Why Are You Looking At Me?

[rolypie]

I dont know if anyone else suffers from this but everywhere we go people ask My wife questions whilst looking at me, so when i tell them she speaks English they then turn and talk to her as if there is only a limited amount of words in the English vocabulary, even i dont understand them.

It seems to happen most in the hospital, ( wife expecting soon ) and supermarkets in general.

[ukrules]

I know people who do this, it's very annoying.

Even more annoying are the foreigners who appear to have forgotten how to speak their own language even when talking to other English speakers.

[dondraper]

sounds like a reflection on their assumption of the type of person they believe you to be.

[junki3korean]

its natural for farangs to do this......

[rolypie]

sounds like a reflection on their assumption of the type of person they believe you to be.

Which is what?????

[zzaa09]

its natural for farangs to do this......

Is it.....really. Sounds akin to pyscho-babble to me.

[junki3korean]

Its a normal reaction when a foreigner has contact for the first time with a stranger of another nationality (especially asian) to use "broken english"

Would you expect a Chinese man in China to speak Fulent english???

Edited July 31, 2009 by junki3korean

[zzaa09]

I dont know if anyone else suffers from this but everywhere we go people ask My wife questions whilst looking at me, so when i tell them she speaks English they then turn and talk to her as if there is only a limited amount of words in the English vocabulary, even i dont understand them.

It seems to happen most in the hospital, ( wife expecting soon ) and supermarkets in general.

I don't think I would ever have to aquire such a problem, as my missus doesn't comprehend English - novelty purposes only.

[ozsamurai]

Even better, I love when Farangs that are confronted with a non-English speaker, feel that shouting louder and louder in their incomprehensible pigeon English, expecting the increased volume will suddenly make the other person understand. Forget English class teachers, just keep screaming at the kids till the are fluent!! really!

When people talk to me on behalf of my wife, it may be rude, but I just reply, 'ask her!'. If they try the two word sentences, she usually says something along the lines of, 'You know you should really take some English lessons, they are cheap here in Thailand..." I love her wit.

Oz

[DP25]

Are you as annoyed when Thai people ask your wife/girlfriend questions in Thai instead of asking you?

[bojo]

I dont know if anyone else suffers from this but everywhere we go people ask My wife questions whilst looking at me, so when i tell them she speaks English they then turn and talk to her as if there is only a limited amount of words in the English vocabulary, even i dont understand them.

Rattling off at high speed with a Thai that you've just been introduced to is probably not the best way to go, otherwise in most cases it's going to be a one sided conversation. However, striking up a monosyllabic conversation as if you we're speaking to some ill educated bar beer employee, shows where you've spent most of your time in the kingdom. A more correct approach on introduction, would be to ask if it's OK if we speak in English and see the reaction of that person, if it's a look of horror, turn the conversation to the boyfriend. Simple.

Regards Bojo

[thaijasmine]

Nowhere near as annoying as when you pay for something

they always give the change back to the Thai person

you are with. Never understand this - do they think we are incapable

of handling change or something

[bojo]

Nowhere near as annoying as when you pay for something

they always give the change back to the Thai person

you are with. Never understand this - do they think we are incapable

of handling change or something

There was a thread only a week or so ago about this and it covered what you are saying in detail if you want to check it out. I forget the topic title.

regards bojo

[tasasc]

Many years ago, I was waiting at Phuket airport for my flight with my then-girlfriend who had come to see me off.

A middle-aged couple came up, and in broad Yorkshire tones the woman bluntly asked me "Does your wife still understand the (Thai) language?"

The girlfriend helped them with their query, but the husband looked embarrassed/annoyed and I could only splutter that we weren't married.

Dumbest question I've ever been asked!

[harrry]

I know people who do this, it's very annoying.

Even more annoying are the foreigners who appear to have forgotten how to speak their own language even when talking to other English speakers.

As far as I am concerned the rudeness comes in not speaking thai when speaking to others who can understand. This is Thailand and the language of this country is Thai. Of course if you are in a home where there are only English speaking people there it is fine to speak English as it is to speak in English if the subject is beyond one of the speakers vocabulary.

[pattaya_girl]

What makes me laugh is the Guys who try to speak Thai with a Yorkshire Accent..

[neverdie]

Its funny Harry it works both ways. When we were in Australia travelling around I couldnt believe the number of idiots that would speak in pigin english when trying to communicate with my GF......She would often look at me & ask in plain english, "What did he saÿ?" Most of the time I had absolutely no idea myself.

The other day at the markets I was looking at these plants and the old lady there came up and started trying to communicate to me using hand signal. I was with a group of thais and when she was finished we all just cracked up. My GF said to her, "He can speak thai, you can talk to him". As I wiped away my tears of laughter the thai lady then commenced to scream at me on the top of her voice about what a great deal on plants she can do for me. I could only reply to her that there was no need to yell, im not deaf . Maybe thats what the hand signals were about

[Birdman]

Millions of people on this world can only understand a fraction of a foreign language....that's why....How can a Thai know, for instance, that a Westerner can speak Thai, if most cannot.

If you or wife or husband is fluent in the foreign language, you/she/he can explain that in a friendly manner right at the beginning when others start to speak or act that way. It's rather grotesque to wait and say nothing.

Edited July 31, 2009 by Birdman

[Hawaiian]

Never seem to have that problem both here in Thailand and at home. Paid the utility bill this morning at the front desk (Bangkok) and the change was given to me. Same on the buses. On Koh Chang, when addressed by the waitress, I apologized for not speaking Thai. We then had a pleasant conversation in English. The wife says it's because I could pass for a "white" Thai.

[PattayaParent]

Are you as annoyed when Thai people ask your wife/girlfriend questions in Thai instead of asking you?

Used to happen to me all the time, I'd speak Thai to the shop staff and they'd talk to the GF who would tell them to talk to me not to her.

They still do it although I speak to them in English and they talk to the missus in Thai and she doesn't understand them as she's not Thai.

[watcharacters]

Even better, I love when Farangs that are confronted with a non-English speaker, feel that shouting louder and louder in their incomprehensible pigeon English, expecting the increased volume will suddenly make the other person understand. Forget English class teachers, just keep screaming at the kids till the are fluent!! really!

When people talk to me on behalf of my wife, it may be rude, but I just reply, 'ask her!'. If they try the two word sentences, she usually says something along the lines of, 'You know you should really take some English lessons, they are cheap here in Thailand..." I love her wit.

Oz

gotta agree, that loud talking is funny as can be.

[473geo]

What makes me laugh is the Guys who try to speak Thai with a Yorkshire Accent..

Well at least they try.....I guess Thai just doesn't roll off the yorkshire tongue as sweetly as words like.... pillock...

There is also the other way around where the Thai lady has picked up and speaks English with the yorkshire accent....that is quite amusing.

[Soutpeel]

Even better, I love when Farangs that are confronted with a non-English speaker, feel that shouting louder and louder in their incomprehensible pigeon English, expecting the increased volume will suddenly make the other person understand. Forget English class teachers, just keep screaming at the kids till the are fluent!! really!

When people talk to me on behalf of my wife, it may be rude, but I just reply, 'ask her!'. If they try the two word sentences, she usually says something along the lines of, 'You know you should really take some English lessons, they are cheap here in Thailand..." I love her wit.

Oz

gotta agree, that loud talking is funny as can be.

The first time my mother met the GF (now the wife) in Thailand, she was talking loudly to the GF, my comment after bursting out laughing was "she is not deaf"

Another amusing one, is in the malls and shops were the farang tourists go...generally Mrs Soutpeel and myself go in opposite directions due to my aversion to shoe, make-up and hand bag shopping....

On numerous occassions my wife has been propositioned and stared at by male farang tourists usually of the indian sub-continent or arab variety.

These occurances got to the point where is was really upsetting her, so I gave her the standard English retort of "Do you want a photograph" for her to use...which she does use to great effect these days...

One one occasion, she gave the retort and the Indian genetlman concerned took offense and was proceeding to try an give Mrs Soutpeel a telling off, just as I was walking up to her...cool as anything, Mrs Soutpeel turns to the gentleman concerned and says..."Have you met my husband ?"....Never seen someone back off so quickly, as I am not exactly a small person...

[Bpraim1]

I know people who do this, it's very annoying.

Even more annoying are the foreigners who appear to have forgotten how to speak their own language even when talking to other English speakers.

Oh this be me. Me have problem this alot.

Takes me a few days back home to get sorted. Or I speak Thailish to my friends. hahaha. You know you have been in Thailand to long when...............

[Tod Daniels]

I always try to speak correct english, but go out of my way to speak clearly and slowly when I first meet new thais. It is a delicate balancing act to gauge not only their education level (which may be quite high), but also their english speaking/ comprehension level (which may be quite low).

Given these peoples' extreme reticence to voice either of the two simple sentences "say that again", or "please speak slowly", it can be difficult at times to ascertain if they have any comprehension at all. When you factor in what I call the "bobble-head doll" syndrome of nodding like they understand, while not having a clue; at times bridging the language gap is quite the chore.

Usually if after a few sentences I can see they're losing the plot, I'll start to leave out words. I’ll concentrate on subject-verb-object type sentence constructs in more basic english. Is it grammatically correct; no, of course not. However, I am striving for mutual understandability and it certainly isn’t my job to teach these people engrish (there are enough foreigners doing that already ).

As far as I am concerned the rudeness comes in not speaking thai when speaking to others who can understand. This is Thailand and the language of this country is Thai.

Some “cunning linguists” (i.e.; the illustrious poster quoted), may say it is rude not to speak thai to thais. (a special thanx to his keen and astute observational skills in pointing out this is actually thailand ). While his facts cannot be disputed; with this being the glorious "Land 'O Thais" and thai being their 'national' language. The last time I checked english was an INTERnational language while, let me think, hmmm, nope, I don't see thai on the list .

I am of the opinion it is far worse to speak mangled thai, with a very crass or low register than simple engrish. I cringe at the foreigners who ‘think’ they can speak thai, yet in reality cannot speak more than what I call “two-word-tourist-thai”. I find even more embarrassing the foreigners who speak thai in a manner which is immediately apparent to everyone listening that the speaker most likely attended ‘thai language school’ in a go-go bar, and their teacher was probably a 'rent-2-own' or 'time-share' gurl. When a foreigner speaks poor thai, the thais will immediately slip back into "bobble-head doll" mode, nodding madly, and acting like they understand. Then as soon as the foreigner is out of earshot they say to each other; ไม่รู้เรื่อง (mai-ruu-rueang) or ("I had no f*cking clue what he was talking about).

Overall my observations are; anyone under the age of about 35 in this country can speak reasonable engrish. Once you get them past the oh-so ingrained thai phobia of not wanting “lose face” by speaking incorrect engrish I find they actually do quite well.

[Soutpeel]

Overall my observations are; anyone under the age of about 35 in this country can speak reasonable engrish. Once you get them past the oh-so ingrained thai phobia of not wanting "lose face" by speaking incorrect engrish I find they actually do quite well.

Interesting post, but disagree with your last paragraph, granted, these are your observations, but assume these observations were made in BKK or Pattaya, but once outside a big city you will find very few under or over the age of 35 who can speak any degree of Engrish...

[473geo]

I always try to speak correct english, but go out of my way to speak clearly and slowly when I first meet new thais. It is a delicate balancing act to gauge not only their education level (which may be quite high), but also their english speaking/ comprehension level (which may be quite low).

Given these peoples' extreme reticence to voice either of the two simple sentences "say that again", or "please speak slowly", it can be difficult at times to ascertain if they have any comprehension at all. When you factor in what I call the "bobble-head doll" syndrome of nodding like they understand, while not having a clue; at times bridging the language gap is quite the chore.

Usually if after a few sentences I can see they're losing the plot, I'll start to leave out words. I'll concentrate on subject-verb-object type sentence constructs in more basic english. Is it grammatically correct; no, of course not. However, I am striving for mutual understandability and it certainly isn't my job to teach these people engrish (there are enough foreigners doing that already ).

As far as I am concerned the rudeness comes in not speaking thai when speaking to others who can understand. This is Thailand and the language of this country is Thai.

Some "cunning linguists" (i.e.; the illustrious poster quoted), may say it is rude not to speak thai to thais. (a special thanx to his keen and astute observational skills in pointing out this is actually thailand ). While his facts cannot be disputed; with this being the glorious "Land 'O Thais" and thai being their 'national' language. The last time I checked english was an INTERnational language while, let me think, hmmm, nope, I don't see thai on the list .

I am of the opinion it is far worse to speak mangled thai, with a very crass or low register than simple engrish. I cringe at the foreigners who 'think' they can speak thai, yet in reality cannot speak more than what I call "two-word-tourist-thai". I find even more embarrassing the foreigners who speak thai in a manner which is immediately apparent to everyone listening that the speaker most likely attended 'thai language school' in a go-go bar, and their teacher was probably a 'rent-2-own' or 'time-share' gurl. When a foreigner speaks poor thai, the thais will immediately slip back into "bobble-head doll" mode, nodding madly, and acting like they understand. Then as soon as the foreigner is out of earshot they say to each other; ไม่รู้เรื่อง (mai-ruu-rueang) or ("I had no f*cking clue what he was talking about).

Overall my observations are; anyone under the age of about 35 in this country can speak reasonable engrish. Once you get them past the oh-so ingrained thai phobia of not wanting "lose face" by speaking incorrect engrish I find they actually do quite well.

I must apologise for those of us who have to start to learn Thai from scratch and may speak mangled Thai.......we are clearly not all of your standard and have not yet acquired the skill of being able to speak a language correctly from day one.....you are clearly a very gifted person .

[Soutpeel]

I must apologise for those of us who have to start to learn Thai from scratch and may speak mangled Thai.......we are clearly not all of your standard and have not yet acquired the skill of being able to speak a language correctly from day one.....you are clearly a very gifted person .

.....personally think we should prohibit the use of any language which is not the Queens English, which will make it easier for the "natives" to understand the colonialists...