I've been trying to translate the rather negative adjective 'farcical'. The sentence I have is 'The company's organization is farcical.'

However, I can only get na-hualort on line, which connotates quite differently. As we know, anything connected to fun (such as a farce) in Thailand is usually described in positive terms, but I need to find a word that can be used to described something negatively, not positively.

Can anyone help on this one?

Here are some possible ideas from the dictionary.

farcical

• (ฟารฺ'ซิเคิล) adj. เกี่ยวกับละครตลก,น่าหัวเราะ,เหลวไหล ###SW. farcicality n. farcicalness n. farcically adv. ###S. absurd ###A. serious

• (Hope Studio)

absurd

• [ADJ] ไร้สาระ; ไร้ความหมาย, ที่ไม่เป็นเหตุเป็นผล S.ridiculous; senseless A.sensible; logical

• (NECTEC Lexitron 2 EN-TH)

• (แอบเซิร์ด', แอบเซิร์ด') adj. เหลวไหล, น่าหัวเราะ, โง่เขลา, ไร้สาระ. -absurdity, absurdness n. -absurdly adv.

• (Hope Studio)

• (adj) ไร้สาระ,ไร้เหตุผล,ไม่สมเหตุผล,น่าหัวเราะ

• (Nontri)

I would say ไร้สาระ would be the best word, but there are others out here who have mastered the language to near perfection and will be able to guide you better.

น่าหัวเราะ nah hua ro isn't such a bad choice of words for what you want to say, actually. It literally means "laughable" or "comedic", and it's obviously positive if used about something that people are meant to laugh at, but it isn't so positive if you use it to talk about something that isn't supposed to be funny, as in your example.

Another option would be เป็นเรื่องตลก bpen rueang dta-lok "(to be) a joke"--again, this can be used literally, but it's also used in a figurative sense to indicate something's so bad it's comical.

What about this suggestion from an amateur old guy trying to learn Thai?

โครงสร้างของบริษัทนี้เหมือนกันละครตลกไร้สาระ

The structure of this company is like a joke show without substance.

Thai has a large number of words for "disorganized" and "chaotic" which might fit the bill here, including:

ฉุกละหุก /tcʰùkˑláˑhùk/ [V] confused

จ้าละหวั่น /tcâːˑláˑwàn/ [ADV] chaotically

ชุลมุน /tcʰūnˑláˑmūn/ [V] be in disorder

ปั่นป่วน /pànˑpùːan/ [V] be frantic, confused, agitated

ระส่ำระสาย /ráˑsàmˑráˑsǎːj/ [V] be disorganized

อลเวง /ʔōnˑláˑwēːŋ/ [V] be chaotic

โกลาหล /kōːˑlāːˑhǒn/ [ADV] chaotically

อลหม่าน /ʔōnˑláˑmàːn/ [V] be in disorder

etc.

Thais sometimes put words like these together in a string for emphasis.

I offer the following that used by most Thais

1. เหมือนเด็กเล่นขายของ = like a child play

2. เหมือนหนังการ์ตูน = like a cartoon/animation movie

I offer the following that used by most Thais

1. เหมือนเด็กเล่นขายของ = like a child play

2. เหมือนหนังการ์ตูน = like a cartoon/animation movie

Yes thanks for that, example number (2) is close to what I had in mind.

Many thanks to all that posted.

When bargaining with a street vendor and he thinks your offer is too low, I seem to remember over-hearing once การ์ตูน...การ์ตูน as his response.

I would guess what the street vendor said was something that sounds a little similar, but means something else: khàad thun = to not cover (make up for) the investment made, i.e. sell at a loss thun = investment capital, sum of money, budgeted money etc. (naay thun = capitalist, rabob thun niyom = capitalism, capitalist system)

I would guess what the street vendor said was something that sounds a little similar, but means something else: khàad thun = to not cover (make up for) the investment made, i.e. sell at a loss thun = investment capital, sum of money, budgeted money etc. (naay thun = capitalist, rabob thun niyom = capitalism, capitalist system)

Here is short audio clip of a vendor using khàad tun to say he can't lower the price.

khat tun.mp3

You are using an adjective to describe the organization. You should use a predicative noun such as "a farce" instead. Now, if you can find a noun that means "farce" that would do it. Just giving a suggestion as to the direction. Take care.

You are using an adjective to describe the organization. You should use a predicative noun such as "a farce" instead. Now, if you can find a noun that means "farce" that would do it. Just giving a suggestion as to the direction. Take care.

Thanks, yes that is one direction to go in, however, I think several posters on this thread have answered my query adequately.

I would guess what the street vendor said was something that sounds a little similar, but means something else: khàad thun = to not cover (make up for) the investment made, i.e. sell at a loss thun = investment capital, sum of money, budgeted money etc. (naay thun = capitalist, rabob thun niyom = capitalism, capitalist system)

Here is short audio clip of a vendor using khàad tun to say he can't lower the price.

khat tun.mp3

Sometimes if you counter offer a ridiculously low amount when buying something, the vendor may say something like "put pben nang cartoon", i.e. you are speaking like a cartoon, something that is not in the realms of possibility.