Expat’S New Thai Vocabulary Down To 3 Words Per Year

[QED]

Cant believe he bought purple curtains for his condo ..

Show off! Bet you looked that up

[Kilgore Trout]

I suggest he contemplate suicide; there are many ways to do it; each with it's own merits and drawbacks.

He's half way there being farang and lives in a high-rise. Hope those purple curtains came with matching cords so he can tie his hands behind his back before jumping.

You do realise its a made up name and article??, anyway here is another story from the same scource.

Here

I knew it was a joke from the start; or tongue in cheek anyway.

Not the Nation; figures, the Thai equivilent to The Onion.

[zzaa09]

I suggest he contemplate suicide; there are many ways to do it; each with it's own merits and drawbacks.

I'm assuming the suicide not would be translated into Thai, yes?

[andrewbkk]

Some of us just aren't that gifted

One would think after 20 years of every day interaction and absorption, something would rub off.

Don't worry. Your English is not really that bad, but just keep trying, drop the pretentious act and try to have some actual point when you post.

...which really has nothing to do with those long-time residents that are rather thicko when stumbling over their Thai.

Well, don't feel bad about that either. You have plenty of company.

The only thing worse than being thick or being pretentious is being both.

[StreetCowboy]

....

The only thing worse than being thick or being pretentious is being both.

Nothing wrong with multi-tasking, mate.

I actually think being psychopathic is worse than pretention or thickness - though for the latter I prefer the term depth, rather than thickness... and duplicity; and being loud; in fact, pretention and thickness (and width and depth) would probably rank middle in my rating of qualities that I like to see, from best to worst. I do find excessive use of superlatives annoying. Anyway, no-one expects the Spanish Inquisition...

I'm not sure how much I've expanded my vocabulary in any language; I have Thaivisa to thank for most of my new words - certainly most of the new words that I did not make up myself - merkin and corium being the two that spring most readily to mind.

SC

[andrewbkk]

....

The only thing worse than being thick or being pretentious is being both.

Nothing wrong with multi-tasking, mate.

I actually think being psychopathic is worse than pretention or thickness - though for the latter I prefer the term depth, rather than thickness...

Excellent!

Following your logic, my son's mother has great depth. Conversely, my son is rather shallow. He did an exam at school a few days ago and came second in his class.

As for me ......... the fact that I waste my time on this forum suggests I am a very deep man.

[StreetCowboy]

....

The only thing worse than being thick or being pretentious is being both.

Nothing wrong with multi-tasking, mate.

I actually think being psychopathic is worse than pretention or thickness - though for the latter I prefer the term depth, rather than thickness...

Excellent!

Following your logic, my son's mother has great depth. Conversely, my son is rather shallow. He did an exam at school a few days ago and came second in his class.

As for me ......... the fact that I waste my time on this forum suggests I am a very deep man.

Hidden depths, perhaps...

SC

[bigmac80]

i am in the same boat as kwasaki. i am tone deaf and can never hear the slight difference in tone. also like someone else mentioned sometimes when i use my limited thai/issan i get a slight tone wrong and because of that one error they cant seem to work out what im say, even though the rest of the sentence is perfect. also sometimes i get that aswell when i ask something in thai i get"i dont speak english" this happens alot actually, is it they just dont listen or what? surely if i speak thai it sounds nothing like english? also must be annoying for non english speaking farang say from russia or france, where they are expected to speak english by the thai peeps. i was at the border on a visa run a few months back and a russian with his thai gf/wife where trying to communicate in english, it was quite funny.

[HeavyDrinker]

I think language skills must be one of the most competitive areas in expat life and I dislike the sneery tone of the OP (as well as much of NTN's 'humour').

In fact it's just plain dribble, almost all of which is unoriginal and was done by the likes of Bangkok Phil and Mango Sauce many years ago.

For many who come to settle here, especially those in later life, Thai can be an awfully daunting language to learn. Those who try (even if it's three words a year) deserve encouragement and support of those of us who can speak Thai, not ridicule.

[saraburioz]

Years ago, I used to learn 10 words a day.

Now, I speak Thai and still learn about 1 word per week I guess.

What a load of crap - old guys have difficulty etc.

If anyone can't learn one word a day there is something wrong.

Pure laziness.

BTW, bangkok phil was nothing to do with mangosauce but bangkok mouth.

Edited May 14, 2011 by saraburioz

[andrewbkk]

I dislike the sneery tone of the OP (as well as much of NTN's 'humour').

True. I don't find NTN funny at all. It's childish and predictable.

[HeavyDrinker]

True. I don't find NTN funny at all. It's childish and predictable

Worse than that, it's all been done before...many times and a long time ago.

Stuff like this was amusing first time around, now it's just tired and old...

[sarahsbloke]

When a foreigner speaks 3 English words in random order, most English people understand.

When an English speaker says 3 Thai words in random order, the Thai has no idea about what was said.

Why do you think that is?

[WyattEarp]

When a foreigner speaks 3 English words in random order, most English people understand.

When an English speaker says 3 Thai words in random order, the Thai has no idea about what was said.

Why do you think that is?

Rrrrreally?

[jimbeam1]

I've tried to learn Thai for years, but regardless of how I pronounce something I just get a blank stare until suddenly they light up and repeat exactly the same as I've been saying for 15 minutes already.

lol, it is annoying, isn't it?

Same , same on that one.

jb1

[jimbeam1]

When learning Thai, I need to put a finger in one ear.... To stop the words going straight through.

jb1

[roamer]

Over the years one thing I have noticed about Farangs who speak Thai is that they usually can speak another foreign language as well. Not that unusual to come across Europeans who speak good English as well as Thai for example. I think that having learned one language you are less daunted about learning another.

Because someone can speak 2 or 3 languages does not always mean they are more linguistically gifted than the next person, they might just have tried harder.

[DP25]

When a foreigner speaks 3 English words in random order, most English people understand.

When an English speaker says 3 Thai words in random order, the Thai has no idea about what was said.

Why do you think that is?

Because your assumption is wrong, you're basing it on foreigners living abroad (in Thailand) versus natives in their home country. Many/most English speakers back home would not understand horrible English. In America many are rude to or unable to understand people with poor English that is understandable to me. It's amazing, English speakers who have traveled abroad to many countries are able to understand the locals' mangled attempts at their language because otherwise they would starve. While some back home can't or won't.

[StreetCowboy]

When a foreigner speaks 3 English words in random order, most English people understand.

When an English speaker says 3 Thai words in random order, the Thai has no idea about what was said.

Why do you think that is?

I think its because most English people are poorly educated half-wits with a shakey grasp on their own language, and therefore easily understand others who are in the same position.

Or it could be that Thai, like Chinese, is a language with a substantially greater propensity for misunderstanding because of the number of homonyms, and therefore it is essential to establish a context and 'benchmark' tones before any meaningful exchange of information can take place

Somehow, though, I think that maybe your question wasn't asked with a completely open mind and the hope of evaluating a complete range of possible hypotheses.

Perhaps you have an opinion of your own that you were hoping to validate?

SC

[sarahsbloke]

When a foreigner speaks 3 English words in random order, most English people understand.

When an English speaker says 3 Thai words in random order, the Thai has no idea about what was said.

Why do you think that is?

I think its because most English people are poorly educated half-wits with a shakey grasp on their own language, and therefore easily understand others who are in the same position.

I think you should try to associate with a better class of English speaker.

[zzaa09]

....

The only thing worse than being thick or being pretentious is being both.

Nothing wrong with multi-tasking, mate.

I actually think being psychopathic is worse than pretention or thickness - though for the latter I prefer the term depth, rather than thickness... and duplicity; and being loud; in fact, pretention and thickness (and width and depth) would probably rank middle in my rating of qualities that I like to see, from best to worst. I do find excessive use of superlatives annoying. Anyway, no-one expects the Spanish Inquisition...

I'm not sure how much I've expanded my vocabulary in any language; I have Thaivisa to thank for most of my new words - certainly most of the new words that I did not make up myself - merkin and corium being the two that spring most readily to mind.

SC

In lieu of descriptive terminology, give sociopathic a go.......

seems to give much credence to overall coverage.

[zzaa09]

When a foreigner speaks 3 English words in random order, most English people understand.

When an English speaker says 3 Thai words in random order, the Thai has no idea about what was said.

Why do you think that is?

I think its because most English people are poorly educated half-wits with a shakey grasp on their own language, and therefore easily understand others who are in the same position.

I think you should try to associate with a better class of English speaker.

Or even more practical, consider a non-alignment with any such species.

Nothing particularly extraordinary about these folks.

[Thaddeus]

When a foreigner speaks 3 English words in random order, most English people understand.

When an English speaker says 3 Thai words in random order, the Thai has no idea about what was said.

Why do you think that is?

I think its because most English people are poorly educated half-wits with a shakey grasp on their own language, and therefore easily understand others who are in the same position.

I think you should try to associate with a better class of English speaker.

Or even more practical, consider a non-alignment with any such species.

Nothing particularly extraordinary about these folks.

Wibble.

[StreetCowboy]

When a foreigner speaks 3 English words in random order, most English people understand.

When an English speaker says 3 Thai words in random order, the Thai has no idea about what was said.

Why do you think that is?

I think its because most English people are poorly educated half-wits with a shakey grasp on their own language, and therefore easily understand others who are in the same position.

I think you should try to associate with a better class of English speaker.

I tried that, but they couldn't understand a word that I said, nor I them, due to the plum in their mouth.

SC

[Moonrakers]

Wibble.

Oi

Stop stealing my Wibble.

Wibble

[Kwasaki]

Years ago, I used to learn 10 words a day.

Now, I speak Thai and still learn about 1 word per week I guess.

What a load of crap - old guys have difficulty etc.

If anyone can't learn one word a day there is something wrong.

Pure laziness.

BTW, bangkok phil was nothing to do with mangosauce but bangkok mouth.

Well !!! aren't we a clever little boy then, did you not know ignorance is bliss.

Edited May 15, 2011 by Kwasaki

[Kwasaki]

When a foreigner speaks 3 English words in random order, most English people understand.

When an English speaker says 3 Thai words in random order, the Thai has no idea about what was said.

Why do you think that is?

I think its because most English people are poorly educated half-wits with a shakey grasp on their own language, and therefore easily understand others who are in the same position.

I think you should try to associate with a better class of English speaker.

Bless me cotton socks, gawd blimey matey that rules me owt then.

[zzaa09]

Years ago, I used to learn 10 words a day.

Now, I speak Thai and still learn about 1 word per week I guess.

What a load of crap - old guys have difficulty etc.

If anyone can't learn one word a day there is something wrong.

Pure laziness.

BTW, bangkok phil was nothing to do with mangosauce but bangkok mouth.

Well !!! aren't we a clever little boy then, did you not know ignorance is bliss.

We're in nirvana....

[StreetCowboy]

Years ago, I used to learn 10 words a day.

Now, I speak Thai and still learn about 1 word per week I guess.

What a load of crap - old guys have difficulty etc.

If anyone can't learn one word a day there is something wrong.

Pure laziness.

BTW, bangkok phil was nothing to do with mangosauce but bangkok mouth.

Well !!! aren't we a clever little boy then, did you not know ignorance is bliss.

We're in nirvana....

Apparently Nirvana is a verb, not a place. I always thought it was a state bordering on Mexico, which shows my level of bliss.

SC

[Kwasaki]

Years ago, I used to learn 10 words a day.

Now, I speak Thai and still learn about 1 word per week I guess.

What a load of crap - old guys have difficulty etc.

If anyone can't learn one word a day there is something wrong.

Pure laziness.

BTW, bangkok phil was nothing to do with mangosauce but bangkok mouth.

Well !!! aren't we a clever little boy then, did you not know ignorance is bliss.

We're in nirvana....

Apparently Nirvana is a verb, not a place. I always thought it was a state bordering on Mexico, which shows my level of bliss.

http://www.thaivisa...._1#entry4312585

SC

Me old cyber china, nirvana is a mass noun, I only know that because I looked it up a long while back.