The Tattoo Thread - Western Names In Thai Script

[oldskooldi]

I met this old man in Ko Chang a year ago, he was proudly showing his "Johnnie Walker" Tattoo... since i speak thai fluently and can read, I said, oh let me see:

"john-nie wan-kah", lol.. yeah.. i knew it was a transliteration of johnnie walker.. but they on purpose didn't write "ล์" in walker. Hilarious i should say.

[DegenFarang]

Funny I have never seen nor heard of a farang getting a word in Thai as a Tatoo but back in 2006 I got 'Farang' in Thai script on my forearm. I really like the tatoo outside of Thailand, it looks cool and is a great conversation starter - however inside Thailand I don't like it so much, because everybody can read it. I think it would be kinda lame if a Thai person in America had something written on their arm in English lol - they are probably thinking the same thing...though most of them laugh about it or smile, as they do to everything other than you shoving your feet in their face.

[tatt2dude]

Just out of interest, why are you getting something tattooed in Thai when you can't read it yourself?

That's a very good question. And it is pretty much the Thai reaction. Personally I would not get Thai text tattooed on myself, it seems to be a bit of a fad in the west and in Thailand the locals really don't understand why?

Not to mention how much gets lost in translation.

[pinkrobot]

can someone help me to translate:

calista

thanks.

[katana]

There may be more than one way of transcribing it, but quite a few pages seem to use: คาลิสต้า

eg

Calista Flockhart คาลิสต้า ฟล็อคฮาร์ท

Calista Mansions คาลิสต้าแมนชั่น

Edited January 7, 2010 by katana

[Magne]

Hi i need some help here please... i wonder how you write my childrens name in thai and birthday

Oda Emilie 28 06 1994 (a girl)

Sander 20 01 1997 ( Boy)

Tobias 12 08 2003 (Boy)

Thanks.....Magne:)

[LazyYogi]

แอนน์ 020,885 หรือ 2.8.1985 (วัน / เดือน / ปี) AD

"I'd like to now my name and bday in thai script:

Anne

020885 or 2.8.1985 (day/month/year) A.D.

The E letter is also pronounced, so it's not the same as Ann.

E sounds same as e in elaphant or end."

Uh, sorry, that's wrong. She specifically said that the "E" in her name is pronounced. So it's a two-syllable name "An-ne"

Which would look more like: เเอนเน่

God I really hope people aren't getting permanent ink done solely on the basis of random advice from a web forum.

[LazyYogi]

ล็คอเ.....means "the electric"

Can you even read Thai script?

I'm assuming you can't, because if you could you'd know that the above word is impossible and can not exist the way you have it written.

[anchan42]

Oda Emilie 28 06 1994 (a girl) โอดะ เอมิลี่

Sander 20 01 1997 ( Boy) แซนเดอร์

Tobias 12 08 2003 (Boy) โทไบแอส

[leni]

Hi all,

you'd do a big favor if you could help me on this here...

I need the thai translation for "with an open heart".

For "heart´" I liked the following translation, because it also means soul.

But is this the right translation?

Thank you soooo much for your help!

Leni

[eurasianthai]

Translation please

[leni]

Just out of interest, why are you getting something tattooed in Thai when you can't read it yourself?

That's a very good question. And it is pretty much the Thai reaction. Personally I would not get Thai text tattooed on myself, it seems to be a bit of a fad in the west and in Thailand the locals really don't understand why?

Not to mention how much gets lost in translation.

You're right. It's a very good question!

For me it's because some of the most important moments in my life happened, when I was traveling through thailand on my own and got in touch with the culture. It's like a tribute to the culture & nature of thailand.

I wouldn't tattoo something in chinese for example, if I had no connection to it...

Still sounds oakward to you?

Leni

[JackCrossby]

Hey, just wondering if somebody could help me out? Could somebody please translate this tattoo to the english meaning, would be great! Heres the link! img710.imageshack.us/i/img0529x.jpg/

[withnail]

faith/to have faith

[makescents]

Translation please

ตูด เซ็กซี่

[katana]

'If you can read this, you're standing too close'.

[Chris123643]

Hi, could anyone tell me how the date 2010 date looks in thai numerals for a potential tattoo. I have seen two versions of 0, most just show up as an o but is there another more fancy o? i have seen it on a newspaper with a more fancy o.

Please show all the ways the date could be shown in thai, it would really help me out! thank you for any help.

Chris

[Chris123643]

ok, i just worked it out, what i saw wasnt funcky o's they were 5's, they had the thai date, 2553, with the english date underneth 2010. I think the thai date would look better as a tattoo, but.... i dunno, i dont live by that year system, i feel i would still prefer it in the english year but in the thai lettering. Any thoughts?

[321niti123]

How about Richard please?

ริชาร์ด

My name is Richard, and I always spelt it as ริชชาด - For the last dozen years or so> That's also what on myt marriage certificate, so I'm stick with it. As a transliteration, I guess it depends where you put the emphasis and who transliterattes it. This wold be Rich-Chart, which sound right when a Thai says it.

Sanscrit sylables end in sala-I, but not Thai (other than borrowed words from what I understand) so the spelling abobe Ri-Cha(miss the RD) - would be pronounced Richah (the little symbol above the Ror Rua would cancel out the RD at the end).

Actually it wont canel out the D at the end, the symbol is to show that the R is not pronounced (not pronounced when a thai says it). If they symbol is above the the last letter then it might cancel previous letters but that one the symbol is correct

[Sisaketmike]

heyy could someone possibly tell me what my name would be in thai? its ainsley. much thanks! x

เอนสลีย์

มดแดง

[Sisaketmike]

Hi all,

I'd like some help please - again.

I've a friend (female) at work who would like the following trnaslated:

Whatever it takes

I am what I am

Thanks in advance

DC

What about this one:

คุณไม่สามารถแรก แต่อาจถัดไป ( You can't be the first, but may be the next.)

[321niti123]

Hi all,

you'd do a big favor if you could help me on this here...

I need the thai translation for "with an open heart".

For "heart´" I liked the following translation, because it also means soul.

But is this the right translation?

Thank you soooo much for your help!

Leni

ใจ (pronounced: Jai) is correct already

This word for heart would be used in common phrases such as:

Kind Heart: Jai Dee/ใจดี

The Phrase for open heart would be: เปิดใจ (which literally means open heart would be used in thai to mean, open your heart up to accept new things/ideas)

For the literal meaning of heart (as in the organ) it would be: หัวใจ

Please feel free to correct if you have any corrections, hopefully you got your answer

[hunglikea]

Translation please

Nice arse below

<WOW>

[hunglikea]

ok, i just worked it out, what i saw wasnt funcky o's they were 5's, they had the thai date, 2553, with the english date underneth 2010. I think the thai date would look better as a tattoo, but.... i dunno, i dont live by that year system, i feel i would still prefer it in the english year but in the thai lettering. Any thoughts?

Yes

wacko: :D :D :D

[PiAndTie]

Hi all,

you'd do a big favor if you could help me on this here...

I need the thai translation for "with an open heart".

For "heart´" I liked the following translation, because it also means soul.

But is this the right translation?

Thank you soooo much for your help!

Leni

ใจ (pronounced: Jai) is correct already

This word for heart would be used in common phrases such as:

Kind Heart: Jai Dee/ใจดี

The Phrase for open heart would be: เปิดใจ (which literally means open heart would be used in thai to mean, open your heart up to accept new things/ideas)

For the literal meaning of heart (as in the organ) it would be: หัวใจ

Please feel free to correct if you have any corrections, hopefully you got your answer

How about ด้วยใจที่เปิดกว้าง "With a widely open heart" in English ?

เปิดใจ sounds a little negitive IMO

[PiAndTie]

I am also considering a Thai script tattoo, as I believe it to be one of the most beautifully rendered scripts humans ever used.

Instead of my name however, I'd like a translation of the Buddhist-influenced sentence: "keep your mind like calm water", or maybe just "mind like calm water" for conciseness. Google translates them as เก็บใจของคุณต้องการน้ำสงบ and ใจชอบน้ำนิ่ง respectively. If a native speaker would be so kind as to confirm that the translations make sense within the language (or tell me of an alternative phrasing that better captures the meaning in different words), I would greatly appreciate it.

It would also be of great help if anyone can point me to a place where I can find free fonts that render Thai script well for tatooing purposes.

Thanks in advance for any help given.

Pedro

PS: I can't help but feel in awe of the kindness and effort placed here, to help non-speakers out with things as 'trivial' as tattoos. Still, who wants to get them wrong?! ;-)

เก็บใจของคุณต้องการน้ำสงบ and ใจชอบน้ำนิ่ง, both don't make sense for what you want.

"keep your mind like calm water" - Literally translation should be "ทำใจของคุณให้สงบดั่งน้ำนิ่ง"

But "ทำใจให้สงบนิ่ง" would sound much better in my opinion.

Thank you so much for your kindness and promptness Yoot. I like the elegance of "ทำใจให้สงบนิ่ง", particularly the connotation of accepting or coming to grips with it, which is not conveyed well in the original. However, I will humbly ask whether you believe we may have lost one of the meanings of the sentence (please take no offense in my ignorance...). In my interpretation, the original sentence means to silence the mind and thereby attain inner peace, but also to reflect/perceive the Universe untainted of preconception and prejudice (as a pool of calm water reflects it's surroundings accurately, with no distortion). If "ทำใจให้สงบนิ่ง" does not capture both meanings, can you see a better way to say it than the literal translation?

By the way, I think I solved my font finding issue at www.f0nt.com (for those who may be interested).

Hmmm, can จิตสงบดุจผิวน้ำนิ่ง translated as " mind like calm water" ?

and longer version would be จงทำจิตให้สงบดุจน้ำนิ่ง keep your mind like calm water ?

[ScouseTommy]

anyone know what 'Thomas' would be ??

[katana]

There seem to be 2 spellings in use, ทอมัส and โธมัส.

Thai Wikipedia goes with the former in its article on Thomas Jefferson and Thairath newspaper seems to use the latter exclusively in its news articles.

Google gives a 50/50 spilt between the two.

[smith1966]

Hello there, brand new here

I was looking for a translation for my kids names in Thai, I have had a friend do it for me but i would just like to confirm what she has written, so here goes

Kayden 3-8-1992

Kyer 23-12-1995

Thanks in advance

[Genericnic]

Well, this is not for a tattoo but I am going to have some calling/visiting cards made prior to relocating to Thailand early next year. I need a bit of help with part of my name, if you wouldn't mind.

The first name was easy: David

The middle and last names are a bit more obscure. The middle name is a reference to a 15th century Tibetan monk that is famous in Bhutan and referred to as The Divine Madman (http://bhutan-360.com/chimi-lhakhang/). He is Lam Drukpa Kuenley and my middle name is Kuenley.

The last name is the English letter O which is drawn from the Japanese symbol referred to as enso. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ensō)

So, I am looking for the Thai transliteration (since I don't think there is a true "translation") of:

Kuenley

and

O

Many thanks in advance.