Understanding A Falung Speaking Thai?

[anaorak]

When I talk Thai, many thai people do not understand me until I start to get louder, then an effort is made - does anyone else experience this.

Where can you improve your Thai in London?

[thaiaan]

When I talk Thai, many thai people do not understand me until I start to get louder, then an effort is made - does anyone else experience this.

Where can you improve your Thai in London?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Talking louder just makes people not understand you more plus they think you are hard of hearing!!!!!

[anaorak]

When I talk Thai, many thai people do not understand me until I start to get louder, then an effort is made - does anyone else experience this.

Where can you improve your Thai in London?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Talking louder just makes people not understand you more plus they think you are hard of hearing!!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But, from experience, it seems to work.

[Totster]

When I talk Thai, many thai people do not understand me until I start to get louder, then an effort is made - does anyone else experience this.

Where can you improve your Thai in London?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No one understands me until I'm blind drunk...

RE improving your skills.... there must be a Thai association of some kind in London, they may be able to help..

totster

[Abandon]

Talking loudly just makes the Thai feel they are upsetting you and so pretend to understand, to make you feel better.

There is the thing that Thai's will often expect to not understand and just look blankly at you and refuse to understand. A friend of mine is a half thai half American, but looks white. He was raised in Thailand. He says that often in restaurants etc.. Thais just can't understand him because they expect not to. He showed me that you have to open the "fool-valve" (his expression) by saying something real simple like hello, do you speak thai? to the Thai person - this then makes them register that you are speaking Thai. I find this works well. I use various lines such as 'where is the toilet' 'I come from England' etc.... and thereafter I can speak thai with them without problem.

I guess that we English speakers are used to foreigners speaking non-perfect English, but many Thai maybe are not used to non-perfect Thai.

[astral]

The Thai temple in Wimbledon offers language classes and you

will meet Thai's so you can practice.

As for Thai listeners, they seem to come in two groups:

Those who look at me blankly

Those who answer me immediately and tell me I speak Thai clearly.

[chuchok]

The old bloke in the corner shop down the road understands me perfectly, I now have to speak very little Thai.All he says to me as I walk in is "Heineken?" To which I reply. "Chai kup". A perfect understanding.

[Ajarn]

It's a fair effort to translate the 'Thai' most farangs speak. Some Thais do have the 'anticipated speech' aspect, in which they expect the farang to speak English, so they're focused on hearing that. I've found this true sometimes when a Thai will speak English to me. I'm expecting Thai, and his unclear (to me) English is sometimes interpreted by me, at first, as speaking some Thai words that I didn't understand or didn't quite catch.... Hence, the blank look I give sometimes

[fivevenoms]

Admittedly, I've been in a lot of placed that have a lower concentration of farangs, but I've found that breaking the ice with pidgin Thai tends to provoke almost scary levels of enthusiasm with the Thais I've spoken to. They promptly begin to attempt incoherently complex levels of conversatio with me. To which I can only smile and mutter the occasional phrase when I recognize something.

But then again, as I'm sure most of us are aware, the nuances between different Thai phrases are so miniscule as to defy imagination. Or at the very least, induce headache.

[Jack Jones]

I find because of the tonal nature of the language, I find myself speaking louder than English to induce the tones but I don't shout.

The university of London, SOAS, run evening classes in Thai

[buadhai]

I guess that we English speakers are used to foreigners speaking non-perfect English, but many Thai maybe are not used to non-perfect Thai.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How true....

There are so many varieties of English spoken, both by native speakers and those who learned later in life, that anyone who speaks English and hopes to understand other English speakers has to learn to be enormously tolerant when it comes to pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary.

Thai's seem to suffer from both the "I can't believe it's a falang speaking Thai" syndrome and the need to hear Thai that is spoken with great precision. I am both a falang and a slob, and have lately come to the conclusion that because I'm not likely to overcome either handicap, the prospect of ever speaking understandable Thai is, for me, quite slim.

The alternative, learning to live here without becoming anywhere near fluent, is looking better all the time.

Hats off too Chuchok.

[Rags]

There are so many varieties of English spoken, both by native speakers and those who learned later in life, that anyone who speaks English and hopes to understand other English speakers has to learn to be enormously tolerant when it comes to pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good point - I hate to imagine what Thai spoken in different regional UK accents (Geordie, Scots, Irish, Brummy, West Country etc...) must actually sound like to a Thai native speaker, let alone those accents from other countries

Its's amazing that Thai's ever understand more than our efforts at "Sawat Dee Kap" and "Heineken Kap"

[Abandon]

As for Thai listeners, they seem to come in two groups:

Those who look at me blankly

Those who answer me immediately and tell me I speak Thai clearly.

well put astral ... same for me.

I have noticed too that non-native English speakers seem to communicate fine in English, even if I don't know what they are on about. That is - they find the english of non-native English speakers easier to follow than that of natives.

[JimGant]

such as 'where is the toilet' 'I come from England'

When you say this as one phrase, do they nod their heads knowingly?

[llso]

Hi,

I've been told by many that my Thai is pretty good. One thing I found is that when I was working that my Thai worker could understand me perfectly. I think because he was able to follow my accent . Many times he would actually translate my spoken Thai to other Thai people.

Another interesting thing I found is that the ability of the Thai person to understand a Falang speaking Thai is their intelligence. An example I like to use is if I say can you reet Py ( iron)my Sua ( shirt) which if not said perfectly could sound like tiger , So if the person thinks ok, Iron my tiger , Oh no that's not it must be shirt. But some never get past the mental image of asking them to iron my tiger.

LL

[Greer]

This effect occurs with other languages too, when I am in Hong Kong, if I say anything in Cantonese it usually takes the person I speak to a few seconds to register it, as they are not expecting us to speak in the local language.

I notice that when in Thailand, the locals understand me perfectly well, whereas when I am in the UK or Australia, the Thais at first don't realise that I said something in Thai, and it often works best if you do use a simple "trigger phrase" that is obviously Thai so that it registers with them.

I must admit that I occassionally have the same problem as they do when someone says something to me in English if I am not expecting that language to come from that person.

Speaking louder usually is not recommended, but just be very careful how you pronounce the words - try not to use a strong accent (I know that's not easy for people from certain areas).

The tones in Thai are important, as pointed out above, as some words are quite rude if said slightly incorrectly. Be careful, for example, that you don't say "cock" (penis) accidentaly when you are trying to say "banana"...or "buffalo"...

It is a big help in learning to speak if you can also learn to read the language.

[Neeranam]

Those who look at me blankly

Those who answer me immediately and tell me I speak Thai clearly.

That's the same with me.

I know some farang that speak terrible Thai, but I can usually understand them wher Thais can't.

Raising your voice will not help.

There are some Thais who will, however, refuse to speak Thai with me, this has included a couple of doctors. When my wife was pregnant the doctor at Bamrungrad spoke English to me and Thai to my wife. I would ask him questions in Thai and he would answer me in English, then have to repeat to my wife in Thai, or I would do it. Quite comical really! My wife couldn't speak any English back then. Another doctor who didn't speak English asked my wife what was wrong with me and she acted as a go-between, which was stupid as Thai was all that was spoken.

Then again, I guess I do have a strong accent which my wife has got used to.

[BIG SPUDS]

My GF says i speak thai really good and sound thai when i am pissed

For some reasons it flows off my tongue.

I speak better thai than english, when pissed.

Edited April 27, 2005 by BIG SPUDS

[Totster]

My GF says i speak thai really good and sound thai when i am pissed

For some reasons it flows off my tongue.

I speak better thai than english, when pissed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think when we have had a few beers we loose inhibitions, we are more likely to try to speak to someone in Thai simply because we are no longer shy and not worried about looking or sounding stupid ... this is true for me anyway..

totster

[octave]

Its very annoying.

Getting into a Taxi ask for "sukumvit road" and then get thee "look at the stupid falang smile". Ask for "sukumwwwwwit road, you might make it.

Its difficult to imagine getting into a London cab, and asking for Lichester square and the cabbie not knowing what you mean.

But then Thai's are very stupid.

[anaorak]

Its very annoying.

Getting into a Taxi ask for "sukumvit road" and then get thee "look at the stupid falang smile". Ask for "sukumwwwwwit road, you might make it.

Its difficult to imagine getting into a London cab, and asking for Lichester square and the cabbie not knowing what you mean.

But then Thai's are very stupid.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thais are far from stupid!!!! and they rarely get Taxis in London. jing, jing

I am pleased I posted this thread as reading the responses have been humurous and enlightening. I can see that I am not the only one with the Thai talking problem. It had put me off learning the language, but I shall now renew my efforts as I see simple techniques can also help, apart from simply talking the language.

[bkkmadness]

But then Thai's are very stupid.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what an idiotic comment to make.

[Totster]

But then Thai's are very stupid.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what an idiotic comment to make.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

TROLLING me thinks....

totster

[bannork]

But then Thai's are very stupid.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what an idiotic comment to make.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

TROLLING me thinks....

totster

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He must be trolling, nobody would make so many spelling mistakes and call others stupid unless he was extracting the urine.

[Savage]

This is just my experience.

I am understood 100% of the time when I am in the North.

When I am in Bangkok I am understood about 90% of the time WHEN I'M ON MY OWN...

When i'm with my wife people have a tendency to not listen to me and to look at my wife, sometimes I have to almost wave to waiters/waitresses to make them listen to me.

I think people in Bangkok have a problem with listening. Frustrating at times I must say but hey ho!

[meadish_sweetball]

Trigger phrase is the way to go when you get the blank stare. Being loud never helps - it may induce laughter or smiles, but often because it makes the Thai uncomfortable and embarrased. Make an effort to speak slowly and as clearly as you can instead.

I really recognize myself in Neeraram's situation. The ironic thing is, when I am on my own, everybody seems to understand my Thai perfectly well, and I can have long conversations without any misunderstandings, and unvariably I get very positive comments on how clear my Thai is.

When my GF is there though, the situation changes. The waiters always turn to her when they need to ask something, the blank stare is there when I speak, etc.

I find educated Thais (like doctors) really want to speak English (face thing maybe, or just wanting to practice) and thus may not encourage your efforts to speak Thai. Fair enough, why not give them the opportunity?

[Abandon]

a trigger phrase to open the fool valve......

I once had an interview with a Thai abbot. He would ask a question to a translator, and I would answer in thai without the translator speaking. This went on for half an hour.

should this thread not be in the Thai Language forum ??

[The_Other_Mac]

Situations that have occured with Thai gf and English-speaking Thai friend of gf:

I speak Thai, gf translates my statement into English...

I speak English, gf "translates" my statement into English...

[moziman]

An example I like to use is if I say can you  reet Py ( iron)my Sua ( shirt) which if not said perfectly could sound like tiger , So if the person thinks ok, Iron my tiger , Oh no that's not it must be shirt. But some never get past the mental image of asking them to iron my tiger.

LL

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LOL superb, you could really have some fun and keep a tiger patterned shirt and underpants handy just for this situation, so when you get the confused look........ even better still, present a real tiger to iron and don't forget to startch the whiskers, that really would create a mental image.

Mental top tip from moziman.

[Rags]

I find educated Thais (like doctors) really want to speak English (face thing maybe, or just wanting to practice) and thus may not encourage your efforts to speak Thai. Fair enough, why not give them the opportunity?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My guess would be that the Thai doctors deliberately speak in English as a default to try and avoid missunderstandings when explaining a medical condition - easier and safer than trying to assess a Farang's command of the Thai language during a short consultation.

Rags