JurgenG Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JurgenG Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 (edited) 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, 2013 by JurgenG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyDrinker Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 "Kreng Jai" as Thais think we (Westerners) are incapable of it... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JurgenG Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 (edited) 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, 2013 by JurgenG 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteeleJoe Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 (edited) "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). Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap Edited February 28, 2013 by SteeleJoe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurwait Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Handsome man. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teatree Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 "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). Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteeleJoe Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 "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). Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap 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). Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishIvan Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post MissFarmGirl Posted February 28, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted February 28, 2013 sin sot ... 5555 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurwait Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 sin sot ... 5555 Anything to add ? David ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David48 Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 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 ... . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurwait Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 (edited) 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, 2013 by arthurwait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David48 Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 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 ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieH Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 You and theblether need to get a room Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David48 Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 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. . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theblether Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 What's this sudden obsession with members wanting to boom boom theblether? I'm busy enough as it is you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 (edited) Sick buffalo, my 'brother' needs a new bike........ Edited February 28, 2013 by Semper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Maybe MAN KHEEO and MAN SAI. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteeleJoe Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 (edited) 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... Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap Edited March 1, 2013 by SteeleJoe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteeleJoe Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 (edited) DUPLICATE Edited March 1, 2013 by SteeleJoe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurnell Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 What is the Thai word for 'plan'? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David48 Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 What is the Thai word for 'plan'? . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteeleJoe Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 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... Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David48 Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Back on track ... Rub zaab 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel_Mustard Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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