What Language Do You Use With Your Thai Partner?

[Berkshire]

However take a Thai outside the country for a year or two and lo and behold, they seem to pick up a language in no time. I was thoroughly amazed by a lady in my wife's village who previously spoke no English, but after snagging an American farang and having spent a few months in California greeted me with absolutely perfect American English, complete with Californian accent. Wasn't limited to that either, she could easily converse in English. So I blame the school system here, not the raw material.

That's interesting. "Take a Thai outside the country for a year or two and lo and behold, they seem to pick up a language in no time." I'd tend to agree. Now why in <deleted>'s name can't farangs who spend years in Thailand not do the same with the local language? Just thinking aloud....

[Berkshire]

Oh my gosh is that not correct. I have taught thousands of children in Thai government schools, thousands mind you. And almost none of them can direct a person to the location of a toilet. Thousands, honest. My first lesson of the new term was always teaching the children how to tell a Farang where the toilet was. Simple question really, "Where is the toilet?" So if you run into a child in Thailand who knows where the toilet is; yup one of my students. No one got out of my class without being able to tell a Farang where the toilet was. Even the retarded children. I taught em all. Not much else but the term was not that long. Term two was usually, "Where is da bus?" "Over dare."

Nice story mate - what is your point?

I think the point is that for the vast majority their ability in English is rudimentary at best. BTW I know quite a few women under 30 in a working environment, all uni graduates, and their English is hopeless, with only a few exceptions.

Would agree. Most of the very educated Thai folks in Thailand do not speak English well--it's just not required as Thai uni's teach almost exclusively in Thai. Not sure where brit1984 is meeting these girls if "(he) doesn't know any female Thais below the age of 30 who can't speak half-decent English." Is half-decent English being able to say "How are u?" "Where you come from?"

Brit, if these female friends of yours can explain how the Thai political structure works in plain English, I'd be very impressed. I doubt that very much.

[LucidLucifer]

Nice story mate - what is your point?

I think his point is, and I can't help agreeing with him, that your estimation that most Thai females under the age of 30 can speak half-decent English is at best over-egged. That really isn't my experience either.

[LucidLucifer]

However take a Thai outside the country for a year or two and lo and behold, they seem to pick up a language in no time. I was thoroughly amazed by a lady in my wife's village who previously spoke no English, but after snagging an American farang and having spent a few months in California greeted me with absolutely perfect American English, complete with Californian accent. Wasn't limited to that either, she could easily converse in English. So I blame the school system here, not the raw material.

That's interesting. "Take a Thai outside the country for a year or two and lo and behold, they seem to pick up a language in no time." I'd tend to agree. Now why in <deleted>'s name can't farangs who spend years in Thailand not do the same with the local language? Just thinking aloud....

Necessity. It really isn't as pressing a need for us to learn the lingo as it is for them. Last time I walked around the UK I can't remember seeing any signs in Thai, or the ATM giving a Thai language option, or meeting many people that could converse (even in a rudimetary manner) in the Thai language. I didn't switch on my TV and see Thai language channels, or pick up a Thai language newspaper in the newsagents.

We have the benefit of having all these things. For us we can survive without learning any Thai language. For a Thai in an English speaking country, it is either sink or swim. Simple as that.

Please note, I am not advocating not learning Thai, I for one feel the need to brush up on my own language skills. I am just giving reasons why we don't need to in order to survive here.

[DrTuner]

That's interesting. "Take a Thai outside the country for a year or two and lo and behold, they seem to pick up a language in no time." I'd tend to agree. Now why in <deleted>'s name can't farangs who spend years in Thailand not do the same with the local language? Just thinking aloud....

Generally I think the Thais going abroad are younger, the ability to pick up a language decreases with age and of course there is the motivation, one can get by in Thailand with English, but getting by in Thai in an English speaking country is near impossible.

As for myself, it took me three months to master the ****(insert your favorite profanity)***** writing system here and the tones (I used a computer program with a spectrogram to learn them, I'm quite tone deaf and had a really hard time with them). However I've still been quite lazy, having a vocabulary of perhaps 500-600 words, the ones used daily with family. It's my fifth language and I'm having a bit of a problem kicking my own ass for motivation. Working on it, though.

Edited May 11, 2012 by DrTuner

[dantilley]

Now why in <deleted>'s name can't farangs who spend years in Thailand not do the same with the local language? Just thinking aloud....

Because, as LucidLucifer points out, it's perfectly possible for us to get by here with little or no Thai language knowledge. Not only get by, but actually live here successfully for years with only the bare minimum of Thai that you will inevitably pick up. Of course, it's better to learn Thai if you can - but it's not essential by any means.

[edwinclapham]

Now why in <deleted>'s name can't farangs who spend years in Thailand not do the same with the local language? Just thinking aloud....

Because, as LucidLucifer points out, it's perfectly possible for us to get by here with little or no Thai language knowledge. Not only get by, but actually live here successfully for years with only the bare minimum of Thai that you will inevitably pick up. Of course, it's better to learn Thai if you can - but it's not essential by any means.

Commencing at the "arrivals gate" to the "departures gate" I find I am less likely to get ripped off speaking Thai , they certainly think before trying it on with me, much amusement, smiles etc all around

[LucidLucifer]

Now why in <deleted>'s name can't farangs who spend years in Thailand not do the same with the local language? Just thinking aloud....

Because, as LucidLucifer points out, it's perfectly possible for us to get by here with little or no Thai language knowledge. Not only get by, but actually live here successfully for years with only the bare minimum of Thai that you will inevitably pick up. Of course, it's better to learn Thai if you can - but it's not essential by any means.

Commencing at the "arrivals gate" to the "departures gate" I find I am less likely to get ripped off speaking Thai , they certainly think before trying it on with me, much amusement, smiles etc all around

Absolutely agree. My Thai is limited, but I will always use it where I can, just to let whoever I am dealing with know I didn't get off the boat (so to speak) yesterday.

[dantilley]

Commencing at the "arrivals gate" to the "departures gate" I find I am less likely to get ripped off speaking Thai , they certainly think before trying it on with me, much amusement, smiles etc all around

Yeah it's useful for this kind of thing. In fact it's useful for loads of things. But not absolutely essential. I would say that being able to speak English is pretty much essential to live in the UK or any other English speaking country.

[LucidLucifer]

As for myself, it took me three months to master the ****(insert your favorite profanity)***** writing system here and the tones (I used a computer program with a spectrogram to learn them, I'm quite tone deaf and had a really hard time with them).

I'd really appreciate some more info on this computer program, please

[DrTuner]

As for myself, it took me three months to master the ****(insert your favorite profanity)***** writing system here and the tones (I used a computer program with a spectrogram to learn them, I'm quite tone deaf and had a really hard time with them).

I'd really appreciate some more info on this computer program, please

Here you go: http://www.slice-of-thai.com/voice-viewer/ . Have fun, it got me utterly frustrated to the point of having to go out for a 15min walk at the beginning, but perseverance got my through and now I can not only produce the sounds, but am able to distinguish them in a normal Thai conversation. Just stick with it until you get it right, there's no shortcut. I'm a visual learner myself and it was immensely helpful for my brain to actually see the voices produced real-time on the screen. Made my brain grow the right connections, that's why one has to repeat, repeat, repeat without mercy, to get the neurons firing up right.

You can find the frequency charts you'll need to be able to reproduce here: http://www.thai-language.com/ref/tones . Do bear in mind that it is not not absolute frequency levels but the changes in frequency that the human ear is able to distinguish.

[edwinclapham]

Commencing at the "arrivals gate" to the "departures gate" I find I am less likely to get ripped off speaking Thai , they certainly think before trying it on with me, much amusement, smiles etc all around

Yeah it's useful for this kind of thing. In fact it's useful for loads of things. But not absolutely essential. I would say that being able to speak English is pretty much essential to live in the UK or any other English speaking country.

In Issan I find it very useful to speak Thai. I dont see many westerners at all. Shopping is in the main all done in Thai which includes Tesco Lotus.

Having spent years at school in the UK watching fellow pupils having to translate for their parents I vowed I wouldnt place this burden on my kids. The kids are there to be kids not my 24/7 translators, neither they nor my wife are my mouthpiece.

I have watched over the years people who have become imprisoned in the Uk through not speaking English, fumbling through life and that wouldnt be for me.

Edited May 11, 2012 by edwinclapham

[dantilley]

In Issan I find it very useful to speak Thai.

True, upcountry (especially Isaan) good Thai skills become much more important. I was referring to Bangkok really with my assessment that it's perfectly possible to get by without.

[Berkshire]

We have the benefit of having all these things. For us we can survive without learning any Thai language. For a Thai in an English speaking country, it is either sink or swim. Simple as that.

Please note, I am not advocating not learning Thai, I for one feel the need to brush up on my own language skills. I am just giving reasons why we don't need to in order to survive here.

Of course, you do have a valid point. It's much easier to survive (or better) in Thailand with minimal Thai skills, as opposed to trying to live in the west without English skills. (I should add that this is true in TH if you have money; if not, better learn the language, as many Burmese do) This is actually quite a tribute to Thai society in general, being able to assimilate a wide range of foreigners into one multi-cultural environment. Not perfect, of course, but certainly better than where I came from...with respect to how we treated foreigners back in the states.

But many of the problems that expats have in Thailand can be traced back to poor language skills. Not just day-to-day living and just being able to obtain goods and services without being ripped off, but also having a meaningful relationship with their spouse/GFs. As I've said many times, the number of wholesome, normal Thai women who don't speak English far outnumber the ones who do. So if you're into percentages (and meeting new females), the odds are better if you can speak some Thai.

[Berkshire]

That's interesting. "Take a Thai outside the country for a year or two and lo and behold, they seem to pick up a language in no time." I'd tend to agree. Now why in <deleted>'s name can't farangs who spend years in Thailand not do the same with the local language? Just thinking aloud....

Generally I think the Thais going abroad are younger, the ability to pick up a language decreases with age and of course there is the motivation, one can get by in Thailand with English, but getting by in Thai in an English speaking country is near impossible.

I think sometimes I'm a little too hard on fellow westerners, trying to get them to learn the Thai language. You're right that age plays a big factor. Certainly much more difficult for an older person to learn a new language vs. a younger person (heck, little kids pick it up almost through osmosis). But it's worth the effort, I'm here to say.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Well, maybe it's just me, however, several times has happened to me, that while in predominantly touristic areas, talking the local language complitely changed the attitude of the native i was talking with (which always was somebody trying to sell something or connected somehow to the seller), from a wide smile and welcoming behauvoir to a "i am not interested in you, you are just bothering me and go away now!" kind of attitude....

Exactly, because U NO 2 MUTT - keeps the worst of the scammers away.

That's interesting. "Take a Thai outside the country for a year or two and lo and behold, they seem to pick up a language in no time." I'd tend to agree. Now why in <deleted>'s name can't farangs who spend years in Thailand not do the same with the local language? Just thinking aloud....

Lack of motivation to overcome the hurdles, many people are willing to settle for "good enough" and find they're happy living within their circle of English-speaking people.

Brit, if these female friends of yours can explain how the Thai political structure works in plain English, I'd be very impressed. I doubt that very much.

Very few Thais can explain it in their own first language, and if they try they have to whisper even within their own home.

[nocturn]

It is true that even upcountry, English is taught in public schools. I am often amused by children who try to test their newly learned English on me. Adults who speak even rudimentary English are few and far between. One of the local little girls pronounces what English phrases she knows perfectly. My wife has been using the computer to study English for several years and she frequently mangles words to the extent that I have no idea what she said.

does the little girl know what the phrases she can pronounce actually mean? and what is her reaction when you respond?

[space9000]

thai to my emloyees.english too my 4kids( thai born)both thai&english to wife..learning korean&listening to korean radio&tv helps a lot..

[Suradit69]

Thai-glish. Probably more English than Thai, but definitely a mix.

[tartempion]

We adopted a one year young girl in Januari.

I try to speak English most of the time now, dropping Thai.

She will begin to speak any time soon, thus I am curious listening to her.

Once she understands what I am saying and speak English well enough I will start learning her French (at age 4 or 5?)

I hope she will be multilingual by the age of 15: Thai, English, French, German, Dutch.

[louse1953]

Surin Khmer and Thai.

No Suay/Guay? But anyway you are a man after my own heart.

Funny my mother-in-law speaks that and my wife doesn't; she decided to keep going with the Surin Khmer. Does anyone know if there is a written form of Suay?

Yes,an women teaching my nephew is working on a book now.She is in Prasat.

[Quickmill]

Thai or English, no rules, no Italian ( I'm from Italy) but I'm sure she learned all bad Italian words she heard in 7 years but due to her well education I had no evidence of that

[DrTuner]

Once she understands what I am saying and speak English well enough I will start learning her French (at age 4 or 5?)

4-5 is a good time, in any case before 7th year. It's the time when kids brains are evolving in the manner that still makes it easy to sponge accents from other people, learning a language without having a distinct foreign accent will be more difficult after age seven, saying so with my limited but hands on experience. My 7y old has had no problems whatsoever with English syllables (which is more due to the American music videos she watches and sings along then my rally English), but I had to work a bit more with the now 11y old to straighten up her pronounciation. Both however can handle German without problems, thanks to my German father-in-law who's been there since the dawn of ages (I do speak German as a foreign language as well, so I am able hear the difference).

It's pretty much up to one's perception of things evolving in deciding when to actually take up on teaching a foreign language to the kids. Some may never pick up more then their native language and some are born polyglots. Just go with the flow and be happy when they learn.

[how241]

Cause i'm lazy and avoid hassle/struggle at all cost ?

It gets tiresome in an hour messing around with thai

+1---Yes, me too. Only English.

[SCOTTIEDAM]

60/40 English/Thai, my 3 yr. old son speaks 80/20 Thai/English, but he know's how to say "Ice Cream" !! ha! ha!

[Geekfreaklover]

Mostly speak Thai with the Mrs. She seems to have reached a level of English that she is comfortable with and feels no need to progress. I think my Thai is quite good, but then again I thought that ten years ago and it was awful then. Probably terrible now but understand 80% of what's being said most of the time. I have quite a large family with three kids at primary school. At home the Mrs speaks Thai to the kids and I use English and Thai. If we go out for a Thai meal or shopping somewhere we speak Thai.Thai strangers have often asked why we don't speak in English all the time. They feel that we should be using this English gift we have. Strange. If I was in London and a Chinese family sat down in Macdonald speaking English together I wouldn't go up to them and tell them in English that they should be speaking Mandarin. Sure there are advantages to speaking English and Mandarin but for everyday stuff out and about in Bangkok. Markets, Taxis, Shops etc Thai's the way to go.

[Baerboxer]

I speak Thai and English to my boyfriend. I can't speak fluent Thai but I attempt to as much as I can and learn more every day. He speaks very good English after travelling to England more than once so it's not that I have to speak Thai. I just want to.

I feel kind of sexy when I'm talking Thai... I think it's the sounds/tones and the way your mouth has to move!

It does seem like farang women make more of an effort to learn Thai than farang men. Being able to speak the local language would open up new frontiers like you wouldn't believe, particularly in relationships. I speak Thai exclusively to the GF as she doesn't speak much English. Pretty much every Thai girl I've dated the past few years were the same.

When you say girl, do you mean lady?

I don't know any female Thais below the age of 30 who can't speak half-decent English

As I understand it, English is part of the school curriculum and has been for some time

Oh my gosh is that not correct. I have taught thousands of children in Thai government schools, thousands mind you. And almost none of them can direct a person to the location of a toilet. Thousands, honest. My first lesson of the new term was always teaching the children how to tell a Farang where the toilet was. Simple question really, "Where is the toilet?" So if you run into a child in Thailand who knows where the toilet is; yup one of my students. No one got out of my class without being able to tell a Farang where the toilet was. Even the retarded children. I taught em all. Not much else but the term was not that long. Term two was usually, "Where is da bus?" "Over dare."

Was this really down to the children................ or the quality of the teacher! Only joking (honset).

Seriously, I have noticed a big big variance in children's English. I know children who attend very expensive international schools and would all fail your "where's the toilet" test. I also know children who attend a local Wat school and love to speak English every time they see me.

To the OP - my wife and kids are all fluent in English and Thai and switch between them. They laugh at my attempts to master the tones of Thai although taxi drivers really seem to appreciate a few words spoken in Thai to them.

[Baerboxer]

We adopted a one year young girl in Januari.

I try to speak English most of the time now, dropping Thai.

She will begin to speak any time soon, thus I am curious listening to her.

Once she understands what I am saying and speak English well enough I will start learning her French (at age 4 or 5?)

I hope she will be multilingual by the age of 15: Thai, English, French, German, Dutch.

You have a good plan sir, I salute you! My daughter (5) is English and Thai bi-lingual. She is already asking me to start teaching her German and French. We are also encoraging her and her bother to learn Putonghua Chinese. I know the Dutch and Swiss start to teach foreign languages early in schools and the difference really shows.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

We adopted a one year young girl in Januari.

I try to speak English most of the time now, dropping Thai.

She will begin to speak any time soon, thus I am curious listening to her.

Once she understands what I am saying and speak English well enough I will start learning her French (at age 4 or 5?)

I hope she will be multilingual by the age of 15: Thai, English, French, German, Dutch.

Great!

Buy or download and burn Disney/Pixar etc DVDs with all these languages available to switch between them and she'll love watching them over and over again, just switch soundtracks and she won't miss a beat, all sinks in subliminally no effort or strain on her part.

No need to hold anything back, the early the better and just adding more to the mix may result in a little delay but overall higher fluency in all of them, most especially the degree to which significant others in the household engage in conversation she can eavesdrop on.

But do get her over to Europe for her schooling by 6-7 unless you can afford the top IS here. . .

[chooka]

English because that is all my wife will speak with me even tho I ask her to speak thai so as to help me. She says english is easier because the conversation flows and she doesn't have to wait whilst I think about what she has said and then search for the reply. She refuses to speak Thai with me. I learn more from my 4 yr old son.