How Much Thai Could You Learn In A Year?

[Learned]

Probably too general to answer but how much Thai or how far down the road to conversational fluency do you think someone could get in one year of study and living in Bangkok?

Lets say there were attending a language school for 4 hours a week learning to read, write and speak. They lived in Thailand so had access to Thai speakers but did not have any Thai friends or family.

How much Thai would you think someone could learn in that year? How far did you get in a year and what were your circumstances?

Thanks.

[SteeleJoe]

I think there are just too many variables -- primary among them the simple fact that people have different levels of aptitude for language acquisition.

My own natural ability is, I suspect, relatively high (going by comparison to others I've known and the reaction of those around me). When people ask me (the rather ridiculous) question, "How long did it take you to learn to speak Thai?" I answer truthfully that after 6 months, Thai people typically asked me how many years I'd been here. After about one year they often assumed that I was born here - either as biracial or the son of diplomats etc (that's not to suggest I was indistinguishable from a native speaker -- I wasn't. But I was thinking in Thai and truly fluent and able to converse at a natural speed about virtually anything -- though the learning of vocabulary is never-ending process and in that first year that was more of an impediment -- though not all that much of one -- that it is now).

Then (29 years ago) or Ii the years since, I've very rarely met Farangs with an equal ability though there are many out there, no doubt) but doesn't mean I'm any smarter or in any way superior to others that take longer. I just seem to have a knack but more importantly (especially in comparing myself to farnags who live here a while and don't speak Thai well): 1.) For that first year I lived, worked and socialized with Thais far more than Farangs. 2) I had a real desire to learn and was genuinely interested in the language and the culture (and I think the pursuit of understanding one will lead to more understanding of the other and vice versa)...

So that was a very long winded -- and perhaps not very modest -- way of saying...it depends. You can learn a LOT in 1 year. Or not.

PS: I didn't go to any school. But I took notes every day and practiced with Thai friends on a regular basis in addition to daily routine usage out of necessity.

Edited September 13, 2011 by SteeleJoe

[AjarnPasa]

In language learning circles we talk of BICS and CALP, that is Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency. Or 'conversational' vs 'the best part of fluent'.

Research suggests that if you were to spend about 5 hours a day immersed in your target language, with support and encouragement, it would take you about 2 years to achieve BICS and a further 3 to 5 years to reach CALP.

Language learning is a long process. You can help it along the way with the quality of your interactions rather than the time spent on them. But don't forget, you've done it once already with your first language, so there is nothing stopping you from doing it again. The only reason some people appear 'better at languages' is generally because they put more effort into learning them - either unconsciously, by dint of their nature, or because they have external motivation (school, workplace, family etc), or because they enjoy the process.

With the time and opportunities you have available to you you can work back from these figures to get an idea of where you'll be in a year.

[SteeleJoe]

Nothing like a post from someone who really knows what they are talking about to make a previous one completely worthless!

Kudos.

[AjarnPasa]

You're very kind, but it's only because of my job that I know about this stuff.

In a roundabout way you said more or less the same thing. You noted that you spent a lot of time with Thais in your first year, that you consolidated your learning through notes, that you conversed with Thais a lot, and that you enjoyed the process. All of these factors had an effect on the quality of your interaction with the language. That's why you're good at it.

[hiero]

Enjoying it is the key I think.

I mean, at school (in the uk) we did french, we all hated french, we saw no point in learning french and as a result of 2 hours french a week about 20 words stuck.

Now, thai, i got about the same level in a few weeks (apart from read/writing and pronounciation).

[transam]

Enjoying it is the key I think.

I mean, at school (in the uk) we did french, we all hated french, we saw no point in learning french and as a result of 2 hours french a week about 20 words stuck.

Now, thai, i got about the same level in a few weeks (apart from read/writing and pronounciation).

Me too but they still don't understand my Thai, including the Mrs.