Need Help With A Quick Translation

[happyjune]

I am wondering if someone can help me out please, I am not in Thailand at the moment, and trying to work out what my sister in law is saying to my wife about my wife's ex.

The guy Gary is not an ex, that is a friend of ours who my sister inaw is interested in. Within an hour of this email coming, my wife is talking about a dam_n divorce out of this air. Google has just made it more confusing for me. If anyone can give me a heads up in this timely moment, it would be great what my sister in law is saying. A very big thank you.

รูปแกรี่ที่ส่งมาให้ดูได้ดูแล้ว หน้าตาก็ OK หน้ามันคล้ายหนูเลย บอกไอ้แกรี่ว่า OK หนูชอบ แต่มันดูแก่ไปหน่อย และก็พี่จิตเค้าชอบไอ้คนที่ตี

กอล์ฟ จัดคนที่ตีกอล์ฟให้เค้าหน่อย อย่าหวงน้องกับพี่หละเพราะตัวเองก็มีผัวแล้ว โทรมาหาด้วยนะ มีเรี่องเด็ดจะเล่าให้ฟังเกี่ยวกับสามีคนเก่า ถ้าอยากรู้ก็ต้องโทรมานะ และก็ถ้าไม่อยากรู้ก็ต้องโทรมาเพราะเกี่ยวกับลูกพี่นีโดยตรงนะจ๊ะ แล้วก็อย่าลืมส่งรูปหนูให้คุณแกรี่ดูนะ บอกมันอยากเห็นตัวจริงก็ต้องมาเที่ยวประเทศไทยสิ

Google Translate below, very confusing to me.

Gary images sent to see more then look like rat's face it, it's OK at all. I told Gary that Ilike, but it looks OK to back. And it's my mind that they're people that i hit

Golf staffing at them a little golf. Do not worry about my brother because La husbandmyself, I have already Calling too. There will be real cool to talk to me about oldhusband. If you want to know they have to call Mana. And I do not want to know if I need to call about it, I will Eooupoen directly. Then do not forget to send me your photos to Gary about it. Said it would see the truth even to come to Thailand.

[a51mas]

I've received Gary's photo and he looks OK, his feature is similar to me, tell Gary ok I like him, but he seems a little old. Also pi Jit (older sister) she likes someone who play golf, find someone for her, and don't worry about me and sister cause you already have your own family, call me, I have something interesting to tell you, if you want to know you must call, even if you don't want to know you still must call, because it directly concerned your children. Don't forget to give my photo to Gary and tell him that if he wants to see me in person he has to travel to Thailand.

Edited February 15, 2011 by a51mas

[happyjune]

Thanks so much for the translation so quick. At least I can ask better questions now. I never thought I would use this site but it came up with the goods brilliantly.

[p_brownstone]

a51mas translation is pretty much spot on (had to smile at the "rat face" allusion in an earlier Post however but that's not entirely out of the ballpark!).

That said - and this may only be a reflection of the educational standard of your Sister-in-Law (no offence intended) - her use of derogatory 3rd person terms referring to "Gary"

for example:

บอก ไอ้ แกรี่ว่า

แต่ มัน ดูแก่ไปหน่อย

etc.

Well, if he's your friend you perhaps should give him some insight as to the true feelings of his potential Partner in life.

Patrick

[farangnahrak]

I'm going to have to agree with p_brownstone on the questionable character of your sister-in-law, given her choice of vocabulary.

Nothing in the message to suggest you did anything wrong at all, even remotely, but she did use a rude version of the word for 'husband' (referring to you) . . .

[Rikker]

Words like มัน and ผัว aren't always rude -- they indicate a close relationship between the writer and the recipient more than her feelings towards Gary, I'd say. And that makes perfect sense, because they're sisters.

No cause for undue alarm based on this short letter alone. Nobody uses formal language talking to their siblings.

[meadish_sweetball]

^Wot he said.

[p_brownstone]

Words like มัน and ผัว aren't always rude -- they indicate a close relationship between the writer and the recipient more than her feelings towards Gary, I'd say. And that makes perfect sense, because they're sisters.

No cause for undue alarm based on this short letter alone. Nobody uses formal language talking to their siblings.

I agree that these words are common when talking amongst close friends or family, however there is a permanence, to me an intent to be insulting not just informal, when using the same words in a written communication - for example there is absolutely no need to use the word ไอ้ in the phrase บอกไอ้แกรี่ว่า, it could easily have been left out entirely.

Patrick

[Rikker]

I think you're assigning too much weight to the medium. Just as no one uses formal language speaking to their siblings, no one writes formal communiques to their siblings, either. It's an email, so technically it's written, but that's outweighed by the fact it's between siblings.

She's not treating Gary with automatic deference, sure, but we don't even know how old Gary is (only that he's a little "too" old), nor much about either of their backgrounds. Is she being submissive and polite? Not by central Thai standards. Sure, she's being frank. But she's not necessarily being insulting to the guy--it's just that the context doesn't call for polite language.

Remember, ไอ้ is not universally rude, nor is it historically rude. As with many native Thai words, it has been relegated to quasi-vulgar speech as foreign loanwords have flooded into the language. (Same story with ผัว and เมีย--those are the native Thai words for husband/wife, but have been supplanted by the Sanskrit words สามี and ภรรยา.) ไอ้ and อี are still widely used among close friends. So the use of ไอ้, though possible to interpret other ways, could easily indicate that the writer intends to have a cordial, egalitarian relationship--you know, a friendship, perhaps leading to a courtship--with this Gary guy, and not pay him obeisance like a village elder.

I maintain that there's just too little information to judge the girl by, especially in the context of an email to her sister. But I think the letter is quite harmless.

[Tinkelbell]

a51mas translation is pretty much spot on (had to smile at the "rat face" allusion in an earlier Post however but that's not entirely out of the ballpark!).

That said - and this may only be a reflection of the educational standard of your Sister-in-Law (no offence intended) - her use of derogatory 3rd person terms referring to "Gary"

for example:

บอก ไอ้ แกรี่ว่า

แต่ มัน ดูแก่ไปหน่อย

etc.

Well, if he's your friend you perhaps should give him some insight as to the true feelings of his potential Partner in life.

Patrick

Patric, I share your sentiment.

May I ask.....Are you Thai ? I'm Bangkok born and bred. You seem to know Thai language and its culture quite well. Same as you I also feel the level of education and social class of the writer of the letter from the way she composes and choices of words shr uses in her writing .

In some way it reminds me I often heard among those daily paid workers or household helpers.

If you're not Thai then a big hand to you, you certainly know some Thai cultures deeper than some posters here.

[Rikker]

Patric, I share your sentiment.

May I ask.....Are you Thai ? I'm Bangkok born and bred. You seem to know Thai language and its culture quite well. Same as you I also feel the level of education and social class of the writer of the letter from the way she composes and choices of words shr uses in her writing .

In some way it reminds me I often heard among those daily paid workers or household helpers.

If you're not Thai then a big hand to you, you certainly know some Thai cultures deeper than some posters here.

Two totally different things. He was commenting on her feelings towards this bloke Gary. You're judging her education and social class.

Yes, it's obvious she lacks the "refinement" of the Bangkok poo-dee. Gasp! She might earn a *daily* wage? Not a monthly salary? News flash, Thailand is bigger than Bangkok. Social class is not something to judge a person--or her motives--by.

[Xangsamhua]

I'm no expert, but I was also struck by the use of มัน in the email message, though I'm quite aware of the acceptable use among family members and close friends of what are in other contexts disrespectful pronouns.

However, I asked my in-house expert, Mrs Xangsamhua - born and raised in Vientiane, educated in Vientiane and Bangkok, many years resident in Thailand - whether the use of มัน in the context of the email above is acceptable in either oral or written mode. Her view was that it was not, even in a discussion between sisters about someone only known through a photograph. In fact, her view was quite emphatic: the use of this pronoun is a red light, warning Garry to stay clear of this lady, as she has no respect for him.

[farangnahrak]

The fact that she used the word มัน in this way makes me think she has little respect for Gary, almost as if she's met many other farang just like him . . . cough . . .

[tgeezer]

I'm no expert, but I was also struck by the use of มัน in the email message, though I'm quite aware of the acceptable use among family members and close friends of what are in other contexts disrespectful pronouns.

However, I asked my in-house expert, Mrs Xangsamhua - born and raised in Vientiane, educated in Vientiane and Bangkok, many years resident in Thailand - whether the use of มัน in the context of the email above is acceptable in either oral or written mode. Her view was that it was not, even in a discussion between sisters about someone only known through a photograph. In fact, her view was quite emphatic: the use of this pronoun is a red light, warning Garry to stay clear of this lady, as she has no respect for him.

If the gal thought that her mail indicated a lack of respect sufficient to kill any deal, do you think she would have used the word มัน ? Of course not, so don't be silly.

Gary has a friend married to the sister, he has expressed a desire to have one of those- good in bed, show huge deference, envied by your mates- how much respect does the girl feel is being given to her?

Gary has to expect that if he gets her to England and she gets a passport, in spite of huge respect shown up to that point, she may not even let him kiss her goodbye.

[Rikker]

We've probably all said more than we should say on the matter. I think people are being quick to judgment (including me being quick to judge posters who are quick to judgment ). I won't close the topic, but let's try not to let this thread get out of hand.

Cheers.