Some Random Translations

[HedKeeQuai]

1. What does the word 'wai' mean? (e.g "tum mai wai", "pai mai wai")

2. What is "goun", as in "goun teen"?

3. What would be the best way of saying to someone: "I really like your floor. Can I dance on it and pay you in return?"

4. Can the word 'dteua' (ticket) be used meaning work permit?

Thanks

[Firefoxx]

1. ไหว wai (high tone) is "capable" so ทำไม่ไหว I can't do it (I'm not up to it), ไปไม่ไหว I'm not capable of going ไหวครับ I'm up to it, I can do it

2. กวน guan (neutral) literally "to mix/mash" กวนตีน To agitate someone กวนโอ๊ย is about the same รบกวน To bother กวนโมโห To make someone mad ทุเรียนกวน Mashed durian

3. A very strange sentence... "ผมชอบพื้นของคุณ ผมขอเต้นที่นี่และจ่ายเงินตอบแทนได้ไหมครับ" Comes out strange in Thai, too.

4. ตั๋ว tua (high tone) can be used to refer to a number of things, but a "permit" is usually "ใบอนุญาต" but then I don't recall the offical Thai word for "work permit"

[dan_au]

1. ไหว wai (high tone) is "capable" so ทำไม่ไหว I can't do it (I'm not up to it), ไปไม่ไหว I'm not capable of going ไหวครับ I'm up to it, I can do it

2. กวน guan (neutral) literally "to mix/mash" กวนตีน To agitate someone กวนโอ๊ย is about the same รบกวน To bother กวนโมโห To make someone mad ทุเรียนกวน Mashed durian

3. A very strange sentence... "ผมชอบพื้นของคุณ ผมขอเต้นที่นี่และจ่ายเงินตอบแทนได้ไหมครับ" Comes out strange in Thai, too.

4. ตั๋ว tua (high tone) can be used to refer to a number of things, but a "permit" is usually "ใบอนุญาต" but then I don't recall the offical Thai word for "work permit"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Small correction:

ไหว - rising tone

ตั๋ว - rising tone

cheers

[meadish_sweetball]

1. ไหว wai (high tone) is "capable" so ทำไม่ไหว I can't do it (I'm not up to it), ไปไม่ไหว I'm not capable of going ไหวครับ I'm up to it, I can do it

2. กวน guan (neutral) literally "to mix/mash" กวนตีน To agitate someone กวนโอ๊ย is about the same รบกวน To bother กวนโมโห To make someone mad ทุเรียนกวน Mashed durian

3. A very strange sentence... "ผมชอบพื้นของคุณ ผมขอเต้นที่นี่และจ่ายเงินตอบแทนได้ไหมครับ" Comes out strange in Thai, too.

4. ตั๋ว tua (high tone) can be used to refer to a number of things, but a "permit" is usually "ใบอนุญาต" but then I don't recall the offical Thai word for "work permit"

Not sure "capable" or "can't" is the best translation, but I am skating on thin ice here as English is not my native language.

My gut sense is it should be something like "have the strength (physical or mental)" to do something.

Then "tham mai wai" would be "I am too tired/cannot muster the energy to do it", "cannot be bothered/asked doing it".

As for your sentence, expect the comment "dtalok farang" - "farang humour", or the famous blank stare.

[Firefoxx]

High tone in my meaning is the highest tone, represented by the + sign, ie the tone used at the end of a question. Well, I'm probably not using the correct word for it, but that's what I meant.

I'm pretty sure that ทำไ่ม่ไหว isn't "cannot be bothered/asked to do it", that's more of ไม่อยากทำ ไม่มีกะใจทำ ไม่สนใจจะทำ. Capable=have the ability, and it's pretty close, since ไม่ไหว=incapable. As in "can you lift this 5 ton box?" "ยกไม่ไหว"=I'm not able to. Can you lift this computer? อันนั้นทำไหว That I can do. You also have on the job: A boss asks you to take on 5 more accounts when you're already swamped with 100, you answer รับไม่ไหว! Not because you can't be bothered to, but because you simply can't take any work.

In training/sports, you have coaches saying, after a vigorous exercise, ไหวไหม? (still up to it? can you still do it?) The answer would be ไหว!! (yes! I still can!)

Another unrelated meaning for ไหว (same spelling) is to shake. แผ่นดินไหว=earthquake. Also ไหวตัวทัน=to know in time.

[meadish_sweetball]

High tone in my meaning is the highest tone, represented by the + sign, ie the tone used at the end of a question.  Well, I'm probably not using the correct word for it, but that's what I meant.

I'm pretty sure that ทำไ่ม่ไหว isn't "cannot be bothered/asked to do it", that's more of ไม่อยากทำ ไม่มีกะใจทำ ไม่สนใจจะทำ.  Capable=have the ability, and it's pretty close, since ไม่ไหว=incapable.  As in "can you lift this 5 ton box?" "ยกไม่ไหว"=I'm not able to.  Can you lift this computer? อันนั้นทำไหว That I can do.  You also have on the job: A boss asks you to take on 5 more accounts when you're already swamped with 100, you answer รับไม่ไหว!  Not because you can't be bothered to, but because you simply can't take any work. 

In training/sports, you have coaches saying, after a vigorous exercise, ไหวไหม? (still up to it? can you still do it?) The answer would be ไหว!! (yes! I still can!)

Another unrelated meaning for ไหว (same spelling) is to shake.  แผ่นดินไหว=earthquake.  Also ไหวตัวทัน=to know in time.

Yes, you are right about "cannot be bothered" - my mistake.

I still think "having the physical/mental strength" is still slightly more to the point than just "can't" - compare "tham mai dai" and "tham mai wai". In an English translation of expressions with "wai" you would use "can" and "can't" to make the English sound more idiomatic, but by doing so you miss the exact shade of meaning in Thai.

This is my take on the difference:

khap mai wai - I can't drive (because I am too tired, too drunk...).

khap mai dai - I can't drive (I cannot drive (because I dont have a driver's license, because I do not know how to do it, or for some other reason).

[Firefoxx]

Well, it's really hard to define in black and white what ไหว really is, although physical/mental strength does come close. It doesn't necessarily refer to incapacity at the given moment, since even a totally fit person can also say ไม่ไหว to some hard task. Some people also say ไม่ไหวแล้ว when they've reached their limit, physically or mentally.

Oh, well, the pitfalls of defining a word (in any language). Never trust a dictionary to give you all the shades of meaning of a word.

[Edward B]

...

4. ตั๋ว tua (high tone) can be used to refer to a number of things, but a "permit" is usually "ใบอนุญาต" but then I don't recall the offical Thai word for "work permit"

ใบอนุญาตทำงาน

[Boon Mee]

If I want to say: Thank you for your cooperation I'd say:

ขอบคุณที่ใหัความร่วมมือ "kap khun thee hai kwam reum-meu"

but I'm not sure how to write "thank her for her cooperation"?

Cheers,

บุญมี

[Edward B]

I think you would say it like: Could you please give my gratitude to her for me for her cooperation. Which can then be easily translated as:

ช่วยฝากความคอบคุณให้เขาที่ใหัความร่วมมือแก่ผมนะครับ

[Boon Mee]

I think you would say it like: Could you please give my gratitude to her for me for her cooperation. Which can then be easily translated as:

ช่วยฝากความคอบคุณให้เขาที่ใหัความร่วมมือแก่ผมนะครับ

Thanks Edward.