Best Thai Grammar Book

[keo]

Looking to tighten up my grammar.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

cheers/

[desi]

You have a choice of four (that I am aware of)

Thai: An Essential Grammar | 234 pages | US$35.95

By David Smyth

Thai Reference Grammar: The Structure of Spoken Thai | 442 pages | US$28.47

By James Higbie and Snea Thinsan

A Reference Grammar of Thai | 392 pages | US$45.00

Shoichi Iwasaki and Preeya Ingkaphirom

Thai Reference Grammar | 248 pages | 290 baht

By Helen James

The first three are highly thought of. The last has many mistakes, mostly with tone markers (my Thai teacher recently went through mine with a pen and yellow marker).

You can choose by size, price, number of pages, spoken Thai or written Thai.

The rest I'll leave to the knowledgable seniors in the Thai language learning community.

[rgs2001uk]

http://www.lyndonhill.com/FunThai/CONTENTS.html

I dont know what your level of Thai is, I find the above a great help, it helps of course if you are able to read Thai script, I sometimes cringe at the transliteration and find I am no longer able to read it, it makes no sense, I read the Thai script instead.

[nicholasday]

i will second an essential thai grammer by david smyth. I think is done in a very simple and easy to learn way.

It will give you all the main basics a beginner would need.

If you are further than the basics then i also second Thai reference grammar by Higbie and Thinsan as a follow on as is more advanced than the david smyth book.

don't know about any other books. they are just the ones i have come across.

[Tywais]

http://www.lyndonhill.com/FunThai/CONTENTS.html

I dont know what your level of Thai is, I find the above a great help, it helps of course if you are able to read Thai script, I sometimes cringe at the transliteration and find I am no longer able to read it, it makes no sense, I read the Thai script instead.

That's the same one I have and was going to suggest. Mine had been used so much the bindings (hard back) are falling off.

[desi]

Thai: An Essential Grammar by David Smyth is on Google Books.

(It is the only Thai phrase book I found there)

There is enough of it on Google Books - 60-65% - to be able to see if it's for you or not.

There are more Thai resources on Google Books listed here.

[kriswillems]

Does anyone know where you can buy this book (in Thailand):

A Reference Grammar of Thai | 392 pages | US$45.00

Shoichi Iwasaki and Preeya Ingkaphirom

Or is there a library that has this book?

[desi]

The only place I found to buy the paperback version (just out this April) is Amazon.com.

All the rest were at Kinokuniya, in Siam Paragon, only last week.

[sleepyjohn]

Very highly recommend the second option

Thai Reference Grammar: The Structure of Spoken Thai | 442 pages | US$28.47

By James Higbie and Snea Thinsan

because of the prolific number of examples, more or less colloquial, often a dozen or two on a page, written in Thai and phonetic with tones. Examples are essential and a dictionary is pretty worthless without them too.

After a few lazy years I am trying to go through this book to catch up. Marvellous.

[Gaccha]

A Reference Grammar of Thai | 392 pages | US$45.00

Shoichi Iwasaki and Preeya Ingkaphirom

Or is there a library that has this book?

There is a 2005 edition at Thammasat, on their central campus in Bangkok:

Pridi Banomyong LibraryPL4163 .I93On Shelf

And Chula has the 2005 edition in its main library and in its Arts library:

495.9182421 I96R

PL4163 I96R

Should cost around 230 baht for a library to copy it for you.

[desi]

230 baht? Do I take that to mean you've made a copy?

[kriswillems]

Thanks for the advice. I do think $45 is rather expensive for somebody living in Thailand.

I just bought 2 interesting books about Thai grammar (in Thai) and they cost only 190 baht (ไวยากรณ์ไaทย by นววรรณ พันธุเมธา) and 345 baht ( หลักภาษาไทย by กำชัย ทองหล่อ). (Thanks David for your advice!)

Although the books are interesting they can't replace books in English for 2 reasons:

- They are rather theoretical and contain a lot of academic knowledge that is maybe not useful for most foreign Thai language students.

- They miss discussions about subjects native English speakers would have a problems with.

If you you like examples and simple explanations the first book is more interesting than the second.

I'll have a look in the library for the book of Shoichi Iwasaki and Preeya Ingkaphirom. If it would not be available in a library I would buy it.

Before the internet era everyone copied books from the libraries and nobody ever asked questions about that. It's sad how all kinds of copyright associations and organizations are taking over our daily live. Soon they will also start forbidding to remember what you've read or even worse: taxing empty brains (just like they do with empty DVDs and CDs in Europe)

[desi]

Before the internet era everyone copied books from the libraries and nobody ever asked questions about that. It's sad how all kinds of copyright associations and organizations are taking over our daily live.

I understand what you are saying. But I also know of writers who live off the sale of their books.

When I think of all the work they put into each book (and not just the writing), and how all are not floating around in a pile of dough, I start thinking a bit differently.

Microsoft? Well, well, now that's a whole different story

[kriswillems]

Hi Catherine,

What I want to say is that the Thai book prices and foreign book prices are so different that a whole group of people is being denied access to interesting information.

Some companies are very fair and sell their Thai translations much cheaper than the English originals or they don't translate it but just label their book "for sale in Thailand only" and sell it for less money. I think that's a fair solution because that way Thai people and farang living in Thailand can have access to the same information.

You're right: every story has 2 sides.

Luckily there's also a lot of free information available, such as your wonderful blog.

Edited May 21, 2009 by kriswillems

[desi]

Kris, I agree, prices for books published in Thailand are amazingly cheap and affordable for the public. I wander through Chula, grateful that Thailand keeps prices down so that the public can afford to reach for more.

Western books are expensive (especially if you throw in shipping). Before it went to paperback a month ago, A Reference Grammar of Thai was waaaaaaay out of my range at the crazy price of US$131.00. When it went to $45 it still seemed expensive, but not as much.

Btw - you can now get a part of A Reference Grammar of Thai on Google Books. It was not there when I wrote my post, Google Books: Thai Learning Resources, on May 15th (where you'll find instructions...). I've now added it.

Thank you for your kind words about my blog. I enjoy researching and writing the posts each week. And one day, I just might speak decent Thai ;-)

[JetsetBkk]

http://www.lyndonhill.com/FunThai/CONTENTS.html

I dont know what your level of Thai is, I find the above a great help, it helps of course if you are able to read Thai script, I sometimes cringe at the transliteration and find I am no longer able to read it, it makes no sense, I read the Thai script instead.

That's the same one I have and was going to suggest. Mine had been used so much the bindings (hard back) are falling off.

Interesting story about that web site:

Around 2002, FunThai was released onto the web and readers were encouraged to download it. I downloaded it using wget for offline reading during a business trip. Shortly afterwards the FunThai website went offline. When I came to check, it seemed I downloaded a small part of the website. Just recently I discovered I had actually managed to get the whole thing because one of the files was a zip file containing all the pages.

I just installed "wget" and did the same as the author did - downloaded the whole site to my PC! So if the site ever "disappears" or my ISP has a problem, I can run it from my hard drive - only 69 MB, although it did take 3 1/2 hours to come down.

[desi]

I just installed "wget" and did the same as the author did - downloaded the whole site to my PC! So if the site ever "disappears" or my ISP has a problem, I can run it from my hard drive - only 69 MB, although it did take 3 1/2 hours to come down.

I did the same awhile back for that one and several others after a decent Thai resource disappeared from the Internet. Only, I used SiteSucker.

Btw - You can download FSIs Thai Reference Grammar in one 10.5mg pdf.

It's free (yeah, I like free too :-)

[Rikker]

10.5mg, eh? Hardly even need water to wash that pill down!

[desi]

Ok, 10.5 Mb

[JetsetBkk]

I did the same awhile back for that one and several others after a decent Thai resource disappeared from the Internet. Only, I used SiteSucker.

Btw - You can download FSIs Thai Reference Grammar in one 10.5mg pdf.

It's free (yeah, I like free too :-)

Great - got it. I'll give SiteSucker a go, too

Edit:

Oops - Mac O/S.

Edited May 22, 2009 by JetsetBkk

[dvc]

http://www.lyndonhill.com/FunThai/CONTENTS.html

I dont know what your level of Thai is, I find the above a great help, it helps of course if you are able to read Thai script, I sometimes cringe at the transliteration and find I am no longer able to read it, it makes no sense, I read the Thai script instead.

This is the complete text of "The Fundamentals of the Thai Language" by Stuart Campbell and Chuan Shaweevongs. In hardback, it has been out of print for a number of years. Whatever other failings it may possess, it remains the clearest and most straightforward guide to the mastering of written Thai I have ever found. It was through this text that I learned to read and write Thai. The phonetic (Roman) transliteration, far from being cringe worthy, is actually the simplest and most accurate system of transliteration yet devised. It was of enormous benefit to me up to the point where I could dispense with it, and read Thai directly.

The US Foreign Service Institute, "Thai Reference Grammar", (mentioned by other posters), is of almost no use, as it makes no attempt to introduce the student to the Thai writing system.

These days I use "Thai Reference Grammar: The Structure of Spoken Thai" by James Higbie and Snea Thinsan, and, "Thai: An Essential Grammar" by David Smyth. Both come highly recommended.

[SoftWater]

A Reference Grammar of Thai | 392 pages | US$45.00

Shoichi Iwasaki and Preeya Ingkaphirom

Or is there a library that has this book?

There is a 2005 edition at Thammasat, on their central campus in Bangkok:

Pridi Banomyong LibraryPL4163 .I93On Shelf

And Chula has the 2005 edition in its main library and in its Arts library:

495.9182421 I96R

PL4163 I96R

Should cost around 230 baht for a library to copy it for you.

Thanks Gaccha, you have just saved me a WHOLE load of time and money!

Edited October 17, 2009 by SoftWater

[everydaysthesame]

hi there

anyone know where to buy the david smyth book in thailand?

cheers

[DavidHouston]

hi there

anyone know where to buy the david smyth book in thailand?

cheers

http://bookweb.kinokuniya.co.jp/guest/cgi-...A=07&LANG=E

[everydaysthesame]

thanks davidhouston!

[hmmbug]

I just bought 2 interesting books about Thai grammar (in Thai) and they cost only 190 baht (ไวยากรณ์ไaทย by นววรรณ พันธุเมธา) and 345 baht ( หลักภาษาไทย by กำชัย ทองหล่อ).

Hi Kris,

I'd be interested to know where I can find these books - couldn't find them in SP Kinokuniya or my local Se-Ed. Also, could you post the ISBN numbers too?

Many thanks,

Mark

[DavidHouston]

Mark,

The only place I know where the นววรรณ book is sold is the Chula Book Center. Or, it is available online from the same vendor. See http://www.chulabook.com/home.asp . However, they are currently showing only three books by that author, none of which is "ไวยากรณ์ไaทย". I suspect that they have all been sold out to members of this forum.

As for the หลักภาษาไทย by กำชัย ทองหล่อ, this book is more widely distributed. Chulabooks has it at http://www.chulabook...uthor&x=33&y=16 , but we have been able to find this book even in Phuket. I believe that this book is not only a great resource for Thai language learning, but is a great compendium of the ins and outs of the Thai language.

I just bought 2 interesting books about Thai grammar (in Thai) and they cost only 190 baht (ไวยากรณ์ไaทย by นววรรณ พันธุเมธา) and 345 baht ( หลักภาษาไทย by กำชัย ทองหล่อ).

Hi Kris,

I'd be interested to know where I can find these books - couldn't find them in SP Kinokuniya or my local Se-Ed. Also, could you post the ISBN numbers too?

Many thanks,

Mark

[hmmbug]

I just bought 2 interesting books about Thai grammar (in Thai) and they cost only 190 baht (ไวยากรณ์ไaทย by นววรรณ พันธุเมธา) and 345 baht ( หลักภาษาไทย by กำชัย ทองหล่อ).

I'd be interested to know where I can find these books - couldn't find them in SP Kinokuniya or my local Se-Ed. Also, could you post the ISBN numbers too?

Oops... spoke too soon - found them on Chulabooks.com & will go down to their Siam Square shop this weekend... Here's the links/ISBN no's for anyone else who's interested...

ไวยากรณ์ไaทย by นววรรณ พันธุเมธา

ISBN 9742466351

http://www.chulabook.com/description.asp?barcode=9789749993279

หลักภาษาไทย by กำชัย ทองหล่อ

ISBN: 9749993276

http://www.chulabook.com/description.asp?barcode=9789742466350