อยู่ดีๆ

[DavidHouston]

I am having some difficulty understanding a sentence structure. The following is per Lexitron (seconded by my lovely wife):

อยู่ดีๆ [ADV] unexpectedly; suddenly; abruptly; without warning

Syn. จู่ๆ

Def. ไปตามปกติดีๆ.

Sample:เขาทำงานอยู่ดีๆ ก็โดนไม้ตกใส่หัว

The meaning of the sample sentence appears to be:

"He was working along when, unexpectedly and without warning, a log fell on his head."

My question is about the structure of the sentence. The phrase "อยู่ดีๆ" appears to modify the clause "เขาทำงาน", but this clause is not the "unexpected" part of the sentence, the falling log is the unexpected portion. (Unless, of course, he or she was a lazy worker and the log that fell was the cartoon cliche meaning that the worker was sleeping and was wakened unpectedly.)

I could understand a structure that went something like, "เขากำลังทำงานอยู่ เมื่อเผอิญโดนไม้ตกใส่หัวอยู่ดีๆ"

I'm not trying to restructure the language; just trying to understand the syntax of this sentence. Thanks.

[meadish_sweetball]

I understand why you are confused I think.

Seems to me that in fact, อยู่ดีๆ I think conveys something along the lines of 'in peace and quiet' (but also signals 'something unexpected or sudden is about to happen in contrast').

There is nothing else in the sentence to convey the sense of 'all of a sudden' so I guess it could be argued that yuu dii dii has this function too, even though the actual action occurs in the following clause.

Does that make sense or am I even more confused than you?

[taxexile]

Seems to me that in fact, อยู่ดีๆ I think conveys something along the lines of 'in peace and quiet' (but also signals 'something unexpected or sudden is about to happen in contrast').

thats my understanding , and my wifes too , although the อยู่ดีๆ doesnt necessarily imply something unexpected is about to happen , but in this case qualifies the normality of things before the log fell.

perhaps slightly related to this , could tan dai ( sorry , dont know the spelling) be used to imply suddeness.

i hear tan dai a lot , but can never quite work out the exact meaning of it , and my wife thinks i might be mispronouncing it and i can never recall a full sentence to give her as an example.

Edited December 22, 2007 by taxexile

[DavidHouston]

Seems to me that in fact, อยู่ดีๆ I think conveys something along the lines of 'in peace and quiet' (but also signals 'something unexpected or sudden is about to happen in contrast').

thats my understanding , and my wifes too , although the อยู่ดีๆ doesnt necessarily imply something unexpected is about to happen , but in this case qualifies the normality of things before the log fell.

perhaps slightly related to this , could tan dai ( sorry , dont know the spelling) be used to imply suddeness.

i hear tan dai a lot , but can never quite work out the exact meaning of it , and my wife thinks i might be mispronouncing it and i can never recall a full sentence to give her as an example.

This from Lexitron; the sentence translation is mine - corrections are appreciated:

ทันใด [ADV] suddenly; at that moment; at once; promptly; quickly; instant; right away

Syn. เดี๋ยวนั้น, ฉับพลัน, ทันที, ทันใดนั้น, ทันทีทันใด

Sample:รถคันหนึ่งแล่นปราดเข้ามาจอดชิดขอบถนน ทันใดก็มีเสียงปืนดังขึ้นหกนัด

"A car pulled up quickly and parked along the side of the road; suddenly six gunshots rang out."

Taxexile, I think you are hearing the words exactly correctly.

Edited December 22, 2007 by DavidHouston

[yoot]

I am having some difficulty understanding a sentence structure. The following is per Lexitron (seconded by my lovely wife):

อยู่ดีๆ [ADV] unexpectedly; suddenly; abruptly; without warning

Syn. จู่ๆ

Def. ไปตามปกติดีๆ.

Sample:เขาทำงานอยู่ดีๆ ก็โดนไม้ตกใส่หัว

The meaning of the sample sentence appears to be:

"He was working along when, unexpectedly and without warning, a log fell on his head."

My question is about the structure of the sentence. The phrase "อยู่ดีๆ" appears to modify the clause "เขาทำงาน", but this clause is not the "unexpected" part of the sentence, the falling log is the unexpected portion. (Unless, of course, he or she was a lazy worker and the log that fell was the cartoon cliche meaning that the worker was sleeping and was wakened unpectedly.)

I could understand a structure that went something like, "เขากำลังทำงานอยู่ เมื่อเผอิญโดนไม้ตกใส่หัวอยู่ดีๆ"

I'm not trying to restructure the language; just trying to understand the syntax of this sentence. Thanks.

If you notice at the definition of this word: Def. ไปตามปกติดีๆ. and Syn. จู่ๆ, you will see that they are not the same.

If อยู่ดีๆ is at the end of the sentence it means ไปตามปกติดีๆ. which is the same as taxexile and Meadish have mentioned -- but in this case qualifies the normality of things, something along the lines of 'in peace and quiet' --. If it's at the begining of the sentence it means suddenly the same as จู่ๆ.

[DavidHouston]

I am having some difficulty understanding a sentence structure. The following is per Lexitron (seconded by my lovely wife):

อยู่ดีๆ [ADV] unexpectedly; suddenly; abruptly; without warning

Syn. จู่ๆ

Def. ไปตามปกติดีๆ.

Sample:เขาทำงานอยู่ดีๆ ก็โดนไม้ตกใส่หัว

The meaning of the sample sentence appears to be:

"He was working along when, unexpectedly and without warning, a log fell on his head."

My question is about the structure of the sentence. The phrase "อยู่ดีๆ" appears to modify the clause "เขาทำงาน", but this clause is not the "unexpected" part of the sentence, the falling log is the unexpected portion. (Unless, of course, he or she was a lazy worker and the log that fell was the cartoon cliche meaning that the worker was sleeping and was wakened unpectedly.)

I could understand a structure that went something like, "เขากำลังทำงานอยู่ เมื่อเผอิญโดนไม้ตกใส่หัวอยู่ดีๆ"

I'm not trying to restructure the language; just trying to understand the syntax of this sentence. Thanks.

If you notice at the definition of this word: Def. ไปตามปกติดีๆ. and Syn. จู่ๆ, you will see that they are not the same.

If อยู่ดีๆ is at the end of the sentence it means ไปตามปกติดีๆ. which is the same as taxexile and Meadish have mentioned -- but in this case qualifies the normality of things, something along the lines of 'in peace and quiet' --. If it's at the begining of the sentence it means suddenly the same as จู่ๆ.

Thank you, Khun Yoot, as well as Meadish and Exile.

Perhaps a good encompassing definition of the usage of this phrase would be "all was quiet and normal, when (all of a sudden)". The "all of a sudden" phrase is implied, โดยปริยาย. As we might say in a story, "The night was eerily quiet, . . . ."

[taxexile]

DavidHouston

Taxexile, I think you are hearing the words exactly correctly.

then perhaps you should be the one to tell my wife that she is hearing it incorrectly !!

Edited December 22, 2007 by taxexile

[DavidHouston]

DavidHouston

Taxexile, I think you are hearing the words exactly correctly.

then perhaps you should be the one to tell my wife that she is hearing it incorrectly !!

Sorry, ผมก็กลัวเมียเหมือนกัน ทั้งเมียคุณและเมียผมเอง

[taxexile]

[chinnotes]

I find the discussion about อยู่ดีๆ very interesting. I would say as for the Thai language I am on an lower medium level and learn a lot by these threads...

In the internet I found the following phrase: มีไก่ย่างอยู่ดี่ๆี ไม่ว่าดี

In this case I do not think that อยู่ดีๆ has anything to do with "suddenly".

But what is the exact meaning of the phrase? I would be thankful for any suggestions...

Erwin (อัศวิน)

[stateman]

Perhaps a good encompassing definition of the usage of this phrase would be "all was quiet and normal, when (all of a sudden)". The "all of a sudden" phrase is implied..

This is the way it is used. when you see อยู่ดีๆ it usually is followed by 'then something else' happened.

[Rikker]

Good discussion. I think of อยู่ดีๆ as having the same semantic weight as the English "minding (my/his/their/etc) own business..." So whatever follows อยู่ดีๆ, it wasn't caused by any abnormal actions or provocation on the part of the subject of the prior sentence.

[DavidHouston]

I find the discussion about อยู่ดีๆ very interesting. I would say as for the Thai language I am on an lower medium level and learn a lot by these threads...

In the internet I found the following phrase: มีไก่ย่างอยู่ดี่ๆี ไม่ว่าดี

In this case I do not think that อยู่ดีๆ has anything to do with "suddenly".

But what is the exact meaning of the phrase? I would be thankful for any suggestions...

Erwin (อัศวิน)

Here is another wonderful example from http://my.dek-d.com/Writer/story/viewlongc...&chapter=57 with my attempt at a translation:

คุณกำลังอ่านหนังสือกำลังนั่งเคลิ้มจะหลับเเต่หยู่ดีๆ เอ๊ะ!! อาไรมาไต่ขาหว่า? ไหนดูหน่อยสิ .. อี๋ ~ เเมลงสาบ หยากถามว่าหลังจากนี้คุณจะทำไง

"You're just sitting there reading a book and daydreaming and are just about to doze off, when eek! what is crawling up my leg!?!? Oh, it's a cockroach. I would like to pose a question: after this happens, what would you do?" (It could be that in the context of a writer, the poster is asking what literary device should be used as a follow-on to the introductory sentence.)

[aanon]

I find the discussion about อยู่ดีๆ very interesting. I would say as for the Thai language I am on an lower medium level and learn a lot by these threads...

In the internet I found the following phrase: มีไก่ย่างอยู่ดี่ๆี ไม่ว่าดี

In this case I do not think that อยู่ดีๆ has anything to do with "suddenly".

But what is the exact meaning of the phrase? I would be thankful for any suggestions...

Erwin (อัศวิน)

you're right erwin,

อยู่ดี ไม่ว่าดี is a fixed expression meaning something like "(he) couldn't leave well enough alone". you'd use it in a situation when a person unnecessarily causes himself trouble.

all the best.

[DavidHouston]

Thank you, Aanon, I'd not heard this before; it can be very useful.

This is from the RID:

อยู่ดีไม่ว่าดี (สำ) ว. แทนที่จะอยู่เฉย ๆ กลับทำสิ่งที่ก่อให้เกิดความ

See if I get this translation correct: "Instead of keeping things the way they are [lit. just standing around], you do something that will cause a problem [difficulty /a lawsuit / a conflict / a mess]."

I have been trying for years to find something like this to say to my wife! Thanks again.

Edited December 23, 2007 by DavidHouston

[aanon]

Thank you, Aanon, I'd not heard this before; it can be very useful.

This is from the RID:

อยู่ดีไม่ว่าดี (สำ) ว. แทนที่จะอยู่เฉย ๆ กลับทำสิ่งที่ก่อให้เกิดความ

See if I get this translation correct: "Instead of keeping things the way they are [lit. just standing around], you do something that will cause a problem [difficulty /a lawsuit / a conflict / a mess]."

I have been trying for years to find something like this to say to my wife! Thanks again.

you're welcome david, i hope i'm not the source of any arguments!

i think you know but, to clarify, อยู่เฉย ๆ is the opposite of doing something, ie. doing nothing.

all the best.

[yoot]

I have been trying for years to find something like this to say to my wife! Thanks again.

ไหนคุณเดวิดบอกว่ากลัวเมียไง อยู่ดีไม่ว่าดีแล้วงานนี้

[DavidHouston]

I have been trying for years to find something like this to say to my wife! Thanks again.

ไหนคุณเดวิดบอกว่ากลัวเมียไง อยู่ดีไม่ว่าดีแล้วงานนี้

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