Why Is Thai So Hard For The English?

[skylar]

For precisely the same reason that English is so hard for the English.

Those English who are able to learn to speak English mostly remain in England, being so well paid there. Those coming to Thailand, having ever failed to learn Received Pronunciation at home, cannot possibly be expected to master a tonal language like Thai.

Received Pronounciation is for Big Girls who live darn sarf

What is that supposed to mean?

[meadish_sweetball]

darn sarf = down south.

[LindsayBKK]

It is very hard for the English, paractically impossible for most Americans and better we not speak about the Ozzies

Aussie khun dee! thaipwriter khun baba babo mak mak. mai kow jai rue? phut mai narak mai tong phut!

[Neeranam]

If I couldn't speak any, I'd just say pood thai mai dai - it's gentler

.

Actually, I'd say "pood passaa thai mai pen" - I can't speak Thai, but by saying this i would be showing that I could.

I like to say "Pood passa Thai Nit Nit noi noi", kinda show a bit of humility. I do actually speak a bit.

[skylar]

If I couldn't speak any, I'd just say pood thai mai dai - it's gentler

.

Actually, I'd say "pood passaa thai mai pen" - I can't speak Thai, but by saying this i would be showing that I could.

I like to say "Pood passa Thai Nit Nit noi noi", kinda show a bit of humility. I do actually speak a bit.

I like the second one - it's a positive statement and shows the speaker is open to learning... or nguu nguu pla pla maybe... hmm.

darn sarf = down south.

I know the literal meaning of the sentence. I don't know the implied meaning - would you be able to translate that for me too?

[Martin]

Re 'darn sarf'.

If you look at a very simple road map of England, you will see that about two thirds of the way up from the South Coast to the border with Scotland, there is an east-west Motorway, numbered M62.

It goes from Liverpool at its western end to (well, nearly to) Hull at its eastern end.

Going to any destination to the south of the M62 is going 'darn sarf'.

It is, of course, inadvisable to do so.

In the interest of staying among proper fowk, remain oop norf.

[skylar]

Re 'darn sarf'.

If you look at a very simple road map of England, you will see that about two thirds of the way up from the South Coast to the border with Scotland, there is an east-west Motorway, numbered M62.

It goes from Liverpool at its western end to (well, nearly to) Hull at its eastern end.

Going to any destination to the south of the M62 is going 'darn sarf'.

It is, of course, inadvisable to do so.

In the interest of staying among proper fowk, remain oop norf.

I am English and therefore aware of what constitutes north and south. Obviously I am missing something in this sense of social heirachial awareness that I care enough about to want it explained to me.

[Bryan in Isaan]

It is very hard for the English, paractically impossible for most Americans and better we not speak about the Ozzies

Actually in my nine years experience it's the Brits and Aussies that speak it the best.

Hence, the old joke:

What do they call someone who speaks two languages? - - - Bilingual.

What do they call someone who speaks three languages? - - Trilingual.

What do they call someone who speaks one language? - - - - American.

Bryan (an American)