Laeo Gor

[Kaojai]

I'm still at the beginning stages of learning Thai so this is an elementary question.

Listening to the radio I hear some people throwing in (what sounds to me like) "laeo gor" or even "la go" quite often. If I'm with a Thai when I hear it, I ask him what the person on the radio/TV just said and usually get looks of incomprehension or suggestions, such as "la kawn," which don't really fit.

My Thai teacher said that "laeo gor" means "and then." While that might work sometimes, it seems to me that some people just toss it in much as an English speaker might say "um" or "anyway."

Is it something that some people use informally as a fairly meaningless transition in conversation ?

[5tash]

Like your Thai teacher told you ,แล้วก็ means "and then".

I think it is often thrown in at the end of a sentence in order to give the speaker a moment to think (there's usually a slight pause) before adding their next sentence.

I don't think it is 'meaningless', it is just a transition from one sentence to the next.

"la kawn" ละคร is the Thai word for "tv series, sitcom, soap opera."

Edited May 18, 2008 by 5tash

[Kaojai]

Like your Thai teacher told you ,แล้วก็ means "and then".

I think it is often thrown in at the end of a sentence in order to give the speaker a moment to think (there's usually a slight pause) before adding their next sentence.

I don't think it is 'meaningless', it is just a transition from one sentence to the next.

"la kawn" ละคร is the Thai word for "tv series, sitcom, soap opera."

OK. Thanks for your speedy response.

[Johpa]

Like your Thai teacher told you ,แล้วก็ means "and then".

It conveys more the sense of "furthermore" than a continuation in time of a sequence of events.

[CSS]

Like your Thai teacher told you ,แล้วก็ means "and then".

I think it is often thrown in at the end of a sentence in order to give the speaker a moment to think (there's usually a slight pause) before adding their next sentence.

I don't think it is 'meaningless', it is just a transition from one sentence to the next.

"la kawn" ละคร is the Thai word for "tv series, sitcom, soap opera."

I guess "la kawn" could also possibly be ลาก่อน - "good-bye" when taking your leave.

I agree with what was said about แล้วก็.

[riga]

Listen at this student video blog.

http://www.spokenthai.com/thai-students-vi...blog-m3-31.html

She uses ก็ at least 5 or 6 times but the second and forth time it sounds like law gaw (not la gaw)... well, it could be also that แล้วก็ is intended but the way she pronunced is far away from what I expected. Maybe a speech contraction/alteration. I would like to know how a native will write it (the sound used when speaking unformally, not the one you use when writing)

BTW: she speaks rather fast

[5tash]

Listen at this student video blog.

http://www.spokenthai.com/thai-students-vi...blog-m3-31.html

She uses ก็ at least 5 or 6 times but the second and forth time it sounds like law gaw (not la gaw)... well, it could be also that แล้วก็ is intended but the way she pronunced is far away from what I expected. Maybe a speech contraction/alteration. I would like to know how a native will write it (the sound used when speaking unformally, not the one you use when writing)

BTW: she speaks rather fast

She's saying แล้วก็. In general everyday conversation words often aren't pronounced as they are in formal situations.

Due to the speed of the speech words are shortened and tones are lost, not completely, but you do notice the difference from when someone is speaking slower and more precise.

[malcolmswaine]

I often here this in context of ordering food ... like I want dish A and also dish B

e.g. I want this and also that เอาอันนี้แล้วก็อันโน้น

Edited May 18, 2008 by malcolmswaine

[riga]

I know that in speech often words are not pronunced properly.... But from แล้ว to what I can hear in the video there's a big difference. I was thinking if there's an alternative form used in colloquial language...

Like จริงหรือ!? that often sounds to me like jing law instead of jing reuu

Or do I need a visit to the doctor for my ears problem

[meadish_sweetball]

Common words get easily worn out and this one is a case in point.

You're right there is a big difference between a carefully enunciated แล้วก็ and how it comes out in casual speech. I think I have seen kids write it phonetically as ละก้อ when chatting.

[siamesekitty]

แล้ว can often be quickly/sloppily pronounced to be และ or even ละ

while หรือ evolves to be เหรอ, เหลอ, หรอ, หลอ or even playfully, เหยอ or เอ๋อ!

Note: the last two are used mostly in a playful, babytalk way, so unless you're a giggly lovestruck teenager, avoid!

Edited May 19, 2008 by siamesekitty

[riga]

Thanks for replay. I've seen the use of ก้อ instead of ก็ in chat lines before. I thought that the shorten sound I heard for แล้ว was like เลาะ but probably i got it wrong and it should one of the sounds that siamesekitty suggested. I am happy that you confirmed tha sometimes หลอ is used instead of หรือ in speechs that defintely the sound I thought I've heard many times before

[appleman]

The way the girl in the video uses "ก็ " is very reminiscent of the way American teenagers use the term "ya know". It is used to connect thoughts and to allow the speaker a little breathing room between two sentences. You will notice that she begins her talk with the word"ก็ ". Her frist sentences after she gives her name could be traslated as "Ya know, I am really happy to be here..."

[sgtpeppers]

You will notice that she begins her talk with the word"ก็ ". Her frist sentences after she gives her name could be traslated as "Ya know, I am really happy to be here..."

I was thinking more along the lines of an "ummmm". It's always one of those tricky words to translate into English.

[Johpa]

You will notice that she begins her talk with the word"ก็ ". Her frist sentences after she gives her name could be traslated as "Ya know, I am really happy to be here..."

I was thinking more along the lines of an "ummmm". It's always one of those tricky words to translate into English.

ก็ is a particle, it has grammatical function. It is akin to the word "so" in English in that it is very difficult to define a meaning for translation purposes. What would your response be to a Thai who asked what is the meaning of "so"?

"Ums" and "ohs" and "oohs" are interjections, and have sometimes been grouped with particles but don't carry much grammatical information but do help convey the mood of the speaker.

When people are organizing their thoughts they will often elongate a vowel (you can't really elongate a consonant too well) to give themselves some additional time. In English we often dwell on pronouns for an extra moment and in Thai one can also dwell on the particle ก็, but just as often, probably far more often, one hears it mid sentence without any elongation. But as it can be used to note a break in a clause or a thought, it is a convenient place for the brain to stop for a moment and allow the speech to catch up with the thoughts or sometimes vice versa.

[siamesekitty]

I usually translate "ก็..." as "well, ... "