The Khraps And The Khaas

[mike_l]

The original forms of "khrap" and "khaa" are "khorup" and "chaokhaa", which I am sure did not come from Sanskrit.

I have my theories, though:

For "khorup"

There is a phrase, ขอรับใส่เกล้าใส่กระหม่อม (kho rup sai klao sai kramom), which is an honorific ending used when responding to a command from the royal family. The phrase means something like "I shall accept (your command) and revere it above my head".

For "chaokhaa"

It might have come from พระพุทธเจ้าข้า (phraphuttachaokhaa), also an honorific ending used with the royal family. I'm not really sure about the meaning, but it seems to imply Buddha, which is not that strange considering that Buddhism is the mainstream of Thai culture.

However, there is no gender distinction between these phrases. I have no idea how the male and female forms evolved.

I also feel that "khrap" and "khaa" are rather Bangkok things. A lot of older people in the country still prefer to use "ja".

cholakarn

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is interesting. I think the implied meaning of พระพุทธเจ้าข้า is พระพุทธเจ้าของข้า , so that would translate as something like "I am your slave, my royal master" I reckon. I guess from there it just changed gradually over time พระพุทธเจ้าข้า > เจ้าข้า > เจ้าค่ะ > ค่ะ.

I wonder when the standard pronunciation changed to being ครับ and ค่ะ. I noticed in the movie "The Overture"/ โหมโรง that I saw recently that the main character is always saying ขอรับ, and that was set in the early twentieth century so it can't have been that long ago.

[Boatabike]

Simple, kaas are for everyday transport, and Krap is something we do after a good curry, depending on the tone of course the latter one can be related to a lot of postings on TV.

[bina]

can somebody write out the ja/jao etc... i have my very big issan/thai/ eng dic now so maybe i can find whats written there (will take time since need help of thai person to read... so in next few days i can check)

mead... havent had time to scan other book (proverbs) but havent forgotten that either.... just no time, high season now

doesnt chechoi sound like that very same cat???? something abou the teasing tone, pseudo formal style (or perhaps older european gentleman speaking formal english)... anyway........

[drummer]

The original forms of "khrap" and "khaa" are "khorup" and "chaokhaa", which I am sure did not come from Sanskrit.

I have my theories, though:

For "khorup"

There is a phrase, ขอรับใส่เกล้าใส่กระหม่อม (kho rup sai klao sai kramom), which is an honorific ending used when responding to a command from the royal family. The phrase means something like "I shall accept (your command) and revere it above my head".

For "chaokhaa"

It might have come from พระพุทธเจ้าข้า (phraphuttachaokhaa), also an honorific ending used with the royal family. I'm not really sure about the meaning, but it seems to imply Buddha, which is not that strange considering that Buddhism is the mainstream of Thai culture.

However, there is no gender distinction between these phrases. I have no idea how the male and female forms evolved.

I also feel that "khrap" and "khaa" are rather Bangkok things. A lot of older people in the country still prefer to use "ja".

cholakarn

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is interesting. I think the implied meaning of พระพุทธเจ้าข้า is พระพุทธเจ้าของข้า , so that would translate as something like "I am your slave, my royal master" I reckon. I guess from there it just changed gradually over time พระพุทธเจ้าข้า > เจ้าข้า > เจ้าค่ะ > ค่ะ.

I wonder when the standard pronunciation changed to being ครับ and ค่ะ. I noticed in the movie "The Overture"/ โหมโรง that I saw recently that the main character is always saying ขอรับ, and that was set in the early twentieth century so it can't have been that long ago.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I showed this to the wife and she said 'Its because everyone the same now. Not like before" (still trying to get her to include "to be") She thinks the old style of speaking is cute and romantic, incidentally...

[loong]

"Khaaaa..." 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

stop it please, I can't control myself

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Doesn't "Khaaaa.." mean "Kill"?