The Word Farang

[Jingthing]

By the way, the word Farang comes from the word Farang-sed, meaning French. Apparently, they were the first group of white skinned people the Thais came into regular contact with. Eventually, "sed" was dropped and Farang was used to refer to all white skinned people, similar to how we often use "Asian" to identitfy Thais, Chinese, Japanese and other people with similar features when we don't know what nationality they really are. Jai yen yen.

This is only one theory of many about the origin of the word. To present it is as a definitive fact is misleading. Remember many words sounds alike in Thai and it doesn't mean they are related words, for example the words for dog and doctor.

My family name is Fragkiadakis (Φραγκιαδάκης) and it means small French (fragk for French , and the rest for small).Would it be correct to say farang lek could be my Thai family name?

TNX

Farang doesn't mean French but you can please yourself by calling your name anything you like. Why not just use the actual name? A name doesn't have to have any meaning or translation anyway.

BTW, the Ethiopian word for foreigner is ferengi (or Farangi, faranji, ferenji, farangi). That should give a clue that the origin of the farang word goes beyond Thailand, and beyond France.

The word in Arabic (faranji or ferenji) is similar and the word Farangi also appears in Amharic, Urdu and Hindi in reference to foreigners. It can have a derogatory connotation, and was used by people in British India to refer to the "white foreigners who travel".

Edited September 6, 2009 by Jingthing

[frruger]

No a name doesn’t have to mean something but most of names do, both given and family names (at least in Greece), so I could joke around if my name actually meant something in Thai.

[Jingthing]

No a name doesn’t have to mean something but most of names do, both given and family names (at least in Greece), so I could joke around if my name actually meant something in Thai.

OK, then it would be Farangsed lek.

Americans would call you the little frog.

Edited September 6, 2009 by Jingthing

[mooncake]

Wikipedia has an interesting definition of Caucasian race.

Oii..forget about WIKI...

Just listen to ME, ...am from the ground-zero reporting here..

So what does ME have to say about this? 'The concept of a Caucasian race is highly controversial today. It is rejected by many academics and political activists who view any system of categorizing humanity based on physical type as an obsolete 19th Century racism'

Sigh…why do some people think only negative things?

How about.. you face it and realize your not going to like lots of thing in this world or probably anything that other people call you!

Personally I and many thais don't see what's so offensive about being called a “farang”.

You don’t see many ½ farang kids complaining too much about the word , or when they are being called a farang becoz of there are more farang genes in them. And just about all of them in Thailand do understand the thai language and the thai people more than you. They seem fine with it.

I personally think the more we talk about racism, the more we promote it. Better accept the differences and enjoy and learn from each other !!!

Because there are the world out there that discriminate against people worse reasons than race….such as weight , disabilities, and disfigurement…and so on. And that where you should be spending your valuable times focusing on.

Anyway....

Nothing further that I say will justify it, because I have a feeling that you’re already made up your mind.

Edited September 6, 2009 by mooncake

[blunotes]

Quite the opposite! Farang is an old term that has been used for generations describing foreigners, yes. Whether the people of today know it or not, it actually came from Francoise (Farang-sade, in Thai is French) who were among the first who has traveled here ion ago. SO, in the old folks days, when they see a Caucasian, that means he or she is "Farang". But now all foreigners are Farangs even myself!

Don't think much of it. I left 35 years ago and back for the first time. I still have a few issues (several). Bangkok has lost the old Thai charm or Siamese charm that was once the high light of visiting here. If you remember the song that was wrote by a Westerner for Thais, "Thailand is smile land". I would like to hear from the Arther again if he visit Bangkok today. Don't get me wrong, there are still those who processed the smiles, well-manners, nice, friendly and courteous etc. They still walk among us if you look hard enough.

I told my mother on the phone the other day that there are a lot of people in Bangkok but no one's there. I still love BKK, it is my original home. Thailand in general is a great place to be, there are a lot of beautiful places. Some things are incredible, some things are just down right what a ----! The country folks are great and they do still think all Foreigners are Farangs

It has been three months now and I'm still adjusting. I pretty much enjoyed everything so far. The only thing I can't stand are those puken posers, if you know what I mean.

Blu

[Acharn]

<snip>

By the way, the word Farang comes from the word Farang-sed, meaning French. Apparently, they were the first group of white skinned people the Thais came into regular contact with. Eventually, "sed" was dropped and Farang was used to refer to all white skinned people, similar to how we often use "Asian" to identitfy Thais, Chinese, Japanese and other people with similar features when we don't know what nationality they really are. Jai yen yen.

Actually that's partly right. The term seems to come from the Persian, who got it from the Arabs, who probably got it from the Byzantines. The consensus among linguists it that it comes from the tribal name Franks, the people who took over Gaul from the Romans (and the Goths, etc.). Because the French were so prominent in the Crusades they were the nationality the Arabls were most likely to encounter. And, of course, the name became a generalized term for Western Europeans after the Fourth Crusade which conquered Byzantium (at the time a Christian city) in 1203.

By the way, the first Europeans the Thais became acquainted with were the Portuguese and the Dutch. The french started trading here about 50 years later.

I've lived here about 30 years now and the term 'farng' has never bothered me. I do remember one time, though, during the Vietnam War, while I was stationed here, I was drinking with a another soldier who happened to be a Black, and he commented to me that he always felt a little annoyed by being called 'khon piw dam.' He said he knew that they weren't really saying 'dumb,' but it still annoyed him sometimes.

[Acharn]

I just remembered after I hit 'Enter', there was another point I wanted to make. Reading through this thread reminded me of a motto I head once, that stuck with me. I Can't remember who said it. "People would worry less about what others think of them if they realized how seldom they do."

[Jingthing]

<snip>

By the way, the word Farang comes from the word Farang-sed, meaning French. Apparently, they were the first group of white skinned people the Thais came into regular contact with. Eventually, "sed" was dropped and Farang was used to refer to all white skinned people, similar to how we often use "Asian" to identitfy Thais, Chinese, Japanese and other people with similar features when we don't know what nationality they really are. Jai yen yen.

Actually that's partly right. The term seems to come from the Persian, who got it from the Arabs, who probably got it from the Byzantines. The consensus among linguists it that it comes from the tribal name Franks, the people who took over Gaul from the Romans (and the Goths, etc.). Because the French were so prominent in the Crusades they were the nationality the Arabls were most likely to encounter. And, of course, the name became a generalized term for Western Europeans after the Fourth Crusade which conquered Byzantium (at the time a Christian city) in 1203.

By the way, the first Europeans the Thais became acquainted with were the Portuguese and the Dutch. The french started trading here about 50 years later.

I've lived here about 30 years now and the term 'farng' has never bothered me. I do remember one time, though, during the Vietnam War, while I was stationed here, I was drinking with a another soldier who happened to be a Black, and he commented to me that he always felt a little annoyed by being called 'khon piw dam.' He said he knew that they weren't really saying 'dumb,' but it still annoyed him sometimes.

Yes I agree that is more credible as to the origin of the word farang in Thailand. It most likely had nothing to do with the French being in Thailand first, as they were not, but most likely did come from the Arabic and/or Persian origins of the word.

Edited September 6, 2009 by Jingthing