How Do You Feel About The Language Barrier ?

[PeaceBlondie]

The Western expectation, that every question deserves an answer, is silly. You do not have to tell the whole truth. You do not even half to tell a half truth. Don't answer. Most Thais do not expect farang to answer every question. Also, don't ask so many questions.

[roygsd]

It is these type of frustrations I am talking about. For example, when you ask an open ended question and they respond with "yes" and a smile. "Yes what" I will say with hidden frustration.

I try and be patient but these mis communications and often complete lack of understanding are producing very small feelings of dislike and build up. Sometimes I feel like I am communicating with a cave person eg "I go shop". "he bad" etc.

Ive started a relationship with a Thai who can barely speak English. The language barrier is staring at me right in the face. I am learning Thai but it is taking time for both of us. Sometimes I think its a waste of time. Why have a relationship when you cant communicate and when you do, it is on the linguistic level of a cave man ?

Ideally, she shouldn't be able to speak ANY English, as my wife didn't when we met.

[roygsd]

Maybe.

Probably. Now there is a word my Thai partner did not know when we met, although he was half-fluent in English. I explained, "More than 50 percent."

I tried to have a relationship with a recently arrived Chinese, in Texas. I gave up. The sex was good, but that is all we had. Sex is not really a relationship.

But it sure beats the alternative LOL

roy gsd

[qwertz]

My first wife was Scottish, I'm English.

We managed to misunderstand each other perfectly in English.

[sgtpeppers]

The Western expectation, that every question deserves an answer, is silly. You do not have to tell the whole truth. You do not even half to tell a half truth. Don't answer. Most Thais do not expect farang to answer every question. Also, don't ask so many questions.

why not?

[sgtpeppers]

I dont get it. Did you not realise English isn't the language of Thailand before you came? :/

That is obviously not the real question you are asking. I'll take a guess....

I don't feel surprised, I feel slightly frustrated.

Edited July 24, 2008 by sgtpeppers

[sgtpeppers]

The Western expectation, that every question deserves an answer, is silly. You do not have to tell the whole truth. You do not even half to tell a half truth. Don't answer. Most Thais do not expect farang to answer every question. Also, don't ask so many questions.

why not?

[sgtpeppers]

I dont get it. Did you not realise English isn't the language of Thailand before you came? :/

That is obviously not the real question you are asking. I'll take a guess....

I don't feel surprised, I feel slightly frustrated.

as some posters have suggested, I will try and re-frame things more positively and go from there.

[keestha]

Most extreme example I have come across: A Dutch guy walked into the establishment I was running at the time, accompanied by his Thai wife. He requested my help to translate something his wife was trying to tell him. I briefly spoke to her in Thai, and it appeared that her ID card was about to expire, she had to go to Nongkai to renew it. The guy told me they had been married for 3 years.

It left me wondering how a marriage can function if communication is so limited.