Time To Learn Thai - Yet Again!

[Jersey_UK]

Hi folks

Learning Thai time again - came accross to Thaivisa initially for...........a visa for a Thai!..........but had a good read through the website and it has rekindled my interest in learning Thai........ again

Bit of background on me, I first came to Thailand around 10 years ago, spent around 3 1/2 years on Holiday in the LOS since, picked up a few words over the years - which I can pronouce very badly and usually use them in single words, with or without hand actions - have made a couple of serious attempts (by my standards!) at learning Thai, last time was 6 months ago when I managed to learn all the Thai constonants (made some great flashcards) - but just never quite got around to learning the vowels, let alone learning the rules for their use.

However I did find that I could recognise a few basic (one syllable!) words which I already knew and my name, which was kinda cool. I won't say I could "Read" the words, more a case that I could say to myself that "Yeah I CAN see how they would make that sound". With help from the dictionary (to remind me about the vowels) I could make an attempt at other words I didn't know - but this was in the full knowledge that any sounds I came out with from "reading" would be entirely wrong! But for me this IS progress! Especially as I was able to recognise words I had previously learnt, but had long since forgotten.

I figure that it is "Just" a case of hard work and boring repetition for me (to hammer the letters - both constonants and vowels - into my skull!) by continuously reading them and writing them out. I hope to be able to get back to the position of being able to "read" at least simple words. I figure pronounciation can be worked on when I am back in Thailand with the help of the G/f and possibly some formal lessons at which point I can start figuring out the longer words and working on other other stuff like sentence and word construction - I am hoping that by being able to read that I will at least have a chance of being able to figure sentence and word construction out by myself. Hope springs eternal .

I want to learn to read and write Thai as I figure that this will help me learn to speak Thai as it will make expanding my vocabulalry so much easier in the future.

It's very much a step by step approach for me, I have given quite a bit of thought (over the years!) about what approach would suit ME and I think this approach will suit me as it is important that I can concentrate on things that will at least appear to show some progress (to keep my enthusiasm going) - even if the progress is illusory or their are quicker ways of doing things "altogether".

Now my questions are:-

1) As I am going to be just repeatedly writing out the Thai Characters, (rather than ABC I am intending to be writing Gor Gai, Kor Kai etc) - it occurs to me that there is a lot of repetition in these words so their MAY already be a well known series of words which incorporate all the Constonants and Vowels, except less words in total. The reason I want less words is that I am hoping that in addition to just sitting down and doing the hard work when I have an hour or two spare, that when I have 5 minutes spare that I can just "doodle" the characters in the form of words - the more times I can just doodle I figure the better - to help hard wire my hand to my brain. (I know I could just do ABC etc but I figure writing out actual words will help me with the spacings and perhaps give me a bit of a start in how vowels interact). Either this is a very strange and completely barmy idea or it is something well known - I have no idea .

2) My next question is for somewhat down the line! - but I recall hearing a radio programme a few years ago that a study had been done about the average number of words that people use each day in English. I can't actually remember what the figure was, but it was surprisingly low - maybe 1,000 words. The reason for it being low was that words got repeated, so that in effect some words were more "useful" than others. in the case of this post I have a lot of "I", "the", "and" "have" etc - so I would say that these are more useful in general that words like "Doodle" and "Spacings". Has anyone done this (or heard about something like this) for Thai? I can mentally get my head around learning 500 or 1000 words a lot easier than 10,000! - even if I end up with the vocab of a 5 year old! - it should be pretty much enough for ME to START learning in Thai. If it turns out that in practice I need another 1000 words later, then so be it. I am not too worried about words which are names for things (Nouns??!! ), I figure that I will pick more up as I go along and need them. I learnt Ashtray and Glass easily enough in Thai.

The fact that at the moment my sentence construction is not exactly good enough to put them altogether is I figure neither here nor there. If I KNOW certain words are more useful I will concentrate on learning them, and worry about finding a use for them later! - rather than end up learning Thai words which just seemed a good idea, but in practice are as much use as "Eskimo" and "Snow" in Thailand.

Feedback welcome - constructive would be nice - the simpler and less "technical" the better!

Edited January 9, 2006 by Jersey_UK

[withnail]

My main piece of advice would have to be stop trying to simplify the learning process. I know what it's like believe me but nobody is going to give you an effective method of learning to speak Thai in a fortnight. Just keep at it and try to learn to enjoy studying Thai and not get too frustrated that you can't speak it perfectly yet.

[Jersey_UK]

My main piece of advice would have to be stop trying to simplify the learning process. I know what it's like believe me but nobody is going to give you an effective method of learning to speak Thai in a fortnight. Just keep at it and try to learn to enjoy studying Thai and not get too frustrated that you can't speak it perfectly yet.

Withnail,

Wasn't really looking for a quick way or a magic pill! - just trying to approach things in my own logical (??!!) manner and trying to think ahead. I am quite resigned to the boring hard work (although I do find writing the Thai Characters strangely soothing!) - in addition to sitting down with the books for hours at a time, it would be nice to have things I could do just for 5 minutes - sounds like I will be repeatedly writing out the Thai Alphabet whenever I have 5 minutes...........will just have to get quick at it!

Funnily enough I am not overly fussed about learning to speak Thai very quickly, I know I do not need it (I never work in Thailand) and in "my" part of Thailand I can get by no problem with 99% English and of course the numbers / money . I am quite happy to just stick with the reading and writing. I figure that once I can read Thai (even if initially only books for 5 year olds!) that by reading aloud I can both practice the spoken word as well as expand my vocabulary in my own time. I love a plan!

Regarding the 1000 (or 500?!) Thai words most useful to learn, last summer during my last learning Thai experiance!, I was starting to analyse the e-mails the Missus sent to me in Thai to try and work out and then build up a list of what words she frequently used (as well as when), quite quickly started to help me recognise a lot, even if I had to keep checking what they meant, I could at least have a fair crack at breaking up the sentences - slight problem with that is that I soon discovered that she is NOT the greatest of spellers and although she is not by any means illiterate I have no idea how good she is with the written Thai word - therefore it gave me (yet another!) excuse to stop. She won't of course be teaching me Issaanese - but I could end up inadvertently learning Bangkok Chav (In any case Bill Gates "ate" the work I had done a few months back - wot no backup? )

If anyone else has any thoughts....................????

[sabaijai]

Any elementary Thai instruction - whether a class or a book - will automatically be focussing on common, high-frequency vocabulary, so you needn't worry about that. The main thing is to get started. It sounds to me like you're definitely a candidate for formal instruction, rather than teaching yourself. People who are adept at teaching language to themselves would be a lot farther along than you are after spending 3/5 years here. I strongly suggest taking a class in Thai, whether in your home country or better yet in Thailand.

[Ice Maiden]

The best advice I can give you is don't overdo it! Take it one step at a time

[meadish_sweetball]

Just do a formal course and take it from there. Some examples of Thai courses that have been recommended by several people:

Union Language School Bangkok

AUA Chiang Mai

Phayap University Chiang Mai

If you're in Jersey I am not sure what is available. SOAS in London has a good reputation but may be more than what you need.

[robitusson]

Little and often, little and often.

[Jersey_UK]

The best advice I can give you is don't overdo it! Take it one step at a time

Agree with you here!

I do know enough to realise the scale of the task for someone like me with limited language skills. Hence me trying to break things down into chunks that make sense, if only to me!

I do want to do some language lessons - but first I want to get into a position where I can make the max use of the lessons - if I have to sit in a classroom I would prefer to learn new stuff rather than just practicising what I already know, but just cannot do. Probably do the lessons in Thailand, fortunately am not restricted to a 2 week trip each year - so will have the time.

Little and often is what I am aiming for. The first part is NO problem

Cheers folks

[sabaijai]

than just practicising what I already know, but just cannot do.

It sounds like you are what linguists call a 'false beginner' and thus you're the perfect candidate for a beginning level course, where you can review the passive knowledge you have and hopefully turn it into active knowledge.

Prevaricating about finding the perfect level of instruction or preparing yourself for instruction is just procrastination. It's like sitting by the side of a swimming pool, reading books about stroke forms. You can't learn to swim that way.

Some Thai Buddhist temples in the UK teach Thai to foreigners, often for free or at low cost. Here's a list, don't know if any of these are near you. You don't have to be Buddhist to study Thai at these places by the way.

ทำเนียบวัดไทยในต่างแดน

*****

วัดไทยในประเทศอังกฤษ

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วัดพุทธปทีป

THE BUDDHAPADIPA TEMPLE

14 Calonne Road, Wimbledon

London

SW19 5HJ

United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (020) 8944 7449, (020) 8946 1357

Fax: +44 (020) 8944 5788

www.buddhapadipa.org http://watthaiuk.org/

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วัดสังฆทาน

WAT SANGHATHAN

107 HANDSWORTH WOOD RD.

HANDSWORTH WOOD,

BIRMINGHAM B20 2PH

Tel. (021) 551-5729

http://www.sanghathan.co.uk/

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วัดป่าจิตตวิเวก

CHETHURST BUDDHIST MONASTERY

NEAR PETERFIDLD, HAMPSHIRE

GU 31 5EU

Tel. (2) 842-455

FAX. (2) 843-721

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วัดป่าสันติธรรม

WAT FOREST HERMITAGE

LOWER FULBROOK

WARWICK, EV 35 8AS

Tel. (092) 662-4385

http://www.foresthermitage.org.uk/

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วัดพุทธวิหารแอสตัน

5 Hamton Road.

Aston, Birmingham, B6 6AN

Tel: +44 (121) 515-1518

www.watthaiuk.com

พระมหาเหลา ปญฺญาสิริ เจ้าอาวาส

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วัดเจริญภาวนา

Wat Charernbhavana

306 Norbury Avenue, London

SW16 3RL , U.K.

Tel. +44-208-7648265

http://www.geocities.com/dreameuro/unitedkingdom.htm

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วัดพุทธวิหารอ๊อกซ์ฟอร์ด

The Oxford Buddha Vihara

33 Cherwell Drive, Marston

Oxford, OX3 0NB, United Kingdom

Tel: 01865 791 591

Email: [email protected]

http://www.oxfordbuddhavihara.org.uk

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PS the wat in Wimbledon specifically mentions Thai lessons on its website.

Thai language at Wat Buddhadipa

[Jersey_UK]

It sounds like you are what linguists call a 'false beginner' and thus you're the perfect candidate for a beginning level course, where you can review the passive knowledge you have and hopefully turn it into active knowledge.

Prevaricating about finding the perfect level of instruction or preparing yourself for instruction is just procrastination. It's like sitting by the side of a swimming pool, reading books about stroke forms. You can't learn to swim that way.

Have we met?

Regarding the swimming analogy, although I struggle to swim 20 metres - I did manage to learn to Scuba Dive (and qualify with PADI - being able to swim is apparently optional!).

However I will admit that I nearly drowned twice, but only once was because I couldn't swim.

Slightly off topic! - but I do appreciate your points. Cheers.

[Ice Maiden]

Another piece of advice is keep practising! You may sound a bit silly at first (I still do!) but gradually you get better

Even simple things like going shopping, speak to the staff in Thai! And in restuarants order your food in Thai. This has helped me develop my Thai a lot. And the ones I have spoken with are always happy to help you out if you make a mistake.