Ja

[Neeranam]

I have always thought that saying "ja" to say yes was gay sounding.

Now I am using it more with my daughter. If I say it to my wife when others are around does this make me saound like a <deleted> or not?

Similar to saying, Neeranam(not my real name ) instead of I, which I think is really a woman's way to talk, but I could easily be wrong.??

[Jai Dee]

Good subject Neeranam.

I mentioned it too on this thread... some good answers there...

I'm still not convinced about the "gayness" of it though...

[OlRedEyes]

Ja well no fine....

Ja is used in many parts of the world, never came accross it being looked upon as a gay thing.

[BambinA]

Good subject Neeranam.

I mentioned it too on this thread... some good answers there...

I'm still not convinced about the "gayness" of it though... 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

good thread one

anyhow IMHO , i dont think its "gayness" if you use it with Woman and Kid ..just dont use it with "12 yo" up Male

Bambi

[mrbojangles]

does this make me saound like a &lt;deleted&gt; or not?

Love it Neeranam, made me chuckle that. Don't wrap it up in brown paper, say it as it is As for the question, i had a similar one "Urr or Khrap" but after the replies i think i'll just use Chai

MrBoJ

[ProThaiExpat]

My Thai says it is a term used between loved ones or those on intimate terms, thus between a man and his sweetheart, only with a daughter if she is below 12 years old.

If you are gay, it is used between gay men who are lovers or sweethearts. But a gay man would not use it to another gay man who is not his lover.

To summarize, Ja should only be used between sweethearts and your own daughter under 12.

Edited August 10, 2005 by ProThaiExpat

[Insight]

Can gay guys say it to straight guys (and vica-versa), or am I surrounded by Rainbow Warriors in this office?

[meadish_sweetball]

Can gay guys say it to straight guys (and vica-versa), or am I surrounded by Rainbow Warriors in this office?

I get a few 'ja's from my barber every now and then. He knows the flirting's all in vain, so I just think it's a laugh.

[mrbojangles]

Is this the same type of dialect that is used in somewhere like Chang Mai? I was talking to someone the other week from that area (female friend of the wifes) and it's hard to explain but it was sort of "gay" if you know what i mean. It wasn't an harsh accent but a very sweet one with extended sounds. Can someone help me out here with what i'm trying to say

[BambinA]

Is this the same type of dialect that is used in somewhere like Chang Mai?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

do you mean "jaooooooooo...." ?

[mrbojangles]

Is this the same type of dialect that is used in somewhere like Chang Mai?

do you mean "jaooooooooo...." ?

That's the one Bambi, it sounds really sweet don't you think

[OxfordWill]

Among friends, ja is often used between girls, and between guys and girls when a situation needs calming down (such as a disagreement), or when you want to show you understand and sympathise with what is being said, or when you want to make a point of saying 'I consider you a good friend and therefore am not using formal language'.

That's my understanding, anyway. Among older people and more formal relationships it is completely unacceptable, such as using it with your boss (under any circumstance) and so on.

edit: oh, and it's 'cute' but not 'gay'. Many of my thai male friends use it to their female friends (but not to one another) but not frequently.

Edited August 10, 2005 by OxfordWill

[loong]

I leave 'Ja' to others as never sure how to use it.

Same as in the North, the ladies try to make me use 'Jow', I think they are playing with me, so will never use it.

I have only recently managed to start using Ka instead of Krup when talking to very young girls. Mind you a lot of women still use Krup when they talk to me , so they must think I'm a child

[BambinA]

That's the one Bambi, it sounds really sweet don't you think

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ohh yeah ..i think its pretty sweet , north people especially CM ,they speak soft and slowly jaoooooooooo

Bambi

[meelousee]

Good subject Neeranam.

I mentioned it too on this thread... some good answers there...

I'm still not convinced about the "gayness" of it though... 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

good thread one

anyhow IMHO , i dont think its "gayness" if you use it with Woman and Kid ..just dont use it with "12 yo" up Male

Bambi

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Koon Ja pai nai na Krup?

Depends on how it is used and where in the sentence, chai mai ja?

Wanee ja tham arai?

[BambinA]

Do you ask me? lol

Koon Ja pai nai na Krup?

yang mai pai nai..BB  tong tum ngan teung 2 toom

Depends on how it is used and where in the sentence, chai mai ja?

CHai ja ..Geng mak

Wanee ja tham arai?

wannee yung mai mee PLAN , lol song sai online  reu doo nhang DVD

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Johpa]

I would only use "ja" with a younger female relative or very close younger female friend from the the local tambon whose entire family I knew well.

I must admit <blush> that I use it to put those catty younger, yet well off financially, women in place, and here I am talking about women in their 20s and 30s, whose attitude I feel is in need of some adjustment. It is a great way to make a polite insult that will really piss them off. Another good one is to address a Bangkok lady as nong, a term easily accepted in the rural areas yet a term that the Bangkok women find abhorent.

[Jack Jones]

Just spoken with a Thai friend of mine and this was her response:

It is difficult to explain about this word. The word "Ja", if used by gentleman is a bit gay but not always. However, it depends on the situation. For example, it can be a polite and cute word when man talking to woman or children, it sounds sweet...but not always na...it is too polite....or if man using with man...he is definitely gay! However, if you see the old movie...men in the past always used "ja"...maybe 50 years ago or more...they can also used this word to the older people too.

[Neeranam]

Another good one is to address a Bangkok lady as nong, a term easily accepted in the rural areas yet a term that the Bangkok women find abhorent.

Ha ha , they certainly don't like being called nong!

[StateSix]

I always thought that ja was used instead of krup/ka. My gf always finishes telephone calls with her friends with 'ja, ja, wadee ja". However she told me only women speak like that and that I should say "krup, krup, wadee krup", not "ja".

I do wonder what I sound like when I speak Thai as I learnt a fair amount off my gf. Must be quite easy to pick up female traits learning this way.

[Insight]

I do wonder what I sound like when I speak Thai as I learnt a fair amount off my gf.  Must be quite easy to pick up female traits learning this way.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is what a lot of girls in our office said about our ex-boss. He had the same issue, and whenever he spoke Thai it apparently sounded cringeworthly feminine to all the girls here.