First Dream In Thai

[aitch]

I was watching a video of a polygot recently and couldn't help wondering if this fellow actually dreamt in all these languages.

I consider myself a beginner (maybe advanced beginner) studying Thai. One of my goals, if you can actually call it that, is to have a dream speaking and being spoken to in Thai.

Is there some predictable pattern where one would expect to have their first dream in Thai (or any other language) ?

my guess is that if you do not actually live in Thailand, chances are you will never have one (but maybe there are ways that you can improve your chances like palying tapes before you go to sleep) ?

i ran a search using "dream" in the search field and nothing really jumped out at me.

[kikenyoy]

I was watching a video of a polygot recently and couldn't help wondering if this fellow actually dreamt in all these languages.

I consider myself a beginner (maybe advanced beginner) studying Thai. One of my goals, if you can actually call it that, is to have a dream speaking and being spoken to in Thai.

Is there some predictable pattern where one would expect to have their first dream in Thai (or any other language) ?

my guess is that if you do not actually live in Thailand, chances are you will never have one (but maybe there are ways that you can improve your chances like palying tapes before you go to sleep) ?

i ran a search using "dream" in the search field and nothing really jumped out at me.

I had my first dream in Thai when I was about low intermediate level. It seems like the most common trigger for me is reading Thai shortly before going to bed. I don't remember dreams very often (in any language) but I usually have at least a few dreams in Thai per week.

[harrry]

Dangerous....just wait till you start dreaming in thai and talk in your sleep and it is not your partner you refer to.

[nidge]

What would happen if you dreamt (?) you were Thai and then fell asleep while you were really sleeping? Would you have to wait until you were hungry before you woke up?

[kokesaat]

I usually do 20-30 minutes of flashcard review (Anki software) before I go to bed. Typically, I'll wake up in the middle of the night with one of my vocab words chiming in my brain. But a few nights ago, I had my first (we always remember our 'first') Thai dream about me going to register with the ผู้ใหญ่บ้าน where he ถามชื่อ นามสกุล อายุ etc. The Thais in the photo were all dressed as villagers would be. One of my previous homework lessons involved the same material, so no doubt that played a role. Don't know yet whether there'll be more dreams to come.....we'll see.

[aitch]

kikenyoy and kokesaat - I always get my reading in on the way to and on my way back from work. thanks for the tip.

harry - good point

nidge - i suppose i would be wondering who slipped the ibogaine into my drink ?

[anothertorres]

someone told me a long time ago, you'll know when you've cracked the surface of learning another language when you dream in that language. i have had 1 dream in Thai and it was at the very early staging of studying.

[Rionoir]

I had my first dream in Thai when I could barely say anything in Thai... I am pretty sure my dream was complete nonsense, and I was just pretending to speak and understand Thai. LoL

[aitch]

appears as though i have been over thinking the whole situation and maybe i should just try falling alseep with a book in my hands.

maybe it's when you study that helps determine the odds.

Edited October 14, 2009 by aitch

[Harcourt]

I speak Fijian and Tuvaluan and have never dreamt in those languages, however, I do find myself thinking or talking to myself in them, although English is my first and predominant language.

[toptuan]

someone told me a long time ago, you'll know when you've cracked the surface of learning another language when you dream in that language. i have had 1 dream in Thai and it was at the very early staging of studying.

I remember my (very good) high school French teacher told us this. Afterwards, I really jumped into the language, talked to myself in French, aced all the tests and role-plays in class, and spent a few weeks in France. Voila! The French dream came!

Been in Thailand 6 years, still struggling with Thai. Still waiting for that tell-tale dream.

[cognos]

I was watching a video of a polygot recently and couldn't help wondering if this fellow actually dreamt in all these languages.

I consider myself a beginner (maybe advanced beginner) studying Thai. One of my goals, if you can actually call it that, is to have a dream speaking and being spoken to in Thai.

Is there some predictable pattern where one would expect to have their first dream in Thai (or any other language) ?

my guess is that if you do not actually live in Thailand, chances are you will never have one (but maybe there are ways that you can improve your chances like palying tapes before you go to sleep) ?

i ran a search using "dream" in the search field and nothing really jumped out at me.

i had a wet dream in thai..just kidding..I woke up

[GarryP]

I can't remember when I first dreamt in Thai. Of the few dreams I remember, they are split 50/50 between Thai and English. Just a guess, but would suppose that most people would only have a full dream in any foreign language when they are able to think in that language, i.e. they do not need to translate in their head before using the foreign language. I find that when awake I also think in Thai a lot of the time.

[Harcourt]

I can't remember when I first dreamt in Thai. Of the few dreams I remember, they are split 50/50 between Thai and English. Just a guess, but would suppose that most people would only have a full dream in any foreign language when they are able to think in that language, i.e. they do not need to translate in their head before using the foreign language. I find that when awake I also think in Thai a lot of the time.

I think you've reasoned it well.

[toptuan]

I can't remember when I first dreamt in Thai. Of the few dreams I remember, they are split 50/50 between Thai and English. Just a guess, but would suppose that most people would only have a full dream in any foreign language when they are able to think in that language, i.e. they do not need to translate in their head before using the foreign language. I find that when awake I also think in Thai a lot of the time.

That's where I'd like to be! How many years here? Did you formally study Thai or tried to "catch it" on the fly, as I'm doing?

[sbk]

My dreams are of me speaking to someone in Thai or someone speaking to me in Thai. Does that count as being "in Thai"? I couldn't even begin to tell you what they are about, usually just some random incident replaying itself in my dreams. To me, the dreams happened because I live and take part in the local community so that the events of the day, being with Thai people, get replayed speaking Thai, as would make sense.

[GarryP]

I can't remember when I first dreamt in Thai. Of the few dreams I remember, they are split 50/50 between Thai and English. Just a guess, but would suppose that most people would only have a full dream in any foreign language when they are able to think in that language, i.e. they do not need to translate in their head before using the foreign language. I find that when awake I also think in Thai a lot of the time.

That's where I'd like to be! How many years here? Did you formally study Thai or tried to "catch it" on the fly, as I'm doing?

I have been here 26 years. I have never studied on a formal course. Many years ago I bought "The Fundamentals of the Thai Languge" a big black covered book, which was recommended back then. Do not know if it is still in print. However, I did not use it much. I also taught myself to read but cannot write the language at all. Thus, I am able to translate documents from Thai to English but not vice versa. The advantage I had from the begining was being in an environment that required the use of Thai. I often go for a few weeks at a time without speaking English at all.

[toptuan]

I can't remember when I first dreamt in Thai. Of the few dreams I remember, they are split 50/50 between Thai and English. Just a guess, but would suppose that most people would only have a full dream in any foreign language when they are able to think in that language, i.e. they do not need to translate in their head before using the foreign language. I find that when awake I also think in Thai a lot of the time.

That's where I'd like to be! How many years here? Did you formally study Thai or tried to "catch it" on the fly, as I'm doing?

I have been here 26 years. I have never studied on a formal course. Many years ago I bought "The Fundamentals of the Thai Languge" a big black covered book, which was recommended back then. Do not know if it is still in print. However, I did not use it much. I also taught myself to read but cannot write the language at all. Thus, I am able to translate documents from Thai to English but not vice versa. The advantage I had from the begining was being in an environment that required the use of Thai. I often go for a few weeks at a time without speaking English at all.

Thanks! I only have 20 more years to go! However, your post makes one thing exceedingly clear: Immersion is the key.

When my students come back from even a 3-month work/study stint in the USA or UK, I can't believe how much their English improves. Usually they jump a full letter grade in their oral conversation classes at the university.