Rhetorical Phrase Spoken When Thai Speakers Are Trying To Think Of Something

[sambai]

I have noticed that some native Thai speakers utter a phrase that I do not hear clearly, but it sounds like "colliac wah arie". It seems to be said when someone is trying to recall something to memory, exactly like English speakers might say "what is it?". It's an entirely rhetorical question, always.

I presume the 'wah' is related to 'thinking', similar to 'kit wah'. The 'arie' part is clearly obvious.

I note however that better native speakers of Thai language do not use the phrase at all. I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but native Bangkok people do not seem to use it, but Isaan people do quite regularly. The phrase can be very noticeable and is used constantly during conversation by some people, making it rather irritating at times.

Is it therefore a sign of someone's education and background?

I'm not sure if it's a regional dialect but the two people who use it often are from Udon Thani and from Korat. Notably, Korat speakers do not usually use Laos language.

[AjarnPasa]

It's ก็ เรียก ว่า อะไร gaw rîak wâa à-rai

"Uh ... what's it called?"

[GarryP]

Based on what you have written they are saying "What do they call it?". This is something one might mutter under one's breath when trying to recall the name of something.

[sambai]

Thanks for writing ก็ เรียก ว่า อะไร in Thai, that's very helpful and I can see for starters, it's the mispronunciation of ร that these people are using, as with many Thai words containing ร.

I've learned three new words here. So, am I correct in suggesting ก็ means "it", เรียก means "called" and ว่า means "that"?

[AjarnPasa]

ก็ is a kind of place holder a bit like 'umm' or 'er', and in speech used in much the same way (although depending on context it can have other meanings too). So the whole phrase really is more or less "Er ... what is it called?"

[LazyYogi]

Thanks for writing ก็ เรียก ว่า อะไร in Thai, that's very helpful and I can see for starters, it's the mispronunciation of ร that these people are using, as with many Thai words containing ร.

I've learned three new words here. So, am I correct in suggesting ก็ means "it", เรียก means "called" and ว่า means "that"?

There is no "it" in the phrase ก็ เรียก ว่า อะไร.

ก็ by itself can just be a kind of nonsense word used when the speaker is stalling for time or trying to make a transition into something, sort of like "Well, uh..." in English

[Johpa]

I note however that better native speakers of Thai language do not use the phrase at all. I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but native Bangkok people do not seem to use it, but Isaan people do quite regularly.

Not rude, just ignorant. No native speaker speaks better than another. Not to mention that Issan folks speak a different, closely related, but different language than is spoken in Bangkok. You are perhaps spending too much time with rude Bangkok people who look down upon Isaan people and others from regions that do not speak Central Thai.

[Rikker]

My first suggestion would have been เขา as the first word in place of ก็, but both are possible.

เขาเรียกว่าอะไร, literally 'What do they call it...' (the เขา here is generic, not referring to anyone in particular, much like 'you' in the English phrase 'What do you call it...')

[GarryP]

I agree with Rikker. 9 times out of 10 I hear เขาเรียกว่าอะไร.

[keo]

I always thought it was "ขอเรียกว่าอะไร"

With one person asking another, usually how to say a Thai word in English.

[rgs2001uk]

I always thought it was "ขอเรียกว่าอะไร"

With one person asking another, usually how to say a Thai word in English.

Wouldnt that be,

ภาษาอังกฤษเรียกว่าอะไร?

or,

แปลว่าอะไร?

[elliss]

It's ก็ เรียก ว่า อะไร gaw rîak wâa à-rai

"Uh ... what's it called?"

arri nah , what ?

phoum mie cowjie , i not understand

all thais should learn to speak english. :jap:

[preahko]

It's ก็ เรียก ว่า อะไร gaw rîak wâa à-rai

"Uh ... what's it called?"

arri nah , what ?

phoum mie cowjie , i not understand

all thais should learn to speak english. :jap:

The Lao version is "aa-naaaa..."

Interesting, the Khmer expression of the concept "whatchamacallit...?" (as we say in American English) depends on whether you're having trouble recalling a verb (errrrr...) or a noun (aa deng...)