How Do I Say 'other'?

[Lizphuket]

Please can someone advise me on how do I say 'other' as in 'other students' or 'other people' in Thai?

The context is that I am having a small dispute with my bf who has gone back to school for a year or two. His teacher seems to be very enthusiastic about arranging fieldtrips which involve me in added costs (since bf in question is not working). I tried to suggest that he might get the teacher to limit trips and, assuming the other students don't have farang girlfriends, I wanted to ask how the other students funded their studies. Rather ran our of steam when I realised I didn't know how to phrase the question and just ended up saying 'never mind'!

Thanks

Liz Phuket

[withnail]

other students

นักศึกษาคนอื่น

nák sèuk-săa kon èun

Edited November 14, 2007 by withnail

[BambinA]

Please can someone advise me on how do I say 'other' as in 'other students' or 'other people' in Thai?

Although I am a Thai, I am not so good in the language. Anyway 'other' = eun อื่น means , not count you (or your things).It's another thing.

other students = nuk rien khon eun นักเรียนคนอื่น (student = nuk rien )

other people = khon eun คนอื่น (people = คน ประชาชน)

other place = tee eun ที่อื่น (place = ที่ สถานที่)

other woman = poo ying khon eun (woman =ผู้หญิง)

ps. other = another

Edited November 14, 2007 by BambinA

[BambinA]

Note for "student" word

Student = nuk rien นักเรียน from kindergarten to high school.

and it is either nuk suk sa นักศึกษา or nisit นิสิต from undergraduate level to upper level

[Lizphuket]

other students

นักศึกษาคนอื่น

nák sèuk-săa kon èun

Thanks for that. Got another post which gives a bit more info about 'student' as well.

As an aside, I looked through all the back postings for the 'learn a word a day' thread. Saw that you contributed quite a lot. It then rather got high-jacked and died a death. Do you think it would be worth trying to revive it aimed at beginners like me? I would be happy to contribute words as I learn them.

Liz Phuket

[Lizphuket]

Please can someone advise me on how do I say 'other' as in 'other students' or 'other people' in Thai?

Although I am a Thai, I am not so good in the language. Anyway 'other' = eun อื่น means , not count you (or your things).It's another thing.

other students = nuk rien khon eun นักเรียนคนอื่น (student = nuk rien )

other people = khon eun คนอื่น (people = คน ประชาชน)

other place = tee eun ที่อื่น (place = ที่ สถานที่)

other woman = poo ying khon eun (woman =ผู้หญิง)

ps. other = another

Thanks BambinA. Doubt if I will win the argument with bf Nook but I can try!

[thaipete]

I always say "Ow eek Krap"

and it works

[withnail]

Thanks for that. Got another post which gives a bit more info about 'student' as well.

As an aside, I looked through all the back postings for the 'learn a word a day' thread. Saw that you contributed quite a lot. It then rather got high-jacked and died a death. Do you think it would be worth trying to revive it aimed at beginners like me? I would be happy to contribute words as I learn them.

Liz Phuket

No problem. The 'learn a word a day' thread was/is a great idea. Personally, I just find with any thread that goes on for that long that I lose interest and as you mentioned it quickly gets sidetracked. I also think with pinned threads as they get longer people stop looking at them as they don't want to have to read through pages and pages of comments.

I almost think that word of the day would be more successful if it wasn't pinned and the words were added on a day to day basis. That way if a topic is sidetracked or elaborated on it stays within the confines of that thread. This would be something for the moderators to agree upon.

I always say "Ow eek Krap"

and it works

Nothing wrong with this but it means Can I have another?/Give me some more. Slightly different to the OP's request.

[qualtrough]

I always say "Ow eek Krap"

and it works

As someone noted, that is for asking for more of something, but it would be better to use ko (ขอ) instead of (เอา), at least with strangers, as it is more polite.

[Richard W]

other woman = poo ying khon eun (woman =ผู้หญิง)

Is the use of the classifier with uen obligatory? More precisely, as obligatory as with nii 'this' and nan 'that'?

[mangkorn]

other woman = poo ying khon eun (woman =ผู้หญิง)

Is the use of the classifier with uen obligatory? More precisely, as obligatory as with nii 'this' and nan 'that'?

I'm pretty sure it is obligatory. Could it be one of those cases where you might get by without it, but that would be gramatically incorrect?

[chutai]

'other' = eun

What's the pronunciatio of 'eun' please anyone ? Presumably not 'ooun'.

[mangkorn]

'other' = eun

What's the pronunciatio of 'eun' please anyone ? Presumably not 'ooun'.

The best pronunciation guide there is to say the "u" sound as in "tune," with a smile.

When smiling, you cannot produce the "u", but instead get that proper Thai vowel sound.

[meadish_sweetball]

'other' = eun

What's the pronunciatio of 'eun' please anyone ? Presumably not 'ooun'.

The best pronunciation guide there is to say the "u" sound as in "tune," with a smile.

When smiling, you cannot produce the "u", but instead get that proper Thai vowel sound.

Yep. The tongue position is pretty much the same as in a long oooo sound. Where most foreigners go wrong, is that they don't spread their lips enough into a smile. The oooo sound requires rounded lips, whereas the อื sound requires spread lips.

To get it right the first times, exaggerate the smile and test the sound out on a Thai who can correct you - listen very closely to what they sound like and adjust accordingly. Sooner or later you will hit the proper sound. Don't worry about looking like a complete imbecille for trying too hard... we have all been there. It's good to exaggerate the first times, that way you will find it easier to cement the right lip position.

One way of forcing your lips apart is by putting a pen/pencil across your mouth, lightly biting it, this will force your lips to spread, making it impossible to round them.

Once you've got the sound right you can practice doing it with just the right amount of smiling, and then you won't have to look like an imbecille anymore.

[phibunmike]

I always say "Ow eek Krap"

and it works

As someone noted, that is for asking for more of something, but it would be better to use ko (ขอ) instead of (เอา), at least with strangers, as it is more polite.

Sorry, this is off topic, but you have raised an interesting point.

I asked for a beer in a bar (where I am known by the staff) by "kor Heineken kuat noi na kap". My wife said it would be better to use "ao" instead of "kor" in this case, as I was ordering as a purchase, and "kor" sounded more like requesting a complimentary beer. I should mention that this is in Isaan.

Can anyone comment on this?

Thanks,

Mike

[meadish_sweetball]

I always say "Ow eek Krap"

and it works

As someone noted, that is for asking for more of something, but it would be better to use ko (ขอ) instead of (เอา), at least with strangers, as it is more polite.

Sorry, this is off topic, but you have raised an interesting point.

I asked for a beer in a bar (where I am known by the staff) by "kor Heineken kuat noi na kap". My wife said it would be better to use "ao" instead of "kor" in this case, as I was ordering as a purchase, and "kor" sounded more like requesting a complimentary beer. I should mention that this is in Isaan.

Can anyone comment on this?

Thanks,

Mike

If you say ขวดน้อย (khuad noi), which is Lao/Northeastern/Northern Thai for 'small bottle', instead of ขวดเล็ก (khuad lek) which is the Central Thai way of saying it, it probably sounds weird mixed with ขอ instead of เอา.

You should probably try to separate the local dialect from Central Thai - your wife is probably trying to help you with this.

In Central Thai I have never heard anyone say anything but that it is perfectly alright to use ขอ instead of เอา to be more polite.

[phibunmike]

Sorry, this is off topic, but you have raised an interesting point.

I asked for a beer in a bar (where I am known by the staff) by "kor Heineken kuat noi na kap". My wife said it would be better to use "ao" instead of "kor" in this case, as I was ordering as a purchase, and "kor" sounded more like requesting a complimentary beer. I should mention that this is in Isaan.

Can anyone comment on this?

Thanks,

Mike

If you say ขวดน้อย (khuad noi), which is Lao/Northeastern/Northern Thai for 'small bottle', instead of ขวดเล็ก (khuad lek) which is the Central Thai way of saying it, it probably sounds weird mixed with ขอ instead of เอา.

You should probably try to separate the local dialect from Central Thai - your wife is probably trying to help you with this.

In Central Thai I have never heard anyone say anything but that it is perfectly alright to use ขอ instead of เอา to be more polite.

Thanks Meadish,

You have also clarified something else: I have never understood the difference between noi and lek !

It reminds me of when I lived near Barcelona and sometimes spoke Catalan when I thought I was speaking Spanish.

Would central Thai still use "noi" as a polite softener, as in "kor chek bin noi na kap", or is that regional too?

Cheers,

Mike

[meadish_sweetball]

You have also clarified something else: I have never understood the difference between noi and lek !

In Central Thai, น้อย refers to 'few' or 'little' in terms of amount.

It can be used to mean 'little' with a noun too, as in 'little elephant'... but then it sounds more endearing than objective. I am not entirely clear on the usage myself, I am thinking as I am writing.

It reminds me of when I lived near Barcelona and sometimes spoke Catalan when I thought I was speaking Spanish.

Would central Thai still use "noi" as a polite softener, as in "kor chek bin noi na kap", or is that regional too?

Yes - they would. Those two words have different tones and vowel lengths (and spelling in Thai) though. The polite softener หน่อย takes a short vowel sound and a low tone, whereas the other น้อย is a long vowel with a high tone (or falling (I think, at least it sounds that way to me) in the Lao dialects of Isaan).

[phibunmike]

Thanks Meadish, you always give very clear answers to these questions. Thanks also to DavidHouston who PM-ed me with some additional clarification.

I just hope that one day my Thai will be good enough that I can reciprocate with newer learners.

Cheers,

Mike

[mangkorn]

You have also clarified something else: I have never understood the difference between noi and lek !

In Central Thai, น้อย refers to 'few' or 'little' in terms of amount.

It can be used to mean 'little' with a noun too, as in 'little elephant'... but then it sounds more endearing than objective. I am not entirely clear on the usage myself, I am thinking as I am writing.

It reminds me of when I lived near Barcelona and sometimes spoke Catalan when I thought I was speaking Spanish.

Would central Thai still use "noi" as a polite softener, as in "kor chek bin noi na kap", or is that regional too?

Yes - they would. Those two words have different tones and vowel lengths (and spelling in Thai) though. The polite softener หน่อย takes a short vowel sound and a low tone, whereas the other น้อย is a long vowel with a high tone (or falling (I think, at least it sounds that way to me) in the Lao dialects of Isaan).

Not positive of this, but I think หน่อย means "a little, a little bit," and is used in that sense of the polite softener; while น้อย means little in terms of size or quantity.

[meadish_sweetball]

I think หน่อย means "a little, a little bit," and is used in that sense of the polite softener

Yes. That's what I meant to say.

As for น้อย maybe my hunch is wrong, but anyways, if I contrast ช้างตัวเล็ก with ช้างตัวน้อย, the first one feels objective i.e. "a small elephant", whereas the second feels like 'extra diminutive' with an endearing effect, 'the little (itsy bitsy) elephant'.

[ManInSurat]

Easier way to pronounce eun:

Take the English work "burn" and take off the "b".

Or just say "urn".

God I miss Morcambe and Wise.

ManInSurat Out.

[ThaiAdventure]

Easier way to pronounce eun:

Take the English work "burn" and take off the "b".

Or just say "urn".

God I miss Morcambe and Wise.

ManInSurat Out.

Not quite the right sound.

Imagine someone has just picked thier nose and shown you the result....then add an "n"

[meadish_sweetball]

Easier way to pronounce eun:

Take the English work "burn" and take off the "b".

Or just say "urn".

God I miss Morcambe and Wise.

ManInSurat Out.

Allowing for the fact that there are a multitude of English accents, I still don't think I've heard one that has a sound close enough to อื.

With the dialects I know, and now disregarding North American, Irish and Scottish where the 'r' in 'burn' is clearly pronounced, even most Southern English and antepodean accents would produce a sound closer to

เอิน than อืน .

Somebody with a strong Kiwi accent would come closest, but it still would not be the same sound as in Thai.

[DavidHouston]

Easier way to pronounce eun:

Take the English work "burn" and take off the "b".

Or just say "urn".

Allowing for the fact that there are a multitude of English accents, I still don't think I've heard one that has a sound close enough to อื.

With the dialects I know, and now disregarding North American, Irish and Scottish where the 'r' in 'burn' is clearly pronounced, even most Southern English and antepodean accents would produce a sound closer to

เอิน than อืน .

Somebody with a strong Kiwi accent would come closest, but it still would not be the same sound as in Thai.

I have to agree with Meadish. Thai vowels are unique and any attempt to compare the with English vowels or vowel/consonant combinations is fallacious. My suggestion is to ask a native Thai speaker how to say relevant words, then memorize your mouth positions when the Thai tells you that you are finally saying the word correctly. The range of acceptable English sounds, especially vowels, is much to broad to make a linkage to Thai useful.

Edited November 27, 2007 by DavidHouston

[mangkorn]

Just smile - what's so difficult about that?

[truelove]

Please can someone advise me on how do I say 'other' as in 'other students' or 'other people' in Thai?

Although I am a Thai, I am not so good in the language. Anyway 'other' = eun อื่น means , not count you (or your things).It's another thing.

other students = nuk rien khon eun นักเรียนคนอื่น (student = nuk rien )

other people = khon eun คนอื่น (people = คน ประชาชน)

other place = tee eun ที่อื่น (place = ที่ สถานที่)

other woman = poo ying khon eun (woman =ผู้หญิง)

ps. other = another

Thanks BambinA. Doubt if I will win the argument with bf Nook but I can try!

[truelove]

ps. other = another

It's not the same meaning. other should say "uen" ex. won uen-other days, yaang uen - other thing

and another should say 'iik ....... nueng' ex. iik khon nueng, iik won nueng

[mangkorn]

Those two words have different tones and vowel lengths (and spelling in Thai) though. The polite softener หน่อย takes a short vowel sound and a low tone, whereas the other น้อย is a long vowel with a high tone (or falling (I think, at least it sounds that way to me) in the Lao dialects of Isaan).

I just saw a sign distinguishing the meanings of those words, in a building where the management is pushing conservation (and allowing themselves to get a bit lyrical):

คิดตรองสักหน่อย น้ำไฟมีน้อย ค่อยใช้ค่อยประหยัด

It appears หน่อย refers to degree; น้อย refers to quantity or size.

Sound right?

[stateman]

คิดตรองสักหน่อย น้ำไฟมีน้อย ค่อยใช้ค่อยประหยัด

It appears หน่อย refers to degree; น้อย refers to quantity or size.

Sound right?

หน่อย = some (thought, determination); น้อย small quantity (not much)