Krap

[Harcourt]

In everything I've read, including sentences offered in this forum, a male ends what he's saying with "krup" (most often pronounced colloquially 'kup' )

On TV though, I often hear presenters or interviewers end with "na kup".

What's the "na"?

Is it a term of endearment or of condescension, a term of familiarity, or...what?

Someone told me it can be used when speaking to a child. I feel there may be more to it though.

[tgeezer]

In everything I've read, including sentences offered in this forum, a male ends what he's saying with "krup" (most often pronounced colloquially 'kup' )

On TV though, I often hear presenters or interviewers end with "na kup".

What's the "na"?

Is it a term of endearment or of condescension, a term of familiarity, or...what?

Someone told me it can be used when speaking to a child. I feel there may be more to it though.

I hear 'OK'? Other meanings are 'thats the way it is' and 'certainly' It doesn't belong with ครับ but with the preceeding word or phrase, krap remains the polite particle which may or may not be used.

[eek]

"na" softens the sentence.

..not that im an expert

Its also often endearing and cute. Good for softening a request. Or making something a tad harsh sound less harsh. Can be used for many things such as gently prompting a response or agreement from another person. Gettit, na?

[zzaa09]

"na" softens the sentence.

..not that im an expert

Its also often endearing and cute. Good for softening a request. Or making something a tad harsh sound less harsh. Can be used for many things such as gently prompting a response or agreement from another person. Gettit, na?

In these parts, "jaa" {from Khmer/Thai hybrid} is the dominating application for addressing endearment.

[eek]

Interesting. I hear Jaa in Chiang Mai too, but when talking to kiddies though. Occasionally bf has used that on me, if say i have gotten tearful about something. Said in a kind way. Reassuring. Havent heard it used adult to adult much though...hmm..no, now that i think about it, i have heard situations where it has been used. Such as an older lady at the market saying jaa to my bf or him saying it to someone younger. So, I guess here it is used when someone is talking to someone younger?

[carlosacao]

Interesting. I hear Jaa in Chiang Mai too, but when talking to kiddies though. Occasionally bf has used that on me, if say i have gotten tearful about something. Said in a kind way. Reassuring. Havent heard it used adult to adult much though...hmm..no, now that i think about it, i have heard situations where it has been used. Such as an older lady at the market saying jaa to my bf or him saying it to someone younger. So, I guess here it is used when someone is talking to someone younger?

Jaa does get used quite a bit, but maybe is not that easy to hear it between adults because it gets used often by people in relationships like between husband and wife, etc, so it's more of an intimate term or for people that are very close. I have also noticed a tendency to not use it in public, but more like in more private settings. Definitely a word only used with very close people and not casual at all (between adults) based on my experience.

Edited August 2, 2009 by carlosacao

[agent69]

man, last time I went to Thailand everyone seemed to end the sentence with 'na krup' especially the announcers on radio & television. it's bloody annoying when people couldn't end the sentence with just 'krup' & 'kha'. Sounds lack of confidence and unprofessional. It's just a way to request for acknowledgements from the listeners like tgeezer said which they will never get over the broadcasting.

end ranting.

[Tod Daniels]

Not surprisingly; how 'na' is actually pronounced when spoken can and does vary the meaning quite a lot. That is why typing thai words with english characters can get someone off track quite quickly.

I typed the english spelling of the thai word 'na' into thai-language dot com's reverse transcription query field for fun. It brought up these four meanings, spellings and pronunciations;

นะ - an ending particle to soften a statement, make it polite, indicate pleading, disagreement, ordering, surprise or emphasis

น่ะ - an ending particle also to soften or make it polite, a milder version of นะ

นา - an ending particle used to emphasize or persuade

น่า - an ending particle related to น่ะ which adds a persuasive quality to what is said

I believe the most common are the ones used to soften what is said to make it less direct and less blunt, and the persuasive one, but I could very well be wrong. We will have to wait for the language experts on this forum to weigh in.

[Familyonthemove]

Sir,

I've been told that 'na krup' or 'na kaa' is the same as the English 'if you like' or 'if you please'.

The Thai language and culture is more formal and polite than modern English .... but if you go back a good few years I'm sure that English would have had just as many polite additions .... such the use of Sir, Esq. esteemed, may I, if I may, please .... etc

Ones ever obedient servant,

Yours faithfully

Mr Familyonthemove, esq

[Tod Daniels]

The Thai language and culture is more formal and polite than modern English ....

I must strongly disagree with the above post. I think thai is neither more nor less formal than engrish. What I do believe is that there are certainly many more 'registers' or 'levels' of formality than in engrish.

Initially, upon first meeting, thais who do not know one another seem to have "hard coded" in their psyche (read beaten into them since infancy) the need to address everyone ultra formally. In my observations it is; for the most part superficial. I find it is used only until the "pecking order" gets sorted out by their interactions. That is when they fall back into the ultra regimented roles of superior/subordinate, boss/worker, hi-so/lo-so, etc. This is as I mentioned earlier due to their ‘indoctrination’ to exhibit deference to people categorized by; age, social status in the community and/or workplace, appearance, accent in speaking, skin color, and a variety of other subtle and not so subtle clues. Of course, service staff will always speak deferentially at work, (however when their shift is over and they are out on the Soi having a beer with their compatriots it is another matter entirely), just as in an office setting you will have the polite deference given supervisors by subordinates.

I have found once thais are familiar with each other, i.e.; comfortable with the established ‘pecking order’, and have been around each other enough to lose the ultra-formal type of speech patterns, that the thai language becomes far less formal, much less restrictive and certainly more ‘word play’ and/or innuendo goes on in thai than in engrish. I believe this is due to the fact that this is such a rich language when it comes to slang expressions and/or double entendres.

Again, this is my experience only; your mileage may vary.

[tgeezer]

Sir,

I've been told that 'na krup' or 'na kaa' is the same as the English 'if you like' or 'if you please'.

The Thai language and culture is more formal and polite than modern English .... but if you go back a good few years I'm sure that English would have had just as many polite additions .... such the use of Sir, Esq. esteemed, may I, if I may, please .... etc

Ones ever obedient servant,

Yours faithfully

Mr Familyonthemove, esq

The definition in my schoolkids dictionary says that it is a word used with the preceeding word to, inform, compel, coerce, confirm, I assume that it is more than a polite particle.

At the risk of appearing too simple minded; I suppose it would be appropriate with a Thai if you are reciting ABC but not if you are attempting กอไก่ ขอไข่ .