Fun With English On The Baht Bus!

[Jingthing]

One of the funny things about life in Pattaya and Thailand is that English is in effect the second language here. It can sometimes be very amusing to watch non-native English speakers deal with that.

Caught on the baht bus yesterday.

On Beach Road there was a very loud argument between a group of Anglos (English maybe) and a group of South Indians (Indians or Pakistanis most likely). Both sides were loud and agitated and it looked like violence was about the break out. So the Anglos start saying --

CHILL OUT, CHILL OUT

Well the bus kept moving and I don't know what happened but the scene on the bus was funny, a bunch of Russians and some Thais. The Russians starting making fun of the phrase CHILL OUT, saying it several times and mispronouncing it in amusing ways, then the Thais joined in (they looked like possible kathoeys, I didn't do a test). There was much laughing and I got the impression nobody actually knew what the term meant. The Thais eventually changed the pronunciation to CHUK WOW, you've got to admit that's funny!

Any similar experience of fun and games with English with non-English speakers in Pattaya?

[Wavefloater]

Gee...I though Russian was now the unofficial second language in Pattaya.

[prefabs]

Jimgthing, what is a "South Indian"? It is a phrase which I am unfamiliar with.

An Indian or a Pakistani? You show your lack of geographical education (like most US people) by saying this. A glance at a Map will show that Pakistan sure ain't anywhere near the South of India.

Or did you mean to differentiate between West India and Indians from the subcontinent?

[therealmrbrightside]

I had a funny one at my work a week ago when one Thai guy said to me - brilliant guy by the way "khun **** yoo hapee hapee hewv jeego beow??"

He had to repeat several times before i clicked to what he meant..."Are you happy soon will be Christmas?" (jeego beow of course "Jingle Bells")

Brilliant.

[Jingthing]

Jimgthing, what is a "South Indian"? It is a phrase which I am unfamiliar with.

An Indian or a Pakistani? You show your lack of geographical education (like most US people) by saying this. A glance at a Map will show that Pakistan sure ain't anywhere near the South of India.

Or did you mean to differentiate between West India and Indians from the subcontinent?

I misspoke. I meant SOUTH ASIAN. Obviously! Corrected now, CHILL OUT!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Asia

Edited December 9, 2010 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Gee...I though Russian was now the unofficial second language in Pattaya.

It isn't because they can only talk to each other and some few Thais who now know basic Russian. When a French person and a Russian need to communicate here, it's going to be English. Then the humor comes!

Edited December 9, 2010 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

No more stories? How disappointing.

[surayu]

No more stories? How disappointing.

well, one of the sisters in law seems to giggle to death everytime they mention the name of that korean chap on the news, Ban Ki Moon, the secretary general of the UN, i guess she's thinking that someone transformed the moon in a septic tank or something very close to it, whatever, for the baht buses i can only quote dramas sorry...

[Jingthing]

The stories do not need to be baht bus related. It wasn't my intention suggest that.

[rak sa_ngop]

No more stories? How disappointing.

well, one of the sisters in law seems to giggle to death everytime they mention the name of that korean chap on the news, Ban Ki Moon, the secretary general of the UN, i guess she's thinking that someone transformed the moon in a septic tank or something very close to it, whatever, for the baht buses i can only quote dramas sorry...

I think the joke here is that 'moon' is a Thai (formal?)word for excrement or faeces and of course Khi is the word for defecate, so all in all pretty funny for a Thai in an anal sort of way.

[Spalpeen]

A door slammed shut and my missus exclaimed "<deleted> You!", which is her standard all purpose remark when she's startled. Now her two tiny grand daughters, aged 4 and 5, happened to be nearby so they both immediately echoed their granny. When we stopped laughing she explained to the two little girls that "<deleted> You" just meant Hello in English. Sorted.

Until the next morning when she went downstairs and found the two little girls at the front door of the apartments trying out their new English word for Hello on everyone who went past. They seemed to be well pleased with the reaction they were getting to their first attempt at speaking English. They also learned another new phrase from the wife - "Fcuks Sake!".

[Fookhaht]

While traveling on a provincial bus to Surin, I was correcting resumes for my Business English class of Thai uni students, when I burst out laughing, attracting the puzzled attention from my fellow bus riders.

On her resume (C.V. for you Brits) one of my female students had listed under "Accomplishments:"

"Won first place in our village Beauty Pregnant."

[crusty]

No more stories? How disappointing.

Some years ago, a very long time resident and Hasher, would take his 8 year old to run with the Pattaya HHH and as was the norm, was used to hearing their traditional song for someone about to leave Pattaya which was sung to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne" and went F--- off you c---, F--- off you c--- F---- off you c---, f--- off . Well one day at school the lady teacher asked the kids in the classroom to each step up and sing a song and then this kid stood up and sang the Hash farewell song "F----k off you c----,

[WaatWang]

My BF and I talk alot about music - translating English orThai songs back & forth to our own language. It's a fun way learn new words for both of us.

We rented a car and there were some CDs left inside from the last people. One of the songs that came on was 'My Humps' by the Black Eyed Peas. He said he knew that one and I was kind of suprised. If you look up the lyrics it's pretty much all American slang, and it's basically about a woman's - you know - tits & ass.

Come to find out apparently it is a popular song here, but most Thai people think she's saying "Ma Hou - Ma Hou - Ma Hou - Ma Hou" - about a dog barking. Made me giggle. And he was suprised when I explained what humps were.

[anothertorres]

An Indian or a Pakistani? You show your lack of geographical education (like most US people) by saying this.

haha, you're an idiot.

[toenail]

Jimgthing, what is a "South Indian"? It is a phrase which I am unfamiliar with.

An Indian or a Pakistani? You show your lack of geographical education (like most US people) by saying this. A glance at a Map will show that Pakistan sure ain't anywhere near the South of India.

Or did you mean to differentiate between West India and Indians from the subcontinent?

Just wondering how you know this member, "Meme" , is an American? You must have a special talent to know everyones nationality on this forum. Personally I have traveled to Indian 5-6 times as a tourist and there is a big difference between "North" India and "South" India culturally and geographically.(Have you been to Kerla?) Maybe "meme" was trying focus on what part of India they were from ...or from Pakistan.

PS "Ain't" is not a proper word (are you American?)

[Soutpeel]

Jimgthing, what is a "South Indian"? It is a phrase which I am unfamiliar with.

An Indian or a Pakistani? You show your lack of geographical education (like most US people) by saying this. A glance at a Map will show that Pakistan sure ain't anywhere near the South of India.

Or did you mean to differentiate between West India and Indians from the subcontinent?

Just wondering how you know this member, "Meme" , is an American? You must have a special talent to know everyones nationality on this forum. Personally I have traveled to Indian 5-6 times as a tourist and there is a big difference between "North" India and "South" India culturally and geographically.(Have you been to Kerla?) Maybe "meme" was trying focus on what part of India they were from ...or from Pakistan.

PS "Ain't" is not a proper word (are you American?)

Oh dear....another "English" teacher with a minor in Geography....

[rebbu]

I told the wife I was going to buy some beers in the local shop back in the red shirt debacle. She replied "you can't go out still have Garfield" After twenty minutes of laughter and confusionn I figured out what she meant to say. I had thought my son a new word that day "curfew" and he decided to play a joke on his Mum telling her Garfield was curfew in English. Priceless!

[ESB7]

While traveling on a provincial bus to Surin, I was correcting resumes for my Business English class of Thai uni students, when I burst out laughing, attracting the puzzled attention from my fellow bus riders.

On her resume (C.V. for you Brits) one of my female students had listed under "Accomplishments:"

"Won first place in our village Beauty Pregnant."

That is bad English.