Farangs Using Funny Accents

[outofoz]

I was guilty of speaking in a funny farang accent on my recent trip to bkk. After many months of speaking to Thai women on Skype I had fallen into a pattern of short basic sentences. Most Thais find my Australian accent hard to understand and I had started to shorten my sentences down to a most basic level.

I didn't realise how far I had fallen until my cousin in bkk asked why I was speaking to him in a funny Indian accent.

[pjclark1]

Then there are the farang Thai wannabes, these people really annoy me. You know, the ones that can speak fluent Thai, shout it out at the top of they're voices in public, just to make sure that everyone is aware of their brilliant command of the Thai language

I am very mindful of this perception. So when I speak Thai when seated near to someone who looks like an old ill-adjusted buffoon who can't even order a plate of rice in the language of the country where he lives, then I make sure I use both Thai and English when speaking to any Thais in attendance, to ensure everyone feels included and understands me. (This is typically in bars).

I do this especially if I get the impression that the Thai I'm speaking to has some kind of relationship/acqaintance with said buffoon; then it would just be rude to yap only in Thai and thus exclude the guy.

Well l can't order rice, so buffoon l am. But l can spell acquaintance.

Steamed white rice = cow su-ey

Sticky rice = cow ne-ow

Hope this helps you!

Yo Che...... we will fight together soon ....... down with the Federales.

[Kilgore Trout]

When I first came here about 28 years ago, I spoke with a broad Yorkshire accent. None of the locals could understand a word I was saying. Bit of a problem when teaching. So I started enunciating words. After more than I year of this I had lost my accent totally. It wasn't intentionally, it just happened. Now even Brits ask me where I am from, meaning country. My dad didn't even recognize my voice when I called him after being here a few years.

Could it be possible that they are simply trying to pronounce words in a way that is understandable?

Reminds me of that American taliban they caught, what was his name; Chris Walker Lind or something; when interviewed he said he hadn't spoken English for so long he had to speak with an accent; what an idiot!

You never lose your mother tongue or your accent (unless on purpose) even if you hadn't spoken it for 20 years.

No matter how much you would like to be Thai or non-English, you can never escape where you came from, including accent

I humbly disagree. It has got nothing to do with wanting to be Thai or non-English in my case. I am English and will be until the day I die, but I no longer have a Yorkshire accent. Though I am proud to be a Yorkshireman, I have lost all but very faint traces of the acccent, which your average English speaker would never catch. Perhaps if you don't at last try to be understood, there is no chance of you losing your accent. Another funny point is that I cannot even put on a Yorkshire accent anymore, it just sounds so artificial or false.

Believe it or not. That is up to you. I am sure there are others out there like myself.

Just reread your post and note that you said you would never lose your accent "(unless on purpose)", which is my case. Perhaps you should go back and reread what I said. On my part it was intentional, so that I could be understood and as a necessity for teaching.

Ok, point taken but I'm sure if you spent a couple of days back in York your accent would come right back, its not gone, just hiding

[ClockworkOranges]

Another pet peeve - that has already been mentioned - is people who are learning Thai and they start throwing Thai words into every conversation in English with other foreigners.

YES! I AGREE! Just the other night I was talking with a guy I know and he was telling me about a house he was looking at renting. He told me: "Its only a small place but i am khun deo so its all I need. The garden is sawoy maak maak. Its quite far out of town though coz its on soi yee sip gow"

I truly, truly, truly hate it. It was just me and him - no Thais with us.... So why the hell is he saying "alone' 'very beautifull' and 'Soi 29' in Thai to me?

This is the same guy who went to immigration and addressed the woman official is 'Terak'.

It is without question a real huge pet hate of mine.

Edited December 30, 2010 by ClockworkOranges

[phutoie2]

Another pet peeve - that has already been mentioned - is people who are learning Thai and they start throwing Thai words into every conversation in English with other foreigners.

YES! I AGREE! Just the other night I was talking with a guy I know and he was telling me about a house he was looking at renting. He told me: "Its only a small place but i am khun deo so its all I need. The garden is sawoy maak maak. Its quite far out of town though coz its on soi yee sip gow"

I truly, truly, truly hate it. It was just me and him - no Thais with us.... So why the hell is he saying "alone' 'very beautifull' and 'Soi 29' in Thai to me?

This is the same guy who went to immigration and addressed the woman official is 'Terak'.

It is without question a real huge pet hate of mine.

Yep good one!, we have chaps on the golf course who also refer to their caddies as 'teerak'

Cringeworthy!

[phutoie2]

You clearly don't know much about thais.. my girlfriend of more than 3 years has never finished any of her word with an over accentuation like pow-ER and she learned most of her english from highschool and from her thai Chinese boyfriend... the only people using bad english pronunciations or grammar are bargirls/those who did not care about learning english and still do not care much about using it(but have to, obviously).

And i doubt ANYONE ever uses tinglish with normal thais, this is reserved for couples made from working girls or guys who are here for this.

I have met a ton of thais who can only speak a little bit of english but have been educated/have decent jobs/are good honest people and none of them using baby talk type english or tinglish. The few words they know, they piece them together the same as they heard them on TV or from an english speaking person.

In fact the only places i have heard people speaking like the guy up there who had to ask his girlfriend, Australia you like? was at supercheap phuket, tesco at onnut or any other redneck event/location. Hell most of the thai women i have met in couples, speak better than me and a lot of them have non-native english speaking boyfriends.

Well I think its you who does not know much about Thais!!, you can start by tuning into the average town local radio station and listen to how all the English words on the adverts are spoken.

The one that gets me is Hond - a.

Thats a cheap shot about bar girls too, some will surprise you with their levels of English , much better than the so called hi educated girls who get the cushy jobs in Banks etc etc.

[CheGuava]

Another pet peeve - that has already been mentioned - is people who are learning Thai and they start throwing Thai words into every conversation in English with other foreigners.

I think it's okay in a conversation especially when you can't think of the word in English, and/or if it's something typically Thai, be it a physical thing or a concept.

When using a mix for no reason in written language on a forum such as this one then I completely agree with you.

[DougLee]

You clearly don't know much about thais.. my girlfriend of more than 3 years has never finished any of her word with an over accentuation like pow-ER and she learned most of her english from highschool and from her thai Chinese boyfriend... the only people using bad english pronunciations or grammar are bargirls/those who did not care about learning english and still do not care much about using it(but have to, obviously).

And i doubt ANYONE ever uses tinglish with normal thais, this is reserved for couples made from working girls or guys who are here for this.

I have met a ton of thais who can only speak a little bit of english but have been educated/have decent jobs/are good honest people and none of them using baby talk type english or tinglish. The few words they know, they piece them together the same as they heard them on TV or from an english speaking person.

In fact the only places i have heard people speaking like the guy up there who had to ask his girlfriend, Australia you like? was at supercheap phuket, tesco at onnut or any other redneck event/location. Hell most of the thai women i have met in couples, speak better than me and a lot of them have non-native english speaking boyfriends.

Well I think its you who does not know much about Thais!!, you can start by tuning into the average town local radio station and listen to how all the English words on the adverts are spoken.

The one that gets me is Hond - a.

Thats a cheap shot about bar girls too, some will surprise you with their levels of English , much better than the so called hi educated girls who get the cushy jobs in Banks etc etc.

in most language Honda is pronounced Hond-A

Where i come from thats how you pronounce it. Not everyone on this planet is a british with no knowledge of anything outside of britain

Fact that you know so much about bargirls kind of proves my point eh.

You don't know much about the real thailand.

Edited December 30, 2010 by DougLee

[MSingh]

Another pet peeve - that has already been mentioned - is people who are learning Thai and they start throwing Thai words into every conversation in English with other foreigners.

YES! I AGREE! Just the other night I was talking with a guy I know and he was telling me about a house he was looking at renting. He told me: "Its only a small place but i am khun deo so its all I need. The garden is sawoy maak maak. Its quite far out of town though coz its on soi yee sip gow"

I truly, truly, truly hate it. It was just me and him - no Thais with us.... So why the hell is he saying "alone' 'very beautifull' and 'Soi 29' in Thai to me?

This is the same guy who went to immigration and addressed the woman official is 'Terak'.

It is without question a real huge pet hate of mine.

So what did you say to him then ??

Did you tell him to stop talkign to you like a D*ck ??

[Wallaby]

You clearly don't know much about thais.. my girlfriend of more than 3 years has never finished any of her word with an over accentuation like pow-ER and she learned most of her english from highschool and from her thai Chinese boyfriend... the only people using bad english pronunciations or grammar are bargirls/those who did not care about learning english and still do not care much about using it(but have to, obviously).

And i doubt ANYONE ever uses tinglish with normal thais, this is reserved for couples made from working girls or guys who are here for this.

I have met a ton of thais who can only speak a little bit of english but have been educated/have decent jobs/are good honest people and none of them using baby talk type english or tinglish. The few words they know, they piece them together the same as they heard them on TV or from an english speaking person.

In fact the only places i have heard people speaking like the guy up there who had to ask his girlfriend, Australia you like? was at supercheap phuket, tesco at onnut or any other redneck event/location. Hell most of the thai women i have met in couples, speak better than me and a lot of them have non-native english speaking boyfriends.

Well I think its you who does not know much about Thais!!, you can start by tuning into the average town local radio station and listen to how all the English words on the adverts are spoken.

The one that gets me is Hond - a.

Thats a cheap shot about bar girls too, some will surprise you with their levels of English , much better than the so called hi educated girls who get the cushy jobs in Banks etc etc.

in most language Honda is pronounced Hond-A

Where i come from thats how you pronounce it. Not everyone on this planet is a british with no knowledge of anything outside of britain

Fact that you know so much about bargirls kind of proves my point eh.

You don't know much about the real thailand.

Better add aussies and kiwis into that as well then, we don't say it Hond-A.

I think you are also wrong with only bar girls pronouncing things like that. Most of the thais I have spoken to do speak like that, I always laugh when my girl asks for a ba na nah. All the men I've spoken to in the village also speak like that. But then again, they could all be bar boys.

[mca]

Did you tell him to stop talkign to you like a D*ck ??

Is this him?

[transam]

Did you tell him to stop talkign to you like a D*ck ??

Is this him?

Look, l have tried to disown my offspring and now it's here, in full view, Chang cannot cure this. .

[bangkokboro]

Most Thai's speak better English than me when we get on their favourite subject money! Ever noticed that?

[anothertorres]

2 things here:

a) some of you people hang out with the most depressing people ever. and on that topic... if you say "this guy at the bar was all like, thai this and thai that", guess what? that's you, i think. you are that guy at the bar!

2) i order 'suh-prite' and i get sprite every time. as an American, the beverage "Sprite" is my word. i own it. and when i order it in Thailand i speak in American... "gimmie a suh-prite". basically what i'm getting at is... America, fuc_k yeah. oh, and i also order "law-cah-BIN" for my pancakes.

besides, when it comes to Americans, we don't have accents, psshaw! we just follow what the rest of you are doing and then we aryan-twang the crap out of it. but, no where near as badly as them Canucks!

Edited December 30, 2010 by anothertorres

[nocturn]

maybe i'm one of the twunts you mention but i reckon its not much harder to learn thai than to learn to sound like a spastic. i prefer thai.

i actually know many very good foreign thai speakers whose speaking voices undergo radical changes when they switch to thai.

i suspect it is an attempt to go tonal without realizing it can be done in your own voice.

likewise i know very many thais whose speaking voice becomes softer when they speak english.

either way it is a big leap.

i find thai must be spoken louder and more carefully on the phone than in person.

i also find that more ears prick up when i am speaking thai on the phone, consequently, i tend to seek a quiet place or move about when i cant avoid or delay the conversation.

As an aside, thais seperate syllables when they speak. they also interject vowels between consonants, so sports, becomes sa-ports etc.

if you want to be understood, sometimes you take the path of least resistance. if that means exaggerating my thai accent long enough to have it understood i am actually speaking thai, or simply to be understood, so be it.

Edited December 30, 2010 by nocturn

[glomp]

It's a common thing, non native english speakers often get "the voice" when they speak english.

Swedes get the high pitched speak through the nose voice thing, even if they have a manly bass voice when speaking swedish. Men and women both do it.