybe Hiromj is talking about his Mia Noi

[lazeeboy]

As it seems that all Thais have nick names, when speaking with your Thai significant other (GF/Wife), which name do you use? I know with my TGF, if I use her birth name I get a bit of a sideways look so I usually call her by her nick name. Just curious.

My wife is Japanese. Although I can speak conversational Japanese, we only speak English at home as it seems to be the only English my son get exposed to.

You forget about this post?

Well spotted Acquiesce. Maybe Hiromj is talking about his Mia Noi

didnt know my wifes real name for a couple of months ,never call her by it as she probably would'nt reply

[hiromj]

As it seems that all Thais have nick names, when speaking with your Thai significant other (GF/Wife), which name do you use? I know with my TGF, if I use her birth name I get a bit of a sideways look so I usually call her by her nick name. Just curious.

My wife is Japanese. Although I can speak conversational Japanese, we only speak English at home as it seems to be the only English my son get exposed to.

You forget about this post?

Well spotted Acquiesce. Maybe Hiromj is talking about his Mia Noi

Yep....

Did you notice what group Acquiesce belongs to now?

Edited November 13, 2007 by hiromj

[britmaveric]

Nick name unless speaking seriously.

[tingtong]

as she have a rather short real thai name( 5 letters only), usually everybody use that.

[saraburioz]

My wife has one real name and two nicknames. She studied high school abroad and they couldn't pronounce her name so she made another one. Took me 3 years before I could say her original nickname so used the new one. Now I can say them both but stick to the English version. She also has a prefix before her original given name which I sometimes use to take the piss which I shouldn't really as it is 'royal'.