Following a previous conversation, a friend just sent me that youtube video.

Any Thai word you feel can't be translated in English ?

PS : There was a thread a couple of days ago about a similar subject, sorry can't find it. If a mod wants to merge the two threads you're most welcomed and sorry for the trouble cause

During the same conversation we also talked of foreign words useds in English with a meaning different than the one in the original language.

Any Thai words you may think of that are used by foreigners with a different meanings than the original one ?

Edited February 28, 201313 yr by JurgenG

"Kreng Jai" as Thais think we (Westerners) are incapable of it...

There is a very basic word that is aslo very difficult to translate, it's " sabai" and "mai sabai". You can of course translate by "relax" and "sick" but I believe it's more complicated than that.

Edited February 28, 201313 yr by JurgenG

"Kreng Jai" as Thais think we (Westerners) are incapable of it...

There isn't a single word in English that I (nor any of my few Thai friends with perfect English) know that accurately summarizes it (one can do so, or come close, with a couple phrases at least - but even then, I'm not sure the concept - specifically all the nuances and how much it can influence behavior - is entirely explicable).

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Edited February 28, 201313 yr by SteeleJoe

Handsome man.

"Kreng Jai" as Thais think we (Westerners) are incapable of it...

There isn't a single word in English that I (nor any of my few Thai friends with perfect English) know that accurately summarizes it (one can do so, or come close, with a couple phrases at least - but even then, I'm not sure the concept - specifically all the nuances and how much it can influence behavior - is entirely explicable).

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Consideration is essentially what "kreng Jai" is although in English we would use the word in other ways. In Thai Kreng Jai covers a whole lot of different uses that English would use a variety of words to describe depending on the situation.

Thais will announce that they are being 'Kreng Jai' if they want to refuse a kind offer from someone for example.

In English you would never say, 'Don't worry about doing xxxxxx for me, I'm being considerate towards you'.

A lot of Thais seem to think that the notion of considering others does not exist in English but don't understand that we just use the word in a different way.

"Kreng Jai" as Thais think we (Westerners) are incapable of it...

There isn't a single word in English that I (nor any of my few Thai friends with perfect English) know that accurately summarizes it (one can do so, or come close, with a couple phrases at least - but even then, I'm not sure the concept - specifically all the nuances and how much it can influence behavior - is entirely explicable).

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Consideration is essentially what "kreng Jai" is although in English we would use the word in other ways. In Thai Kreng Jai covers a whole lot of different uses that English would use a variety of words to describe depending on the situation.

Thais will announce that they are being 'Kreng Jai' if they want to refuse a kind offer from someone for example.

In English you would never say, 'Don't worry about doing xxxxxx for me, I'm being considerate towards you'.

A lot of Thais seem to think that the notion of considering others does not exist in English but don't understand that we just use the word in a different way.

I don't agree that "consideration" covers or conveys the whole meaning and it's uses.

And to the extent that Thais do think that the notion of considering others doesn't exist (and I would argue that that is an oversimplification of the common view), I don't believe it has much if anything to do with semantics (especially as many Thais wouldn't even know the word "consideration" much less how it is used).

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The word free as in no charge cannot be directly translated into Thai. They actually write free using Thai fonts when advertising something that has no charge. I always found that one amusing

sin sot ... 5555

sin sot ... 5555

Anything to add ? David ?

sin sot ... 5555

Anything to add ? David ?

Tell you a little story.

MissFarmGirl is out here at the moment and we just visited BookMan and his Lassie.

Tonight I'm cooking (steak, mushies sautéed in butter and new potatoes) and currently enjoying my 4th Rum and Coke. She's cooked the past 2 nights.

She giggles in another room and I presume that she is enjoying something on FaceBook.

When I quiz her a bit further ... she just replies ... 'you will discover soon'.

What is great is that she actually takes the time to post here occasionally. Probably helped by the fact that I have installed a Wi-Fi network in the house so we can both access the internet simultaneously.

So ... hummm ... yes, we have discussed this (sin sot) ... and we will leave it at that ...

.

sin sot ... 5555

Anything to add ? David ?

Tell you a little story.

MissFarmGirl is out here at the moment and we just visited BookMan and his Lassie.

Tonight I'm cooking (steak, mushies sautéed in butter and new potatoes) and currently enjoying my 4th Rum and Coke. She's cooked the past 2 nights.

She giggles in another room and I presume that she is enjoying something on FaceBook.

When I quiz her a bit further ... she just replies ... 'you will discover soon'.

What is great is that she actually takes the time to post here occasionally. Probably helped by the fact that I have installed a Wi-Fi network in the house so we can both access the internet simultaneously.

So ... hummm ... yes, we have discussed this (sin sot) ... and we will leave it at that ...

.

We want more, we want more, we want more.

Edit: the thaivisa audience that is.

Edited February 28, 201313 yr by arthurwait

So, my contribution would be pumm poooy ... fat little bit but cute ... same as a chubby cute baby.

On second thoughts ... maybe not the best example ...

You and theblether need to get a room

You and theblether need to get a room

Nah ... never work.

We'd both want to be on top ...

Actually, I've had the privilege of meeting a few of the members here ... but never him.

.

You and theblether need to get a room

Nah ... never work.

We'd both want to be on top ...

Actually, I've had the privilege of meeting a few of the members here ... but never him.

.

Wait till you meet me. ............................Not really, me

So, my contribution would be pumm poooy ... fat little bit but cute ... same as a chubby cute baby.

On second thoughts ... maybe not the best example ...

My understanding was that it meant fat, like a wallet

What's this sudden obsession with members wanting to boom boom theblether? I'm busy enough as it is you know.

Sick buffalo, my 'brother' needs a new bike........

Edited February 28, 201313 yr by Semper

Maybe MAN KHEEO and MAN SAI.

Maybe MAN KHEEO and MAN SAI.

Those are both phrases I thought of but I couldn't be bothered to try to transliterate; the funny thing that at least the former and perhaps the latter are I suspect universal feelings...

I can remember vicious cheek pinching when I went to Italy for the first time as child: I wonder if the Italians have a word for the urge...

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Edited March 1, 201313 yr by SteeleJoe

DUPLICATE

Edited March 1, 201313 yr by SteeleJoe

What is the Thai word for 'plan'?

What is the Thai word for 'plan'?

.

Not trying to be Thread Police - I have always said that I don't care if things go off topic - but I thought this was about THAI words that can't be translated into English.

Because if we are going to start talking about words in English that don't exist in Thai then we will wind up listing a whole bunch of "Tap Sap" as like most languages (including a language as widely used and dominant as English) have Loanwords.

So "free" and "plan" and lots of other words in Thai are the same as English and have the same meaning but with a Thai pronunciation. To me that's not as interesting as concepts or feelings that we don't even have a word for...

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Back on track ...

Rub zaab

Possibly a few varieties of fruit without English names, most likely due to them not existing in English speaking countries.

There again maybe they do have English names and I just don't know them.