Is Love Possible In Chiang Mai

[BlackArtemis]

Falong is still a lot better than Falang... I heard people say Falang so many times, I always wondered where they got that one from. I'm sure they had a reason, but I never heard a Thai say that.

[WaiWai]

I struggle to call any particular region/class' pronunciation more correct than the other. In Lao (and Northern Thai) there's no R at all, and people use 'L' or 'H' in words where central or Southern Thais would put a Thai R.

I'd answer the same to Thais who tell me they're ashamed because they can't speak accent-less English. There is no such thing. Even within the British Isles there isn't a single correct way to pronounce just about any English word. So it's OKAY to speak with an accent, be it a Thai, German, French, Ozzie or Cockney one.

Spot on.

Sorry to say, it's usually the self-appointed English teachers one observes in shops and restaurants who most like to act as accent-Nazis, particularly with focus on single sounds which do vary widely with dialect and rarely affect meaning as much as stress & intonation, say.

That's not love of language, Lanna or farang .

[eek]

The problem with accented English in my case is that although fairly neutral i still have a Scottish lilt. Particularly with certain words. Not that i mind that of course. Im happy with my accent (and love different accents), but seeing I am the person my bf mostly learns new vocabulary with in English, some words he says have the same lilt as mine! Its quite funny really. I end up having to say the word in an plummy style English accent, in order to help him say it more neutral. But have to say, hearing a Thai man talking English with occasional Scottish sounding words makes me chuckle!

[IanForbes]

Thanks for that, Winnie. It explains a lot. And, after listening to Blinky Bill's Thai interpretation forum it confirms that I've been saying Kanchanaburi correctly in Thai. It's just difficult to use English words for Thai sounds.

I'd answer the same to Thais who tell me they're ashamed because they can't speak accent-less English. There is no such thing. Even within the British Isles there isn't a single correct way to pronounce just about any English word. So it's OKAY to speak with an accent, be it a Thai, German, French, Ozzie or Cockney one.

On that I CONCUR (for gatorhead's amusement).

I'm always correcting the Thai gals who apologize for their poor English, and I explain that they are doing very well. And, often much better than people who actually LIVE in English speaking countries. I also explain that English is a universal language BECAUSE it doesn't matter how well you speak it. As long as a person can get about 50% of the words correct it is still possible to understand the meaning. That is totally unalike the Thai language where even a slight change in sound can not be interpreted by many Thais.

[eek]

That is totally unalike the Thai language where even a slight change in sound can not be interpreted by many Thais.

Or worse, you say a word and it comes out as a different meaning than you intended!

I NEVER say the Thai word for banana..big fear for me! When I was first learning Thai I once told a women her daughter was bad luck instead of beautiful. And worse, this happened:

At an official monk blessing of a new home, I saw a snail. I couldnt remember the word in Thai for snails/shell creatures, so I began to say out "Hee" in a high tone. Bf stopped me with a look. Eyes so wide and face so red. Not sure how many people heard me say that, hopefully not the monks! Later he told me what it sounded like I was saying....

(And im not going to explain what it was that i said. If you dont know, find out from someone else )

[IanForbes]

There are a lot of those, eek, and all you can do is laugh. I've also made the beautiful - bad luck blunder.

But, we've got a few of those in English as well.

"Knock me up in the morning" means wake me in the morning in Australia or England. In the USA and Canada, to knock someone up means to get them pregnant... as in a young gal crying... "My boyfriend knocked me up and I don't know what to do!"

[WaiWai]

That is totally unalike the Thai language where even a slight change in sound can not be interpreted by many Thais.

I very much suspect that this "issue" is the result of some Thais' inability/reluctance to tune in to foreigners' use of their language rather than the tonal/phonic structure of Thai (not an "issue" confined to Thailand, of course). In context, gross misinterpretations are highly unlikely. By far the greatest part of communication is believed to be non-verbal and Thai is a high-context culture.

Edited May 22, 2009 by WaiWai

[Thakkar]

The problem with accented English in my case is that although fairly neutral i still have a Scottish lilt. Particularly with certain words. Not that i mind that of course. Im happy with my accent (and love different accents), but seeing I am the person my bf mostly learns new vocabulary with in English, some words he says have the same lilt as mine! Its quite funny really. I end up having to say the word in an plummy style English accent, in order to help him say it more neutral. But have to say, hearing a Thai man talking English with occasional Scottish sounding words makes me chuckle!

In Hongkong, both parents often have to work and kids are cared for by maids (who like to be called 'domestic helpers'), a lot of whom are from the Philippines. It's not uncommon to see little Chinese kids running around speaking English with a Tagalog accent.

[Nienke]

Is Love possible in CM?

Hmmmm, have a look ….

I love my dogs (very important, numba wan)

I love cats

I love watching the horse, the cows, the chicken, the birds and other wildlife in the next door rice field

I love the next door ricefield

I love my garden

I love the smell of the flowers in my garden

I love the fruit trees and herbs in my garden

I love my fish pond

I love to eat the fruits herbs and fish from my garden

I love the singing birds in my garden

I love the buzzing beetles in my garden

I love to drive

I love the (now visible) mountains

I love my friends in CM (need to keep it on-topic)

I love I’ve got freedom of choice

I love Eek’s Scottish lilt (not that I understand always what she says )

I love I can say banana in Thai

I love BB rarely resorts to being pedantic

I love I’m healthy (sort of)

I love my computer (when it’s not broken)

I love my car isn’t broken (knock-on-wood)

I love my roof above my head

I love heights when I’m at the bottom

I love the sea when not in it

I love my cm bf (if I had one)

I love to study my study

I love I can do something else now ….

I luv to confirm that luv in cm is possible

[gpdjohn]

Nienke,

You just love to love to love.

I love my little goldfish in my little bowl out in the front garden. Wife thinks I'm nutz. I feed 'em, change the water, push frogs out of their bowl..they are like my little kids.

I lost one the other day and I swear I was depressed about it for a day.

I just love 'em.

The neighbors cat is really cool, I love it when he comes to visit and lays on the mat in front of the door.

I love these blue headed lizards who bob their head up and down and could care less if I'm standing 1 foot away from 'em.

Lots of love here in CM.

[eek]

I love Eek’s Scottish lilt (not that I understand always what she says )

..and I luv ya for saying that Nienke!

---

Great post.

[Nienke]

I now I WOULD LOVE when that little voice in my head stops saying 'I love when I ...' with every little thing that I see, do, think or hear.

It's like a song stuck in my head ...

[Blinky Bill]

Is Love possible in CM?

Hmmmm, have a look ….

I love BB rarely resorts to being pedantic

And I love it when Nienke thinks of me..............

And I also love it when ajarnpim thinks of me, I am sure she really does care for me deep down (about 6 feet).

Beste Nienke, ik ben in Apeldoorn deze week, vandaag is het zonnig, gisteren regen.

Edited May 23, 2009 by Blinky Bill

[sk1max]

Been married for 8 years........my wife ia a bit of a bitch if the truth be told

i really cant condom condone cohock contemplate this last post

my idea with starting post was to talk about LOVE.

But even love on this forum turns into an argument.

This topic needs more females.

Pim, Relax girl

[Ulysses G.]

Is Love possible in CM?

I love BB

I luv to confirm that luv in cm is possible

How does Blinky Bill pull it off?

[Blinky Bill]

Is Love possible in CM?

I love BB

I luv to confirm that luv in cm is possible

How does Blinky Bill pull it off?

Irregularly

[gatorhead333]

You are making an ass out of yourself. Condone and look up calm down.

hey i know many of you have to take sloppy seconds when eating out all the time... so look up safe sex and suit up!!!...................................

when finding ur love in chiang mai

You are coming across as a religious zealot. There is no need to make coarse statements. It is you that brought up safe sex and condoms. Safe sex is always a wise thing to practise. But, safe sex isn't very safe if one or more of the spouses are playing around. What you are suggesting is that all single men (or women for that matter) remain celibate. I'm sorry, that is just not in the cards for most of us confirmed bachelors. Whether I use the word "condone" or I use the words: Pardon, forgive, overlook or agree with, it all means the same. I've said it many times that if someone is married then they shouldn't play around. But, that is only MY opinion. And again I'll say, whatever agreement a married couple comes up with then that is between the spouses involved and not me or you.

And, the original topic was about LOVE. A swinging life style will kill any love that might have been between a couple... even if they both agree to it.

,

For a confirmed bachelor you are quite a very opinionated pup in regards to marriage ! Are these wise tid bits, these tiny morsels of wisdom you have stated for us above from the many hours,weeks ,months maybe even years spent conversing on your favorite bar stool in CM with all the divorced,abanded mothers employed at the watering holes in CM ?

Perhaps taken from a survey of sorts with the ladies you have talked with and romanced? Such strong statements above ..how and why? can you expound on these blanket absurdities belched out to us all here on TV?

maybe from a survey question... something like: Did your swinging life style with your partner kill your love in your marriage even though you had a agreement between yourselves?

IS that it? did this survey lead you to this current soap box standing?

Secondly, what exactly is a confirmed bachelor? Please share / tell the T.V. viewers what this means to you since you state you are one .

Please tell us why this very true ,yet maybe somewhat coarse statement to some used above, underlined in purple, seems to cause you some offence..

WHY?

Maybe perhaps I justs do not quite grasp what a confirmed bachelor is and what it means .. please help us out here. maybe my religion Zeolotiness is clouding my ability to properly gain a real perspective on these wisdoms your grant us above.

thank you for any help you can give us all cocnerning love and lifestyle of married or otherwise couples.

Edited June 24, 2009 by gatorhead333

[catmac]

For me, the answer is a resounding yes!

But like Eek, I shall give no more details as I have no wish for our happiness to be spewed on by some of the oddball posters here.

[gatorhead333]

For me, the answer is a resounding yes!

But like Eek, I shall give no more details as I have no wish for our happiness to be spewed on by some of the oddball posters here.

not to be a complete dullard.....

resounding yes to what? love in CM?

Then i am glad most all agree on this point....

for i found a very long term love right here in CM .

if you could please define your interpretation of -odd ball posters- so we can sort out who is who and what is what here on TV please.

justs kidding....

[Ulysses G.]

For me, the answer is a resounding yes!

But like Eek, I shall give no more details as I have no wish for our happiness to be spewed on by some of the oddball posters here.

I can't say I blame you. Glad things are going well!

[cognos]

Yep, met my wife. , respectable, highly educated, good work ethic, family oriented. beautiful (love the pale Thai-Chinese girls up north). She pushes me to do better for myself and we work together as a team.

You can find love anywhere, but the northern girls were my kinda of specs haha.

Good work that you and her are a team Black Artemis..my wife is from Phuket.. there are good Thai women all over LOS...they even like to be pale in the south

[rethaired]

A millionaire heiress Harvard PHD grad with a body like Barbie wouldn't hold candle to a wife in my eyes. I hope that all the men here feel that about their own wives and girlfriends.

I've had them all in different packages. It still comes down to living a long time with the same person. That can get boring unless your libido is dead and you don't have any other interests. I basically came to realize that marriage is all about raising children into responsible adults. If you are happy alone then you are better off single. You can certainly get more sex in Thailand if you are single.

Good sex? Safe sex? Without condoms? Even though variety is nice, is it best?

As for love, the caring type, where does a men/boyfriend/husband rank on the spectrum? Below an extended family member? Below a son or daughter? Below a friend? At the end, action speaks louder than words in demonstrating love/care, I think.

As for lust and love, I think the mia noi idea after a certain age sounds like a reasonable compromise as long as all parties are getting what they want, I suppose. Are human beings really meant to be monogamous or various religions (for inheritance purposes) made it so. Communal living seems quite compelling if you are the stud of the pack or group, I suppose? But, then, maybe women like variety too in this context, provided children are taken care of, of course. The extanded model could be part of the communal model as well.

Just some unconnected thoughts to start or ... end the discussion.