I'm really sorry to bother you all once again, but I'm afraid that I'm having a little bit of difficulty trying to understand the difference -- in either precise meaning and/or common usage -- between the words ÁÒ¡ and ÁÒÒÁÒÂ ("maak" and "maakmaay"). I've tried quite a few reference works, and none of them seem to explain the distinction in a way that I can easily grasp.

Would anyone here be kind enough to help me out with this? Thanks in advance for any help you can give!

I'm really sorry to bother you all once again, but I'm afraid that I'm having a little bit of difficulty trying to understand the difference -- in either precise meaning and/or common usage -- between the words ÁÒ¡ and ÁÒÒÁÒÂ ("maak" and "maakmaay"). I've tried quite a few reference works, and none of them seem to explain the distinction in a way that I can easily grasp.

Would anyone here be kind enough to help me out with this? Thanks in advance for any help you can give!

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Have a look here: http://www.thai2english.com/dictionary/12805.html

I'm really sorry to bother you all once again, but I'm afraid that I'm having a little bit of difficulty trying to understand the difference -- in either precise meaning and/or common usage -- between the words ÁÒ¡ and ÁÒÒÁÒÂ ("maak" and "maakmaay"). I've tried quite a few reference works, and none of them seem to explain the distinction in a way that I can easily grasp.

Would anyone here be kind enough to help me out with this? Thanks in advance for any help you can give!

The difference is mainly one of style. "maak" is a neutral-sounding word for "much, many, a lot" used in simple and spoken language. When you want to express yourself more eloquently, particularly in writing, you use maakmaay - "several, a great many".

The difference is mainly one of style. "maak" is a neutral-sounding word for "much, many, a lot" used in simple and spoken language. When you want to express yourself more eloquently, particularly in writing, you use maakmaay - "several, a great many".

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Thanks for the explanation ... it helps a lot!

I've done a bit more research, poking around trying to get a better picture of the distinction, and from what I can make out it seems to me that another distinction might be that "maak" looks like it can be used to qualify either verbs or nouns, but that "maakmaay" is only used for nouns ...

Is this impression of mine complete rubbish?

or is it more-or-less correct, at least in general usage?

Thanks again for the great help you all give to Thai learners everywhere!

..."maak" looks like it can be used to qualify either verbs or nouns, but that "maakmaay" is only used for nouns ......

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Acording to http://www.thai2english.com/dictionary/12805.html , it can be used as an adjective or an adverb:

Maybe meadish can help?

maak maai is more often the written form although you will sometimes hear it spoken

maak maak is more often the spoken form

meaning is the same

As Larry wrote, the two terms mean exactly the same thing. มากมาย is more commonly used in written Thai, but you do hear it spoken on occasion.

In English a comparable example might be 'often' and 'oftentimes'. These mean the same thing, but 'oftentimes' is more commonly written than spoken. But you do hear people use it, for cadence. Same with มากมาย.