Northern Thai Dialect

[Mekong Bob]

Any "kam-mueang" speakers on ThaiVisa Forum? Native speakers?

I am interested in compiling a glossary/dictionary of kam-mueang (as spoken in Chiang Mai), using both Thai script and standard romanized spelling for all entries, with English definitions and Central Thai equivalent terms. Would also be interested in participating in any similar ongoing project.

[BlackArtemis]

My northern Dialect is not that advanced, just a bunch of vocab words and knowledge of a few switches, like "Ror" to "Hor" etc

But I do recall some of the language places like AUA trying to teach it and preserve it.

Hope others can give you info on that.

Sad to see so much of the younger generation who can't speak it...

[eyecatcher]

Having "perfected" my counting in Thai, I came here and started hearing "sao baht" in the market, whats all this about, I had learned "yee sip" then they are giving it "jao" after everything they say.

Now I am starting to say sawasdee jao to everyone..probably sounds sh1t to them but making the effort anyway.

[amexpat]

Now I am starting to say sawasdee jao to everyone..probably sounds sh1t to them but making the effort anyway.

Sounds a big gay, actually. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

[msg362]

Not sure, but I think 'jao' or 'chao' is only said by women instead of 'ka', men still say 'kap' or 'krap'

[Tywais]

Not sure, but I think 'jao' or 'chao' is only said by women instead of 'ka', men still say 'kap' or 'krap'

Correct. I will say it some times in fun to those I know well and get a smile or laugh for it.

[Semper]

Now I am starting to say sawasdee jao to everyone..probably sounds sh1t to them but making the effort anyway.

Sounds a big gay, actually. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Maybe eyecatcher is a woman.

[skills32]

Ngung Hia (sp?) means stop. Get a laugh from the caddies when the ball is heading to the water or sand when I use it.

Rum ter ter for delicious.

Chung mun ter (sp?) for no worries, that's ok no problem etc

[rakchaingmai]

I know my fruits some of them anyway .

pineapple=bak-a-nat

papaya= ma-kwoy-did

guava=ma-kwoy-ga

Jack fruit=ma-noon

coconut -moew-bow Not to be confused with moew-plaow

[rakchaingmai]

Can you speak english =oo ankrit dai gore krap.

oo as in the sound book.

[Tywais]

Some here - Thai-language.com

and here - learning thai

[cmsally]

Excellent idea. I must admit I prefer speaking Kam Muang rather than Central Thai. A lot of people seem to mix the two up, that would include me; but more people now seem to speak Central Thai.

AUA used to teach Northern dialect and I'm sure there are a few people at CMU who have studied/written books etc.

I used to have some cassette tapes in Northern dialect - they were like music mixed with comedy sketches. People who came to my house when I was playing them thought I had completely lost the plot!

[naboo]

Bid Laew! = Going home now/already.

Bor Dai = Cannot - [not to be confused with the Thai "gor dai" which means "can if you want"]

Der Ga = you sure?

[BlackArtemis]

Some of my favorites are

Dammit = Ha-nee ba-hoy

You can use ba-hoy as very, as in "Ron Mak" becomes "Hon Ba-hoy" (with the R's becoming H)

Very full = Gat tong

Tired = Id

Very much = Ba-lump-ah loo-ah <- gets a huge amount of laughs when a farang uses it

And please, if I have interpreted any of these wrongs, fix my mistakes!

[T_Dog]

Some of my favorites are

Dammit = Ha-nee ba-hoy

You can use ba-hoy as very, as in "Ron Mak" becomes "Hon Ba-hoy" (with the R's becoming H)

Very full = Gat tong

Tired = Id

Very much = Ba-lump-ah loo-ah <- gets a huge amount of laughs when a farang uses it

And please, if I have interpreted any of these wrongs, fix my mistakes!

For bigger laughs or redder faces, expand those to "Gat Tong Bah Hoi" and "Ahyoung Ba-lump-ah-loo-ah" Tread carefully here! The Northern Dialect seems to be used almost exclusively when you head north out of Chiang Mai. All you have to say is "gahh" which is the equivalent of "really?" and folks will completely switch to Northern dialect without looking back.

I don't know if Khun Soontree is still singing the Northern Thai ballads at her restaurant on the river but having someone translate those songs as they are being sung is a fantastic experience and one of the best insights into Northern culture one can find. The songs progress as a little girl grows older and learns of life. Nothing like it on earth.

[T_Dog]

Forgot to add.... The "bah hoi" is not considered good manners, and is only used with close family members when being irreverent. That is why it can cause red faces with others.

[cmsally]

I made one of my own up although I'm sure someone else has thought of it.

Nak Toora Id (instead of Nak Toora Kit).

The idea being its more of an unsuccessful business person who runs around getting exhausted instead of doing any succesful business.

[T_Dog]

Here are a few highly respectful terms you hear in Northern dialect:

Superbly delicious: Lam Khaa Nodt

Highest thanks: Khap Khun Jahdt Naakh

(Excuse the lousy transliteration.... Have a native speaker say them for the right tones.)

[BlackArtemis]

I made one of my own up although I'm sure someone else has thought of it.

Nak Toora Id (instead of Nak Toora Kit).

The idea being its more of an unsuccessful business person who runs around getting exhausted instead of doing any succesful business.

Nak Toora Id is something I do hear Thais using when joking around about being tired about work. So your own meaning is 100% spot on.

T-Dog: Yeah, I should have mentioned the impoliteness factor. But on another note, I always thought "Dae Dae" instead of "Jing Jing" was used for "really". I though Gah/gaw was more of a questioned word, like "mai"

So "Poot dai mai?" would be "Ooo gaw?"

I learned Thai properly for 4-5 months and then learned the other 90% through interaction, so I tend to mess a few things up.

[cmsally]

I made one of my own up although I'm sure someone else has thought of it.

Nak Toora Id (instead of Nak Toora Kit).

The idea being its more of an unsuccessful business person who runs around getting exhausted instead of doing any succesful business.

Nak Toora Id is something I do hear Thais using when joking around about being tired about work. So your own meaning is 100% spot on.

T-Dog: Yeah, I should have mentioned the impoliteness factor. But on another note, I always thought "Dae Dae" instead of "Jing Jing" was used for "really". I though Gah/gaw was more of a questioned word, like "mai"

So "Poot dai mai?" would be "Ooo gaw?"

I learned Thai properly for 4-5 months and then learned the other 90% through interaction, so I tend to mess a few things up.

As far as I know Poot dai mai would be Oo dai gaw ?

Pah ooee pai hong yah gaw?

Pai ay-oh nai muang muen gaw?

Oh dear I think N dialect in English really messes with my brain!

[BlackArtemis]

yeah, forgot to write "dai" haha and it is crazy to try and write all of this down.

[Maestro]

using both Thai script and standard romanized spelling

That's where your problem will start, with the "standard" romanisation. If there were a standard, it would be the Royal Thai General System of Transcription but hardly anybody seems to be using it.

[dru2]

Now I am starting to say sawasdee jao to everyone..probably sounds sh1t to them but making the effort anyway.

Sounds a big gay, actually. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Eyecatcher could be female??

[dru2]

using both Thai script and standard romanized spelling

That's where your problem will start, with the "standard" romanisation. If there were a standard, it would be the Royal Thai General System of Transcription but hardly anybody seems to be using it.

I do try to use it wherever possible. But more interestingly, the very excellent thailanguage.com has a single page dedicated to Kham Mueang and whenever I send them a Northern Thai word transcribed in Central Thai script they check it out and put it up. If we all did that the Thai Language Kham Mueang pages would grow a lot faster.

It's all wheels within wheels, by the way. My wife is 100 percent Mueang no doubt, but also speaks some Tai Yong from eastern Shan State....

[Ulysses G.]

Now I am starting to say sawasdee jao to everyone..probably sounds sh1t to them but making the effort anyway.

I hope that you are a girl or they are having a good laugh.

[cmsally]

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/lanna.htm

Bedtime reading! This will give you a headache!

[T_Dog]

blackartemis... I asked my wife about gahh, and she said it usually means "really?" but can be used as "mai?" as well. It is a universal question particle I guess.

Regarding the OP, please be aware that the Northern dialect has its own script. The central Thai script used is a transliteration. People that can read and write the Lanna script are getting fewer and fewer, and the Thai government sponsors scholarships to keep that part of Thailand's culture alive.

[cmsally]

I don't know about "gaw" being really as such.

For example "men gaw" is it really. Then if you answer "men" that's really or yes it is.

[eyecatcher]

Now I am starting to say sawasdee jao to everyone..probably sounds sh1t to them but making the effort anyway.

Sounds a big gay, actually. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Maybe eyecatcher is a woman.

oh &lt;deleted&gt;, and no I am not! totally understand the above comments though

[dru2]

I don't know about "gaw" being really as such.

For example "men gaw" is it really. Then if you answer "men" that's really or yes it is.

You can also add "gah" as a suffix.

"Men Gaw" = Isn't that right?

"Men Gah" = Yes it is.