The Word Teeluk

[SteeleJoe]

The only people I hear use the word is a bargirl to her customer, sorry true love.

Never heard anyone else ever say it.

Perhaps there is a very good reason for that which has nothing to do with the fallacious notion that only bargirls use it with western men.

Work it out for yourself.

[IrishIvan]

The only people I hear use the word is a bargirl to her customer, sorry true love.

Never heard anyone else ever say it.

True ive only heard bargirls use it

[SteeleJoe]

True ive only heard bargirls use it

1) How much time do you spend around bargirls?

2) How much time do you spend around people who are not bargirls or former bargirls?

3) How much time do you spend around Thai couples speaking Thai?

4) Do you speak Thai?

5) Do you think Thais would typically use terms of endearment- particularly around others - as frequently as westerners might?

6) Can you explain the Thai songs that use the word in lyrics or the Thai movies that have it in the title?

No need to answer these questions here but perhaps you'd like to consider them for your own improved perception.

[IrishIvan]

True ive only heard bargirls use it

1) How much time do you spend around bargirls?

2) How much time do you spend around people who are not bargirls or former bargirls?

3) How much time do you spend around Thai couples speaking Thai?

4) Do you speak Thai?

5) Do you think Thais would typically use terms of endearment- particularly around others - as frequently as westerners might?

6) Can you explain the Thai songs that use the word in lyrics or the Thai movies that have it in the title?

No need to answer these questions here but perhaps you'd like to consider them for your own improved perception.

Listen buddy, maybe I speak thai maybe I dont. No doubt you are a linguist of some sort my tgf who has never been a bargirl doesnt use it neither does her family. My 2 mia nois use it all the damn time.

[SteeleJoe]

Listen buddy, maybe I speak thai maybe I dont. No doubt you are a linguist of some sort my tgf who has never been a bargirl doesnt use it neither does her family. My 2 mia nois use it all the damn time.

Listen buddy, they were just questions (the answer to whether you do or don't is a pretty safe bet, given your response. It isn't meant as a criticism, just a relevant fact).

I gave you the benefit of the doubt by bothering to frame my post as I did rather than just suggesting you see my previous reply to Breadbin. That it ruffled your feathers...well, sorry bout that.

[IrishIvan]

True ive only heard bargirls use it

1) How much time do you spend around bargirls?

2) How much time do you spend around people who are not bargirls or former bargirls?

3) How much time do you spend around Thai couples speaking Thai?

4) Do you speak Thai?

5) Do you think Thais would typically use terms of endearment- particularly around others - as frequently as westerners might?

6) Can you explain the Thai songs that use the word in lyrics or the Thai movies that have it in the title?

No need to answer these questions here but perhaps you'd like to consider them for your own improved perception.

Also Thai music IMO is like listening to someone scratching a blackboard. So no I probably won't have your linguistic experience of listening to rubbish. Thai soaps are utter rubbish too. Like Days of Our Lives in Thai. Give me a bullet. But if thats the way you spend your twilight years in LOS. Then good luck. As I stated I have only heard the phrase from bargirls

[toybits]

No different from calling the waitress "sweetie". Why do farangs not look at their own culture first before calling people's attention to some perceived affront by Thais?

[SteeleJoe]

Also Thai music IMO is like listening to someone scratching a blackboard. So no I probably won't have your linguistic experience of listening to rubbish. Thai soaps are utter rubbish too. Like Days of Our Lives in Thai. Give me a bullet. But if thats the way you spend your twilight years in LOS. Then good luck. As I stated I have only heard the phrase from bargirls.

Now ad hominem? OK, then.

Personally, in the last 32 years I've heard less than a dozen songs out of hundreds (?) that I liked. Calling Thai soaps "rubbish" is rather generous. If you can read well enough, and have some ability to think rationally, you will see that their respective quality (or lack thereof) is totally irrelevant. And if you CAN think with some clarity and a modicum of intelligence, you will se that the fact that Thais wrote and sing songs for other Thais that use the term would belie the idea that only bargirls use it (sarcastically) with western men.

And the predictable and truly lame old man insult? Whatever. I'm a healthy and happy 50: if these are my twilight years - given how hard I partied and how much adventure I had but still managed to get to where I am (a warm and stable but not stilfling relationship of 20 years, two amazing kids) - I'm damn glad to have them.

[IrishIvan]

Also Thai music IMO is like listening to someone scratching a blackboard. So no I probably won't have your linguistic experience of listening to rubbish. Thai soaps are utter rubbish too. Like Days of Our Lives in Thai. Give me a bullet. But if thats the way you spend your twilight years in LOS. Then good luck. As I stated I have only heard the phrase from bargirls.

Now ad hominem? OK, then.

Personally, in the last 32 years I've heard less than a dozen songs out of hundreds (?) that I liked. Calling Thai soaps "rubbish" is rather generous. If you can read well enough, and have some ability to think rationally, you will see that their respective quality (or lack thereof) is totally irrelevant. And if you CAN think with some clarity and a modicum of intelligence, you will se that the fact that Thais wrote and sing songs for other Thais that use the term would belie the idea that only bargirls use it (sarcastically) with western men.

And the predictable and truly lame old man insult? Whatever. I'm a healthy and happy 50: if these are my twilight years I'm damn glad to have them.

Thai soaps are always about cheating spouses arent they? Teeluk

[SteeleJoe]

Thai soaps are always about cheating spouses arent they? Teeluk

No.

The question is almost as odd and irrelevant as your expression of affection...

[IrishIvan]

Also Thai music IMO is like listening to someone scratching a blackboard. So no I probably won't have your linguistic experience of listening to rubbish. Thai soaps are utter rubbish too. Like Days of Our Lives in Thai. Give me a bullet. But if thats the way you spend your twilight years in LOS. Then good luck. As I stated I have only heard the phrase from bargirls.Now ad hominem? OK, then.

Personally, in the last 32 years I've heard less than a dozen songs out of hundreds (?) that I liked. Calling Thai soaps "rubbish" is rather generous. If you can read well enough, and have some ability to think rationally, you will see that their respective quality (or lack thereof) is totally irrelevant. And if you CAN think with some clarity and a modicum of intelligence, you will se that the fact that Thais wrote and sing songs for other Thais that use the term would belie the idea that only bargirls use it (sarcastically) with western men.

And the predictable and truly lame old man insult? Whatever. I'm a healthy and happy 50: if these are my twilight years - given how hard I partied and how much adventure I had but still managed to get to where I am (a warm and stable but not stilfling relationship of 20 years, two amazing kids) - I'm damn glad to have them.

Sorry I wasnt out to insult you its just generally the people that watch soaps in Farangland are either quite old, the unemployed single mothers or bored housewives. I presume its the same in LOS. You can add bargirls waiting around in empty beerbars to this list

[bangkockney]

True ive only heard bargirls use it

1) How much time do you spend around bargirls?

2) How much time do you spend around people who are not bargirls or former bargirls?

3) How much time do you spend around Thai couples speaking Thai?

4) Do you speak Thai?

5) Do you think Thais would typically use terms of endearment- particularly around others - as frequently as westerners might?

6) Can you explain the Thai songs that use the word in lyrics or the Thai movies that have it in the title?

No need to answer these questions here but perhaps you'd like to consider them for your own improved perception.

Also Thai music IMO is like listening to someone scratching a blackboard. So no I probably won't have your linguistic experience of listening to rubbish. Thai soaps are utter rubbish too. Like Days of Our Lives in Thai. Give me a bullet. But if thats the way you spend your twilight years in LOS. Then good luck. As I stated I have only heard the phrase from bargirls

You could have googled the thai script and found out for yourself.

It's most definitely not used by just bar girls.

[pattayadingo]

The only people I hear use the word is a bargirl to her customer, sorry true love.

Never heard anyone else ever say it.

True ive only heard bargirls use it

Odd, that.

I've heard it used often and not a b/g in sight.

Strange how people have to keep bringing b/g's into everything. There are many more women out there who have normal jobs and lives who will call their S.O. darling or use some other term of endearment.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

teerack = term of affection

farang = insult

[SteeleJoe]

teerack = term of affection

farang = insult

Oh, sweet jeebus - here we go...

[IrishIvan]

The only people I hear use the word is a bargirl to her customer, sorry true love.

Never heard anyone else ever say it.

True ive only heard bargirls use it

Odd, that.

I've heard it used often and not a b/g in sight.

Strange how people have to keep bringing b/g's into everything. There are many more women out there who have normal jobs and lives who will call their S.O. darling or use some other term of endearment.

Ill put it another way then...Ive heard plenty of farang men use teeluk. I have never heard a Thai man say it. Ive also never heard it used by Thai women in normal house hold situations. Nor have I heard my inlaws use it. Nor have I heard anyone use it but bargirls and ladyboys

[AnotherOneAmerican]

The only people I hear use the word is a bargirl to her customer, sorry true love.

Never heard anyone else ever say it.

True ive only heard bargirls use it

Odd, that.

I've heard it used often and not a b/g in sight.

Strange how people have to keep bringing b/g's into everything. There are many more women out there who have normal jobs and lives who will call their S.O. darling or use some other term of endearment.

Ill put it another way then...Ive heard plenty of farang men use teeluk. I have never heard a Thai man say it

That would be because it is a term used by women to describe their man.

(Foreigners don't understand Thai language where you often address men and women using different words, and just copy what the woman says)

A man would be more likely to use naarak as a term to describe his woman.

Anyone who replaces R with L is of poor rural farmer ancestry.

[SteeleJoe]

That would be because it is a term used by women to describe their man.

A man would be more likely to use naarak as a term to describe his woman.

Anyone who replaces R with L is of poor rural farmer ancestry.

I doubt it used exclusively by males (I'm fairly sure I've heard Thai males say it in Thai dramas and male singers use it).

Naarak is an adjective (used by both genders). Teerak is not. They are not used the same way.

I have just violated one of my rules: don't get into debates about specifics of Thai language with board members...I think I'll leave it there.

EDIT: I have just recollected hearing Thai male friends use it flirtatiously with girls...though that could be argued that it was in a sort of ironic way.

[bangkockney]

The only people I hear use the word is a bargirl to her customer, sorry true love.

Never heard anyone else ever say it.

True ive only heard bargirls use it

Odd, that.

I've heard it used often and not a b/g in sight.

Strange how people have to keep bringing b/g's into everything. There are many more women out there who have normal jobs and lives who will call their S.O. darling or use some other term of endearment.

Ill put it another way then...Ive heard plenty of farang men use teeluk. I have never heard a Thai man say it. Ive also never heard it used by Thai women in normal house hold situations. Nor have I heard my inlaws use it. Nor have I heard anyone use it but bargirls and ladyboys

Again, google it and take your pick.

[krisb]

Listen buddy, maybe I speak thai maybe I dont. No doubt you are a linguist of some sort my tgf who has never been a bargirl doesnt use it neither does her family. My 2 mia nois use it all the damn time.

Listen buddy, they were just questions (the answer to whether you do or don't is a pretty safe bet, given your response. It isn't meant as a criticism, just a relevant fact).

I gave you the benefit of the doubt by bothering to frame my post as I did rather than just suggesting you see my previous reply to Breadbin. That it ruffled your feathers...well, sorry bout that.

Least your all buddies

[pattayadingo]

The only people I hear use the word is a bargirl to her customer, sorry true love.

Never heard anyone else ever say it.

True ive only heard bargirls use it

Odd, that.

I've heard it used often and not a b/g in sight.

Strange how people have to keep bringing b/g's into everything. There are many more women out there who have normal jobs and lives who will call their S.O. darling or use some other term of endearment.

Ill put it another way then...Ive heard plenty of farang men use teeluk. I have never heard a Thai man say it. Ive also never heard it used by Thai women in normal house hold situations. Nor have I heard my inlaws use it. Nor have I heard anyone use it but bargirls and ladyboys

Then you must be in the wrong places.

Your inference is that because we have a woman who calls us darling, we must have a b/g.

In all the times I've been to bars I've yet to have a woman working in a bar actually call me Teerak.

On the other hand in the years I spent out in villages and towns away from bars it was spoken.

[HeijoshinCool]

I rather prefer "dakling", so much more loving.

That's what we call each other, even in public.

Teerak sounds like a carnivorous dinosaur.

[toybits]

Dah Ling sound better. Could also mean something like "The Monkey".... Choose which "Term of Endearment" you prefer... 555

[Thakkar]

Mrs. T often calls our dogs "Teerak" but the sarcasm is lost on them.

T

[kannot]

Mine just says "Oi shi*face" ?

[Thakkar]

Also Thai music IMO is like listening to someone scratching a blackboard. So no I probably won't have your linguistic experience of listening to rubbish. Thai soaps are utter rubbish too. Like Days of Our Lives in Thai. Give me a bullet. But if thats the way you spend your twilight years in LOS. Then good luck. As I stated I have only heard the phrase from bargirls

.

HEY! Nobody disses Days of Our Lives. That's the show where I learned my first English words. I was allowed just one hour of TV on weekdays and that was the only show on then. Every. Damn. Day. Coming from a place with no TV, any moving images on a screen right there in our living room was magic to me, so I watched the hell outta that show.

T

[breadbin]

I am married to a Thai, never heard her say it to me or the kids.

Never heard her family say it or her friends mostly.

One friend does use the word to get husband, not kids and yes she did dance around a pole.

Enough said from me.

[TexasRanger]

Dak ling = monkeys bum in Issan language.

[TexasRanger]

My 2 mia nois use it all the damn time.

Wow! You must be really important to have 2 mia nois, very impressive. Glad you shared, now we can look up to you with the respect you deserve.

[breakthemold]

Been here 25 years, fluent in spoken and written Thai, and manage a translation company. (tee rak) is a term of endearment, similar to "darling" or "sweetheart." Literally, it translates as "beloved." As such, most Thais will only use it in the context of a private conversation or communication with their partner, and then only sparingly.

For example, when I travel, my wife and I mostly stay in touch by email. In an email, she will normally address me as (khun / you) or (Khun Bin / my nickname with khun used as an honorific). In closing, she might write something like(/ goodnight, sweetheart).

The word itself is class-neutral. The way a person uses the word may be class indicative.