Why Do Thais Get Angry When Corrected On Their English?

[CaptHaddock]

Ohhh, I do know one thing that gets them a little pissy though (in a fun way). When you correct the English loanwords Thai has incorporated. For example:

vaccine = waaksin

Jew = Yuu

shopping = chopbing

virus = wirat

They're saying them correctly according to how they're written in Thai, but still, if you're going to steal words from the English language, use them properly.

They are pronouncing those words correctly. They are now loan words incorporated into the Thai phonetic system. Like the word "Bangkok" in English which is pronounced without the tones and with somewhat different consonants in Thai.

[CaptHaddock]

Ohhh, I do know one thing that gets them a little pissy though (in a fun way). When you correct the English loanwords Thai has incorporated. For example:

vaccine = waaksin

Jew = Yuu

shopping = chopbing

virus = wirat

They're saying them correctly according to how they're written in Thai, but still, if you're going to steal words from the English language, use them properly.

Wish we'd lend them more words. I might have a fighting chance then.

You might think so, but when you are learning Thai, the English loan words are the hardest to spell, because the transliteration is not consistent and the Thai spelling omits necessary tone markers.

[jacktrip]

is it normal for people to go around saying "ME THINKS"?

is it ok to not correct them?

[tinfoilhat]

is it normal for people to go around saying "ME THINKS"?

is it ok to not correct them?

if was good enough for hamlet methinks it should be good enough for you

[hookedondhamma]

That post above about the big man was spot-on BigDaddyBKK.

[NeverSure]

I've found that Thai people get more upset when I refuse to speak English with them if my Thai is better than their English, which happens quite often these days.

Sorry, but I find this hard to believe. I've never had a Thai person be anything but appreciative when I try to speak Thai.

It usually happens with educated Thais that think their English is good. The worst are doctors, especially at the expensive hospitals like Bamrungrad. Once there with my wife, the doc refused to talk with me in Thai - he'd talk to my wife in Thai then translate for me, When I spoke to him in Thai(for my wife's benefit, he'd answer me in English then tell her in Thai - what an idiot.

This. I had a gf in LOS the last time there who was a pharmacist. Cute, smart and good English for a Thai. She was a learner by nature, and very often asked me for or about a word or phrase and I would explain. That's only when she asked.

An example is that her family had "robber trees." After hearing that enough, I gently told her that a "robber" would take her money with a gun and that "rubber"...

She went silent and into a pout for about an hour. She ended the pout by telling me that she was better because I spoke no Thai at all. I guess that's how she saved face?

Any one else ever want to help a Thai lose face, as in ripping it off, LOL?

[BigJohnnyBKK]

If I'm trying to be polite, I generally don't correct anyone about anything unless asked. Applies to speaking or writing (e.g. email)

When people know I'm a teacher, if I think they may be open to it, I'll ask them in general if they'd like me to help them improve their English. Many people will say yes but you can tell they don't mean it so I stop.

Some people are very enthusiastic and grateful, and then I help them more. But even then you should pick and choose, don't highlight every error. Not just wrt face, but just sensible teaching, don't overwhelm the student.

I've had some girls living with me go from absolute zero (don't know their ABC) to pretty darn good conversational level within their first year.

The mother of my children lived with me for six years and made zero effort, only picked up her understanding levels a bit from listening to me talk to the kids.

After she left she started learning, but still doesn't speak it as well as her my toddlers 8-)

Edited November 15, 2012 by BigJohnnyBKK

[Rob8891]

I used to laugh like crazy at my ex's (and her girls') pronunciation of english........but then again, they came from Dingwall....(Scottish joke..sorry!) My gf's english isimproving quickly...much better than my thai. She does not mind being corrected, but doesn't like to help me learn thai, bc she wants to speak english all the time....(this sounds familiar, methinks).

[BigJohnnyBKK]

She does not mind being corrected, but doesn't like to help me learn thai

Smart girl. Work hard at improving your Thai nonetheless.

[manly100]

When I don't understand a spoken english word I stop while looking perplexed, then as understanding appears on my face I repeat the word as I would have said it. I thought everybody helped each other the same way.

But I like asking my wife to repeat vanilla icecream. "huh? wallila hyckaem?

[thehelmsman]

I don't really understand the reason for correcting strangers. If you understand what they mean - thats all that matters.

To bad the Thais can't do the same.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

I don't really understand the reason for correcting strangers. If you understand what they mean - thats all that matters.

To bad the Thais can't do the same.

As a teacher, I try to help those that want to improve their English.

I wish the Thais were more helpful about doing the same with my efforts to improve my Thai, especially wrt pronunciation.

Edited November 15, 2012 by BigJohnnyBKK

[luckyluke]

"As a teacher, I try to help those that want to improve their English."

Good luck, especially with a lot of the so called -native speakers of English-.

Edited November 16, 2012 by luckyluke

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Good luck, especially with a lot of the so called -native speakers of English-.

Those rarely ask me 8-)

If I'm trying to be polite, I generally don't correct anyone about anything unless asked.

Apparently Zen teaching practice is to not even respond to students' requests for advice until after they've asked the same question three times!

Edited November 16, 2012 by BigJohnnyBKK

[farangme]

Never correct a Thai about anything. It's a face thing.

Sent from my PC36100 using Thaivisa Connect App

[ayayay]

There are certain foreigners, I cant stand. You seem to belong to that category.

If the Thais would have that attitude towards you, I am sure you would get pissed after a while as well.

[roamer]

My wife is Thai, works in UK for an English company and recently got promoted over an English colleague. A few weeks ago same colleague bitchily remarked that if she was going to do the job she should at least learn to spell properly, the word in question was "Wednesday" . Wife admitted it was a word she always had problems with , then remarked that the printers must have got it wrong on her desk diary as well as the calendar as it was spelt the same way....

Believe me ain't only Thai's who feel they loose face when corrected....

[endure]

Good luck, especially with a lot of the so called -native speakers of English-.

Those rarely ask me 8-)

If I'm trying to be polite, I generally don't correct anyone about anything unless asked.

Apparently Zen teaching practice is to not even respond to students' requests for advice until after they've asked the same question three times!

That's a pretty standard Buddhist thing. A Thai monk has to be asked three times before they'll give a Dhamma talk or the Refuges & Precepts.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

That's a pretty standard Buddhist thing. A Thai monk has to be asked three times before they'll give a Dhamma talk or the Refuges & Precepts.

Wow. Must have been a pretty important meme to have survived all the evolution between the Thai and Japanese branches.

[rene123]

Let me get this straight, you she said eye-ron and you said eye-en.

Which one of you is Thai?

Personally I pronounce the word as it is spelled, I have never been corrected.

My thoughts exactly. I had to read it twice just to see if I had missed something. No way does any proper speaking English translation not include the "R" in the word "iron". If someone told me to pronounce "iron" as "ion" or "iun" I would tell them to stuff it.

However, I never try to correct anyone unless asked, or we are at odds as to what the question is. I have heard many different dialects for the same word pronounced in Canada as compared to the USA.

[Theoutsider]

It's because they don't like you.