Isaan Does Not Exist

[s8elmo]

Look at the conflicting attempts to write an English word conveying the pronunciation ee'-sahn.

It cannot be Isaan. Show me an English word with the letter a back-to-back like that. The closest thing is a proper name, Isaac, which turns the I long and flattens the second syllable, viz., \ˈī-zik, -zək\. Merriam-Webster online lists no English words spelled with aa, and they list only one obscure geographical French word. It cannot be Isaan. There is no English precedent.

It cannot be E-san or I-san. Hyphenation connects two words. So what is the E in E-san or the I in I-san? But they did get it half right. Go to Merriam-Webster online to search san and click the speaker button and listen to a correct pronunciation. Maybe you have ordered a Caesar salad or spaghetti at some point in your life and you flavored it by sprinkling it with Parmesan. You can hear a correct pronunciation for san in the word Parmesan at Merriam-Webster online. The second syllable has to be san.

It cannot be Esan. Merriam-Webster online lists no words that begin esa and only one that begins essa, as in essay and the e is short (ĕ) not long per the correct pronunciation at Merriam-Webster online. It cannot be Esan because this would be pronounced eh'-sahn or worse.

The letter i has a multitude of occurrences in written English where it is pronounced like long ē, e.g., Isuzu, pristine, Pepsi, magazine, proletariat, gymnasium, variant, pronunciation, deviation, insidious, Indianapolis, marine, ad infinitum.

English is the most prevalent language in the world, but the world is also influenced linguistically by its second most prevalent language, Spanish. The letter i is pronounced ē in Spanish, e.g., Mexico, Sevilla, Argentina, ciudad, piña colada, Tijuana.

When Thai language is represented in written English you have the same precedent, to wit., Siam, Si Sa Ket, Phimai, Saraburi, Krabi, Udon Thani, Samui, etc.

The mandate is to write the name for Thailand's northeastern provinces as they have been written by scholarly folks for nearly half a century. Anybody who bothers to walk through the old museum in Khon Kaen City can read Isan in all the documentation of the region. It is confusing and counterproductive to reinvent the Isan wheel by making it square, trapezoidal, oval, and triangular…all on the same vehicle.

[BigSnake]

How it is spell it is always a wonderful place to live and visit. Lighten up Newbie, stop smell the roses.

[PhilHarries]

Why are you using an English dictionary to check the spelling of a transliteration of a Thai word?

It's all about conveying the pronunciation of a Thai word using Romanised characters.

If you are going to get wound up by this kind of trivia you will end up a basket case.

[Groongthep]

English is the most prevalent language in the world, but the world is also influenced linguistically by its second most prevalent language, Spanish.

Please not another thread on how Thai words should be written in western (Roman) script. We have beaten this topic to death. For much more on this please do a search of the Thai Language sub forum.

BTW Chinese or dialects of Chinese are spoken by at least one and a half billion people. I think that beats both English and Spanish as the most prevalent language in the world.

[chuckd]

....... Show me an English word with the letter a back-to-back like that.

How about "aardvark"?

Edit in:

I do believe Mandarin Chinese is the language that is spoken by the most number of people.

Edited March 16, 2009 by chuckd

[Cuban]

Do you need a WP4 to be a troll in Thailand ?

[longstebe]

The old timers are gonna rip you to shreds over this one.Good luck mate.

[blue eyes]

Another one,Oh well

[yumidesign]

How it is spell it is always a wonderful place to live and visit. Lighten up Newbie, stop smell the roses.

a rose is a rose, is a rose, is a rose is a rose

[Thaicoon]

Better not ask him how you spell Buriram, May get a lecture.

[phaethon]

Why are you using an English dictionary to check the spelling of a transliteration of a Thai word?

He's not, he's using aan Aamericaan dictionaary.

Edited March 16, 2009 by phaethon

[thatguy]

Khon Kaen University spells it Esan on their banners, so there.

[tso310]

Is s8elmo meant to be St Elmo ?

[machlad]

So am I correct in presuming your addy is

Seightelmo

just a thought

Edited March 16, 2009 by machlad

[loong]

More for you to worry about...

How did Laos get an "S" on the end?

How does Groong Tayp become Bangkok?

Why isn't Pattaya spelt Phuttayah

Why ?

[Lickey]

St-Elmue is a small hamlet in Denmark,not far from Fakse Ldplas, on the coast, is the OP from there?

[Chaimai]

Better not ask him how you spell Buriram, May get a lecture.

Do you mean Bulilam

Does aarse have two a's, or am I mistaken.

[Chaimai]

St-Elmue is a small hamlet in Denmark,not far from Fakse Ldplas, on the coast, is the OP from there?

Bugger me, Lickey - if you can't get Fakse Ladeplads right, what chance have you got with Issaarn

Edited March 16, 2009 by Chaimai

[oevna]

Look at the conflicting attempts to write an English word conveying the pronunciation ee'-sahn.

...

tl;dr

Nice way to start off your membership here at Thai Visa. You really like to hear yourself talk, don't you?

Isan (Isan/Thai: อีสาน; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issan, or Esarn) ...

[Brigante7]

Look at the conflicting attempts to write an English word conveying the pronunciation ee'-sahn.

It cannot be Isaan. Show me an English word with the letter a back-to-back like that. The closest thing is a proper name, Isaac, which turns the I long and flattens the second syllable, viz., \ˈī-zik, -zək\. Merriam-Webster online lists no English words spelled with aa, and they list only one obscure geographical French word. It cannot be Isaan. There is no English precedent.

It cannot be E-san or I-san. Hyphenation connects two words. So what is the E in E-san or the I in I-san? But they did get it half right. Go to Merriam-Webster online to search san and click the speaker button and listen to a correct pronunciation. Maybe you have ordered a Caesar salad or spaghetti at some point in your life and you flavored it by sprinkling it with Parmesan. You can hear a correct pronunciation for san in the word Parmesan at Merriam-Webster online. The second syllable has to be san.

It cannot be Esan. Merriam-Webster online lists no words that begin esa and only one that begins essa, as in essay and the e is short (ĕ) not long per the correct pronunciation at Merriam-Webster online. It cannot be Esan because this would be pronounced eh'-sahn or worse.

The letter i has a multitude of occurrences in written English where it is pronounced like long ē, e.g., Isuzu, pristine, Pepsi, magazine, proletariat, gymnasium, variant, pronunciation, deviation, insidious, Indianapolis, marine, ad infinitum.

English is the most prevalent language in the world, but the world is also influenced linguistically by its second most prevalent language, Spanish. The letter i is pronounced ē in Spanish, e.g., Mexico, Sevilla, Argentina, ciudad, piña colada, Tijuana.

When Thai language is represented in written English you have the same precedent, to wit., Siam, Si Sa Ket, Phimai, Saraburi, Krabi, Udon Thani, Samui, etc.

The mandate is to write the name for Thailand's northeastern provinces as they have been written by scholarly folks for nearly half a century. Anybody who bothers to walk through the old museum in Khon Kaen City can read Isan in all the documentation of the region. It is confusing and counterproductive to reinvent the Isan wheel by making it square, trapezoidal, oval, and triangular…all on the same vehicle.

Way too much time on your hands mate.

[farangnoi]

Try "insane"

BTW, if you translate it fromThai to fonetic Dutch is the spelling correct.

[calibanjr.]

Quite an interesting (not) introductory post. I hope it doesn't speak volumes.

[Carib]

[junki3korean]

lol....he won`t be coming back

[Diablo Bob]

I come from a geographically challenged country, If I say Issan, most people automaticaly think I am talking about a car/truck, and ask if I mean a Nissan or Issuzu.

[BigSnake]

However it is spell it is always a wonderful place to live and visit. Lighten up Newbie, stop smell the roses.

[Gary A]

The purists should just forget about translating Thai to English. Just use the Thai language.

[Lickey]

The OP should be awarded this following pic, opps soorry, picture, its my case and pic, but if anybody wants to nick it and award it, feel free, no worries,

Cheers, Lickey..

[Boo]

My husband has always used the spelling Issan so I'll stick with that

[tartempion]

Please cite the Alphabet in American English, then in French, then in German.

Doubt the OP will be able to do that though

There is no such thing as a transliteration system, we only have 26 characters!

Nevertheless soc.cult.thai does have a good one, doubt anyone here knows about this system invented before the World Wide Web