Who Am I?

[rainman]

Lets face it, most (at least the low- to mid-educated) of the Europeans or Americans cannot tell the difference when looking at Chinese, Japanese, Koreans or Thai. They're "Asian" for them. I think its just as hard if not harder for Thais to tell the difference between a German, an Italian and an American.

I guess we don't like being called "farangs" because it makes us sound like a species in a zoo ...but whatever, i don't care.

[Neeranam]

Ahem!

Sit up at the back there!

Never mind whether your being called 'farang' is neutral, positive or derogatory...what do you think Thai kids in school call luk khreung...and what do they 'mean'?! Do they care?

As I said my youngest daughter is very fair and attracts a lot of attention. She is mostly called a luk farang. When she speaks Thai there is some amazement. When it emerges she speaks English too, I sense a change to a small degree of 'nearly' resentment. Actually there is a general vexation that she speaks so much-she chatters away in both tongues. I suspect they think she 'poot maak, mai dee', too. Funny ain't it

I agree, the same with mine. 'nearly' resentment says it exactly. They are jealous, and especially the English teachers.

[Richard W]

Asians are usually refered to by the country they come from,

Khon Yipun, Khon Gowlee. Khon Chin etc.

The rest of us westerners are lumped together as Farang,

which I believe comes from Farangset (French).

As a Brit I find that kind of offensive, I am nothing like the French!! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The origin of the word comes up fairly frequently - it's been discussed somewhere here, and the most recent discussion I've been involved in was at

Farang?, Where does it really come from?. The links there are worth following up. Basically, the learned opinion is that it comes from 'Frank', especially in the Levantine sense of 'Western European'. As the French are the people who were conquered by the Franks, you should not be offended by the word 'farang'.

Farangset comes from français, which in turn does come from 'Frank'.

If you come from Kent, you may be interested that there is archaeological evidence of a connection between the Anglo-Saxons of Kent and the Franks. And of course, St Augustine's way into England was that the wife of King Ethelbert of Kent was a Frankish princess.

The history of the guava is also of some interest.

Edited February 20, 2005 by Richard W

[Neeranam]

If you come from Kent, you may be interested that there is archaeological evidence of a connection between the Anglo-Saxons of Kent and the Franks. And of course, St Augustine's way into England was that the wife of King Ethelbert of Kent was a Frankish princess.

That's ok then, Thais think that I am a decendant of someone called "Ethelbert"

Very interesting, and you are right we shouldn't be offended by the word, but how it is said makes a BIG difference.

[lampard10]

[if you come from Kent, you may be interested that there is archaeological evidence of a connection between the Anglo-Saxons of Kent and the Franks. 

 

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It's called the channel tunnel

[meemiathai]

Said nicely, it means 'foreigner, not member of our tribe/nation.'  Said meanly, 'not one of us, a no-good outsider.'

YOU ARE WRONG!

Have you been reading the posts here?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Said nicely, it means 'foreigner, not member of our tribe/nation.' Said meanly, 'not one of us, a no-good outsider.'

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

YOU ARE WRONG!

Have you been reading the posts here?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[/quote

What is your reading then Miathai ?

[meemiathai]

Said nicely, it means 'foreigner, not member of our tribe/nation.' Said meanly, 'not one of us, a no-good outsider.'

YOU ARE WRONG!

Have you been reading the posts here?

[/quote

What is your reading then Miathai ?

Dr PP, are you saying you are agreeing with the meaning of the word farang that's been explained by PeaceBlondie?

I've seen you explaining it correctly quite a few times.

[srisatch]

Asians are usually refered to by the country they come from,

Khon Yipun, Khon Gowlee. Khon Chin etc.

The rest of us westerners are lumped together as Farang,

which I believe comes from Farangset (French).

As a Brit I find that kind of offensive, I am nothing like the French!! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The origin of the word comes up fairly frequently - it's been discussed somewhere here, and the most recent discussion I've been involved in was at

Farang?, Where does it really come from?. The links there are worth following up. Basically, the learned opinion is that it comes from 'Frank', especially in the Levantine sense of 'Western European'. As the French are the people who were conquered by the Franks, you should not be offended by the word 'farang'.

Farangset comes from français, which in turn does come from 'Frank'.

If you come from Kent, you may be interested that there is archaeological evidence of a connection between the Anglo-Saxons of Kent and the Franks. And of course, St Augustine's way into England was that the wife of King Ethelbert of Kent was a Frankish princess.

The history of the guava is also of some interest.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And the history of trolls...Guavas??

[tudorw]

My experience is very limited, Isaan village and English village.

In LOS the wife is proud to be known as mia falang. She's the only one there. To her it confers status and she's mighty proud of it. From when she was little she always believed she was somehow different, walked with her nose in the air and was nicknamed falang long before she hooked one of her own.

I'm the only interloper there so I'm just falang. I've tried giving myself a nickname but it won't stick with local folk. She explained, "They too lazy." Obviously she is too because she does the same and can't see what the fuss is about.

Frankly, after all this time, neither can I. I've grown a falang filter in my ear flaps.

From an earlier post, the words mia and pua appear to in common polite parlance in rural Isaan. Often used by us when hollering to each other from afar.

In a family context she will refer to herself as mer and myself as papa.

When work colleagues in England quizzed her for information about us she faltered over my name. A little embarassed, she confirmed she knew it but never uses it, only 'darling' or 'my husband'. I think I believe her, because she does know my name. I've yet to hear her use it when talking with me, at me or about me. It just seems to reflect her simpler perception of family.

Interestingly those English women fell about laughing, comparing how many years had passed since they last called their husbands anything as nice as darling. For me, that says it all.

[srisatch]

Actually, I don't give a toss what someone calls me. But I wanted to assess the degree, if any, of animosity..is that the word.? also..if any..that was, through language likely to be directed at the kids in school or elsewhere..and how that might affect their view of themselves.

At one extreme they could be called 'prostitute's children', 'luk garee' simply because their mother is Thai and their father a foreigner...and the main reason for that is that if Thai people do not see the father, do not see the mother and child have money.. again..at the other end ..,if Thais see the child and family well off, they would never dare to use the term.

My wife says: 'Don't ever underestimate the extent of very bad speaking that poor Thai people are capable of..and the children follow!' She says, too: "I am not sure if we can take the kids to the playground here, as the children speak so vilely!"

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Said nicely, it means 'foreigner, not member of our tribe/nation.' Said meanly, 'not one of us, a no-good outsider.'

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

YOU ARE WRONG!

Have you been reading the posts here?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[/quote

What is your reading then Miathai ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dr PP, are you saying you are agreeing with the meaning of the word farang that's been explained by PeaceBlondie?

I've seen you explaining it correctly quite a few times.

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You were not handling all that well IMHO that's all

[Jai Dee]

A little embarassed, she confirmed she knew it but never uses it, only 'darling' or 'my husband'. I think I believe her, because she does know my name. I've yet to hear her use it when talking with me, at me or about me. It just seems to reflect her simpler perception of family.

True for me too...

Not that it bothers me...

Is this the same for other TV members?

How often does your teeruk or mia call you by your name?

[lampard10]

A little embarassed, she confirmed she knew it but never uses it, only 'darling' or 'my husband'. I think I believe her, because she does know my name. I've yet to hear her use it when talking with me, at me or about me. It just seems to reflect her simpler perception of family.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True for me too...

Not that it bothers me...

Is this the same for other TV members?

How often does your teeruk or mia call you by your name?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When my wife says 'Martin' instead of darling,I know I'm in the sh1t.

[think_too_mut]

When my wife says 'Martin' instead of darling,I know I'm in the sh1t.

Usually "honey". If my name is called, she is trying to push her point.

[PeaceBlondie]

Said nicely, it means 'foreigner, not member of our tribe/nation.'  Said meanly, 'not one of us, a no-good outsider.'

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

YOU ARE WRONG!

Have you been reading the posts here?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hello, meemiathai; I don't believe we've met before.

OK, so I'm wrong; certainly that's not the first time, nor the last. Now, I hope that makes you feel better.

Yes, I read all 59 posts in this thread before posting #60.

I defer back to Heng, who surely says it better than I do.

And your pedigree, your advanced degrees in Thai language, sir or m'am? And precisely what was YOUR exact definition of 'farang'?

Have a nice day, whomever you be.

Edited February 21, 2005 by PeaceBlondie

[surin]

A little embarassed, she confirmed she knew it but never uses it, only 'darling' or 'my husband'. I think I believe her, because she does know my name. I've yet to hear her use it when talking with me, at me or about me. It just seems to reflect her simpler perception of family.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True for me too...

Not that it bothers me...

Is this the same for other TV members?

How often does your teeruk or mia call you by your name?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You are so right!!!........My wife has never called me by my name, she just calls me (sounds like) Por or Po!

[srisatch]

A little embarassed, she confirmed she knew it but never uses it, only 'darling' or 'my husband'. I think I believe her, because she does know my name. I've yet to hear her use it when talking with me, at me or about me. It just seems to reflect her simpler perception of family.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True for me too...

Not that it bothers me...

Is this the same for other TV members?

How often does your teeruk or mia call you by your name?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You are so right!!!........My wife has never called me by my name, she just calls me (sounds like) Por or Po!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

She just callin' you 'Puff' Daddy....when you get as geriatric as me...it is just Papa

What wives calling their husbands daddy tells you about Thailand I don't want to know...and yes Martin I get called my my name, or possibly surname, most days...always unpaid bills or bigger trouble! Even my daughters have taken to this habit when they wish to be overly truculent!.....But everyone else calls him....Shut up! I'm Daddy.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

When my wife says 'Martin' instead of darling,I know I'm in the sh1t.

Usually "honey". If my name is called, she is trying to push her point.

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That is universal ( and mothers use the same method )