May 28, 201114 yr One day at 6 30 of the evening clock I was standing outside my wife's old folk's house . There was a beautiful light and we were admiring the moon way up in the blue sky. I mentioned that it was close to the summer solstice and where I come from in the northern climes the daylight and blue sky lasts well into the night . Old Yai was surprised that I was aware of the solstice and also that our daylight hours would be diffrent from theirs. She then went on to ask if we had the same moon where I came from . We all had a bit of a chuckle . Luke
May 29, 201114 yr My Thai mother in law has a similar understanding of astronomy. One clear night I focused my telescope on Saturn and showed it to her. It was quite entertaining watching her look through the telescope eyepiece then back with her naked eye at the dot in the sky and back and forth in total disbelief that Saturn and its rings were actually up there.
June 9, 201114 yr Well as you asked…….Yai asked me; “does your dog bite” I'll leave the rest to you, you know where this is going!
June 10, 201114 yr Who is Yai ? Uhm - Yai is the Thai term for big - in the family the biggest person is the mother....Khun Yai... For example, my son's grandmother is Khun Yai, her elder sister is Khun Yai Yai, her younger sister is Khun Yai Lek. Personally i prefere the english term, where everyone is called Mate or Dave - but ho hum, This is Thailand!
June 11, 201114 yr Who is Yai ? Uhm - Yai is the Thai term for big - in the family the biggest person is the mother....Khun Yai... For example, my son's grandmother is Khun Yai, her elder sister is Khun Yai Yai, her younger sister is Khun Yai Lek. Personally i prefere the english term, where everyone is called Mate or Dave - but ho hum, This is Thailand! How old is your wife?
June 11, 201114 yr Yai is maternal grandmother. Yah is paternal grandmother. Yai is ยาย Big is ใหญ่ So, no the Yai is not the biggest person in your family. that said, so what? she's old, give her a break, she's probably not got a whole lot of formal education.
June 13, 201114 yr Not quite along the lines or MIL or FIL comments, but a silly question nonetheless... I was talking with my taxi driver who commented - All Farangs are so much Bigger than Thai's.. And with that a mosquito zipped around the cabin, The taxi driver then asked "Are farang mosquito's bigger too?" !!
June 14, 201114 yr Yai is maternal grandmother. Yah is paternal grandmother. Yai is ยาย Big is ใหญ่ So, no the Yai is not the biggest person in your family. that said, so what? she's old, give her a break, she's probably not got a whole lot of formal education. Thats Yai (high tone) not Yai (falling then rising tone). I second that. Who said farangs are tone deaf!
June 17, 201114 yr Who is Yai ? I refer to Grandma as Ma Yai and Grandpa as Pah Yai ! Is that correct ?
June 22, 201114 yr Yai is maternal grandmother. Yah is paternal grandmother. Yai is ยาย Big is ใหญ่ So, no the Yai is not the biggest person in your family. that said, so what? she's old, give her a break, she's probably not got a whole lot of formal education. Thats Yai (high tone) not Yai (falling then rising tone). I second that. Who said farangs are tone deaf! . . . oh dear. Mai Chai khrab (didja see what I did there?), Yai as in Granny has flat tone. That means it has no tonal embellishments and the tone is the same across the vowel from the moment you begin the syllable to the moment you end the syllable.. Yai as in big has a descending tone and a short / abrupt vowel.. Don't give up (good job you are a cool heart)!
June 22, 201114 yr Who is Yai ? I refer to Grandma as Ma Yai and Grandpa as Pah Yai ! Is that correct ? Nay. Maternal Grandma = Yaai Maternal Grandpa = Taa / Daa Paternal Grandma = Ya Paternal Grandpa = Poo / Boo
June 23, 201114 yr Like the OP, my SIL asked me one night as we sat outside looking at a beautiful full moon if we had a moon in America. I said yes, she said same same. yep The next day I saw her and pointed at the sun and said.. my home have too. The smile on her face is something I will never forget.
June 26, 201114 yr Interesting enough Luke, I've had the old MIL inquire about the same item. 6-degrees of separation.
June 27, 201114 yr Author Interesting enough Luke, I've had the old MIL inquire about the same item. 6-degrees of separation. I can see them now...... Having a yak about the moon .
June 27, 201114 yr Who is Yai ? I refer to Grandma as Ma Yai and Grandpa as Pah Yai ! Is that correct ? Nay. Maternal Grandma = Yaai Maternal Grandpa = Taa / Daa Paternal Grandma = Ya Paternal Grandpa = Poo / Boo please get back to the bloody question.
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