What Did I Say?

[Spee]

I've been doing a lot of talking with my fiancee' about thai language class, which is taught by a female native thai speaker. For me it has been very worthwhile, although my fiancee' thinks it is too much money.

While the course text is Smythe, the teacher does throw in some useful practical knowledge. My fiancee' knows that sometimes the teacher also talks about some slang terms dealing with sex, slurs, etc., and she isn't real happy about it. The fact that the teacher is a woman doesn't help either (thai jealousy), although they have talked on the phone.

Now today I as trying to tell her something about things that I have learned. I said something to the effect of a question and answer (sorry I'm skipping the formal transliteration and thai script because I'm in a hurry):

Toorasap yoo tee nai? Where is the telephone.

Toorasap yoo bon dto. The telephone is on the table.

Obviously I had gotten something quite wrong, because my fiancee' got 88-kinds of pissed off, telling me that the teacher was teaching me too much slang. Apparently saying things like this about living on the table has to do with slang references to bar girls and prostitutes. I'm sure I was just trying to say something the wrong way, rather than saying it that way.

What did I miss? What did I not state correctly? What is the better way to say it? Is the proper way stated somewhere in Smythe that I've overlooked? I can't wait until the next class to work this out.

[the scouser]

That's exactly how I'd say that the telephone is on the table. I asked my wife if it has any untoward connotations and she said no.

Perhaps it's just a case of your fiancée not wanting "farang know too much"

Scouse.

[Spee]

That's exactly how I'd say that the telephone is on the table. I asked my wife if it has any untoward connotations and she said no.

Perhaps it's just a case of your fiancée not wanting "farang know too much"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the quick feedback. My fiancee' really likes that I'm studying thai, and so do her family back home.

Like many Thai ladies, she does have a big jealous streak and she doesn't like the fact that "khun khru" is a Thai lady. It is just a part of her nature that requires sensitivity.

May all be a mute point soon as my UK assignment may be coming to an end.