Or better still, roll your "rr's" a bit......if you do not want to sound like someone who spends too much time in the bars.

I am not an expert, far from it, on Thai language.....but I am sure of this. Say "falang" and you are stamping yourself as lower class.

Or you might just be living in Issan and want to sound like the locals.

Or are you one of those who think people from issan are lower Class?

Or better still, roll your "rr's" a bit......if you do not want to sound like someone who spends too much time in the bars.

  I am not an expert, far from it, on Thai language.....but I am sure of this.  Say "falang" and you are stamping yourself as lower class.

Invariably, Thais will pronounce it falang because they have a problem with their rrrrs. Same with aregato (thankyou) for the Japs; you'll hear alegato. The average foreigner will just copy what they've heard. Not heard that it brings you down if you don't say farang, then again, I always say farang. Not such a big issue anyhow.

Or better still, roll your "rr's" a bit......if you do not want to sound like someone who spends too much time in the bars.

   I am not an expert, far from it, on Thai language.....but I am sure of this.  Say "falang" and you are stamping yourself as lower class.

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Invariably, Thais will pronounce it falang because they have a problem with their rrrrs. Same with aregato (thankyou) for the Japs; you'll hear alegato. The average foreigner will just copy what they've heard. Not heard that it brings you down if you don't say farang, then again, I always say farang. Not such a big issue anyhow.

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I always say Farang and I admit that the term Falang puts me on edge. I hate it. Even ThaiVisa says farang

.

Just out of curiosity, if the Thais have problems pronouncing R's and the Japanese have the same problem, why would the person or persons who more or less formed and invented the language create such words with letters they are not capable of pronouncing? Seems a bit ridiculous unless the creators were more than able to say these words and its a recent development that people are unable to say them.

Like I said, I was just wondering.

I understand it's pronounced with an "r" and when writing I use the word "farang". But when speaking I can't roll my tounge, so I do what the Thais do and say "falang".

How many Thais do you hear say ru mak or lu mak? Same problem. My personal favorite is when I ask the wife to say ru mak properly and she says ru mak. i then ask her to say road and she says load...go figure

Sometimes people use 'l' instead of 'r' in speech. And then sometimes you'll hear what you think is an 'l' sound when in fact an 'r' has been used.

As long as I understand the speaker then it doesn't matter to me how they talk. It's only in transcription that it bugs me a bit. Long Lian / Rong Rian, Phom Lak Khun / Phom Rak Khun etc.

its deffo 'farang' , not 'falang'

the word was orginally used when the first group of white people i.e. the French (Francais) arrived in Thailand.

Thai people have since called all whites ' farangs '

even now we still call the French ' farangsade ' (Francais)

and of course 'angrit' for the Brits (yes, not just the English)

its deffo 'farang' , not 'falang'

the word was orginally used when the first group of white people i.e. the French (Francais) arrived in Thailand. 

Thai people have since called all whites ' farangs '

even now we still call the French ' farangsade ' (Francais)

and of course 'angrit' for the Brits (yes, not just the English)

They only used angrit for the Brits cos they couldnt pronounce ANGRY......LOL

I too spell it farang......In Isan I say farang too but in other areas I use falang...The Khmer Isan tend to pronounce their R's ....Or so I have found

Right...it's spelled with a "Roo Rua" ร not a "Loo Ling" ล.

So, by default, it's got to be pronounced "Farang".

and of course 'angrit' for the Brits (yes, not just the English)

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it's just an abbreviation for angry git

Well falang or farang either is acceptable. Yes thai(s) have problems with R(s)- my mate is named Carl, however it comes out Cal. I don't think makes much difference if you are understood.

Seen this topic before. In the south people are able to pronounce their r's and have no problem with the rolled 'r' in farang. I never hear a local mispronounce a word with an 'r' in it because they can all say 'r'. According to dear hubby, the correct way to say it is 'farang' and the 'l' of the central and northern Thais is wrong.

Now try get a Thai to say something with a 'v' in it!

The first time I heard a Thai girl say Elvis Presley, I was in tears laughing when an old hand tranlated those two words for me after 5 mins trying to work out what she had said.

Try it on the next Thai girl you meet, it's a hoot, and so is my Thai.

BTW there is a poster here who says he lives in Kolat .....

same goes with any language.. don't get me started about the thai tones that native english speakers have a hard time pronouncing! too bad it's not all easy, then everyone will be multi-lingual!!

and to add my two cents on "farang" - to the original poster who said you'll stoop lower if you pronounce it "falang" - uhh.. why is it so wrong to pronounce something the way MOST thai ppl say it? as long as you KNOW that the "r" is raw rua and not law ling, and can recognize it, you're fine.

the "r" is one of the most used letters in the thai language, just by talking fast, it's developed into an "l" sound. (though it doesn't work always!!)

Just out of curiosity, if the Thais have problems pronouncing R's and the Japanese have the same problem, why would the person or persons who more or less formed and invented the language create such words with letters they are not capable of pronouncing?  Seems a bit ridiculous unless the creators were more than able to say these words and its a recent development that people are unable to say them.

Like I said, I was just wondering.

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Or better still, roll your "rr's" a bit......if you do not want to sound like someone who spends too much time in the bars.

  I am not an expert, far from it, on Thai language.....but I am sure of this.  Say "falang" and you are stamping yourself as lower class.

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So what happened to the Khun part of “Farang” …since we are in Thailand and everyone is a Khun…………so why not Khun Farang .....

Or better still, roll your "rr's" a bit......if you do not want to sound like someone who spends too much time in the bars.

   I am not an expert, far from it, on Thai language.....but I am sure of this.  Say "falang" and you are stamping yourself as lower class.

So what happened to the Khun part of “Farang” …since we are in Thailand and everyone is a Khun…………so why not Khun Farang .....

The use of the Khun before a title bestows a greater rank.....if you want to impress a girls parents call them Khun Paw/Khun Mair......they will have a great giggle......

Try the Thai word for WIFE.....I did once and got 3 different ways of saying it depending on where the person came from

Try the Thai word for WIFE.....I did once and got 3 different ways of saying it depending on where the person came from

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Palaya is the one that I use.

What are the other 2 ways ??? Mee-ya

The use of the Khun before a title bestows a greater rank.....

Hence I am a “Khun Farang” and not just a “Farang” so to squeak.

Don't you think so, mmmmmmmmmm…

Kan Win

The use of the Khun before a title bestows a greater rank.....

Hence I am a “Khun Farang” and not just a “Farang” so to squeak.

Don't you think so, mmmmmmmmmm…

Kan Win

Maybe Khun Oout.......

Hey g burns! Do you know Vics Burns?

No!

It does if you stick it up your arse!

Strangely I don't seem to have ever met any thai who has problems with rrrs. Well at least the ones from isaan.

I thought it depended on which end of the countly you come flom.

No phom phen.

Hey g burns! Do you know Vics Burns?

Only with the right ignition,.....or in bushfire season......sorry Aussie joke....LOL

No I dont

Hey g burns! Do you know Vics Burns?

Only with the right ignition,.....or in bushfire season......sorry Aussie joke....LOL

(QUOTE)

No I dont

It does if you stick it up arse.

Sorry Scottish Joke!

How about the word krup?

Friends that live in BKK said just always say "cup" like a tea cup.

When I have responded with cup to many things people have started rattling off in Thai as I they thought I was fluent...

How about the word krup?

Friends that live in BKK said just always say "cup" like a tea cup.

When I have responded with cup to many things people have started rattling off in Thai as I they thought I was fluent...

Being able to pronounce the 'r's in the right places (the r's should be trilled as in Scottish English) is a definite marker of education for Thais. Those with little schooling will often misspell words that contain ร raw reua and ล law ling. Most Thais are aware of this though, and almost all of them have some degree of mispronunciation. This causes the phenomenon of overcompensation, meaning that people who want to sound educated overuse the trilled 'r', even where they should use the 'l' sound.

If you listen to Thai radio and the time announcement, it is rather common that the speaker pronounces the word "o' clock', 'clock' which does not contain an 'r' but an 'l' letter, law julaa - nalikaa as narrrrikaa.

In the end, the important thing is of course to make yourself understood and nothing else. I find it never hurts to be aware of what is a cultural marker though.