Family Tree

[Lithobid]

Learned some great things today, including what and what not to say adressing family members! In class we drew out family trees, although, having much trouble already copying and pasting Word text into TV, I thought I'd just run some lists for this.

Starting with "Generations" – รุ่น

Thai separate the family into two categories by father and mother. In English we'd say mom's mom, and dad's mom, but Thais have unique words for each person (for the most part).

ปู่- Grandfather of father

ย่า – Grandmother of father

ตา – Father of Mother

ยาย – Mother of father

This first generation is known as (รุ่นปู่ย่าตายาย) they are addressed individually by these names because of their singularity in this position, the next step is the papa's and the mama's (note: all of these are from your prospective)

This generation is known as (รู่นพ่อแม่ลูงป้าน้าอา)

พ่อ - Father

แม่ - Mother

ลูง - Brother of Father (older)

ป้า - Sister of Father (older)

อา - Sister / Brother (Father's side younger)

น้า – Sister / Brother (Mother's side –younger)

Some extra words for you.

หย่า – taken to mean divorce or separated, you can also use แยก

เลี้ยง – use in front of แม่ or พ่อ for step-mother/father

ลูกกำพร้า – orphan

(พ่อ/แม่)บุญธรรม – one who has adopted a child out of Poomsan Becker บุญ means "good deeds or merit", ธรรม – as "Buddhist Teaching, or Dharma".

David, I'd love to know what is a layman's take on this word บุญธรรม to me there is something there that western culture doesn't address in the meaning.

That's part of the family for now, more to come

Lithobid

Edited July 14, 2008 by Lithobid

[eefoo]

"เลี้ยง – use in front of แม่ or พ่อ for step-mother/father"

Use AFTER - surely?

[sbk]

Yes, after แม่เลี้ยง is step-mother.

What I have always wondered is what word do they use for the various non-immediate family relatives? There are quite a few words for this and not one of them is used where I live. They use the word cousin to mean relative and obviously, pronounce it differently: ลูกพี่ลูกน้อง -- lôok pêe lôok nóng (on Koh P it is lo pee, lo nong) . So while there are alot of words for relatives (ie meaning the whole range of them) what is the best one?

[siamesekitty]

ญาติ = relative(s)

[siamesekitty]

oops. just took a closer and realized that a few corrections need to be made:

ปู่ - Father of Father

ย่า - Mother of Father

ตา - Father of Mother

ยาย - Mother of Father

พ่อ - Father

แม่ - Mother

ลุง - older Brother of Father/Mother

ป้า - older Sister of Father/Mother

อา - younger Sister/Brother of Father

น้า - young Sister/Brother of Mother

Edited July 15, 2008 by siamesekitty

[Groongthep]

oops. just took a closer and realized that a few corrections need to be made:

ปู่ - Father of Father

ย่า - Mother of Father

ตา - Father of Mother

ยาย - Mother of Father

พ่อ - Father

แม่ - Mother

ลุง - older Brother of Father/Mother

ป้า - older Sister of Father/Mother

อา - younger Sister/Brother of Father

น้า - young Sister/Brother of Mother

I think siamesekitty meant to write that ยาย refers to ones mother's mother and แม่ยาย (mother-in-law) refers to ones wife's mother. I know she's a native speaker and I am not, so I'm guessing this was a misprint (or I might be wrong). Right?

[siamesekitty]

argh! double oops.

ปู่ - Father of Father

ย่า - Mother of Father

ตา - Father of Mother

ยาย - Mother of Mother

Yes, I had forgotten to correct that one! Thanks, G and DH

Edited July 15, 2008 by siamesekitty

[siamesekitty]

regarding in-laws:

พ่อตา - Father of Wife

แม่ยาย - Mother of Wife

พ่อสามี - Father of Husband

แม่สามี - Mother of Husband

ลูกเขย - Son-in-law

ลูกสะใภ้ - Daughter-in-law

[Virin]

ปู่ทวด (ชวด) - Grandfather of father

ย่าทวด (ชวด) - Grandmother of father

ตาทวด (ชวด) - Grandfather of mother

ยายทวด (ชวด) - Grandmother of mother