Thai Language.....where Else Is It Useful......

[LuukKoeyKorat]

Northwest Vietnam has many Tai or Dtai people whose language is almost identical to Thai. I spoke to some Vietnamese visitors coming from that area.

On a side note...2 months ago I explored further up into northeastern Laos courtesy of a good friend working for UNODC. We traveled 3 hours on paved roads then 5 hours off road through the mountains, arriving at an ethnic Tai Dam village seriously in the middle of nowhere. My friend suggested I try speak Thai to the villagers and to my amazement we could converse, albeit with difficulty! This village has no electricty, no Thai TV access, is 50km from the Vietnamese border and only the headman has ever been outside to the provincial town. But Thai language is understood :-)

[Familyonthemove]

Orchard Court - Singapore

[theblether]

On a related note, has anyone learned Thai first then went on to learn any of the other Asian languages?

[SteeleJoe]

Back in the states it works great at picking up girls at Thai restaurants.

Truth.

[overherebc]

On a related note, has anyone learned Thai first then went on to learn any of the other Asian languages?

Not a direct answer to your question, but, I did at one point have a 'go' at learning Thai. The problems I had were all related to tones and trying to commit the alphabet to memory.

I studied French at school, left UK and went to live in Germany, learned German and forgot most of my French then went to work in Italy, learned Italian, which in all honesty I found the easiest. Maybe because I loved the country and the lifestyle.

End result today is that when I try to use any of the three it comes out like some kind of Esparanto. I suppose by the time I got to Thailand I just couldn't get my head around it.

Edited June 6, 2013 by overherebc

[theblether]

^^ Join the club

[overherebc]

^^ Join the club

Doesn't help either that 'SHE' went to universty overseas and can argue really well.

[overherebc]

^^ Join the club

Doesn't help either that 'SHE' went to universty overseas and can argue really well.

Just signed in and realised she can probably spell better than me as well

[krisb]

• Isan (Northeastern Thai), the language of the Isan region of Thailand, a collective term for the various Lao dialects spoken in Thailand that show some Siamese Thai influences, which is written with the Thai script.

  It is spoken by about over 20 million people. Thais from both inside

  and outside the Isan region often simply call this variant "Lao" when

  speaking informally.

• Khorat Thai, spoken by about 400,000 (1984) in Nakhon Ratchasima occupies a linguistic position somewhere between Siamese Thai and Isan, or more appropriately Lao, on a dialect continuum, and may be considered a variant of either.
• Northern Thai (Phasa Nuea, Lanna, Kam Mueang, or Thai Yuan), spoken by about 6 million (1983) in the formerly independent kingdom of Lanna (Chiang Mai). Shares strong similarities with Lao to the point that in the past the Siamese Thais referred to it as Lao.
• Southern Thai (Pak Tai), spoken by 4.5 million (2006) in the formerly independent kingdom of Ligor (Nakhon Si Thammarat).
• Phu Thai, spoken by about half a million around Nakhon Phanom Province, and 300,000 more in Laos and Vietnam (2006).
• Phuan, spoken by 200,000 in central Thailand and Isan, and 100,000 more in northern Laos (2006).
• Shan

  (Thai Luang, Tai Long, Thai Yai), spoken by about 100,000 in north-west

  Thailand along the border with the Shan States of Burma, and by 3.2

  million in Burma (2006).

• Lü (Tai Lue, Dai), spoken by about 80,000 (2001) in northern Thailand, and 600,000 more in China, Burma, and Laos (1981–2000).
• Nyaw language, spoken by 50,000 in Nakhon Phanom Province, Sakhon Nakhon Province, Udon Thani Province of Northeast Thailand (1990)
• Song, spoken by about 30,000 in central and northern Thailand (2000).

Most speakers of dialects and minority languages speak Central Thai

as well, since it is the language used in schools and universities all

across the kingdom.

Numerous languages not related to Thai are spoken within Thailand. Near Laos and Burma, ethnic minority hill tribes people speak Hmong–Mien (Yao), Karen, Lisu, and others. Near Cambodia many communities speak Khmer, and the Mon-Khmer language variously known as Suay (ส่วย) Guay or Kuay (กวย).^[9]

Siamese Thai is composed of several distinct registers, forms for different social contexts:

• Street or common Thai (ภาษาพูด, spoken Thai): informal, without

  polite terms of address, as used between close relatives and friends.

• Elegant or formal Thai (ภาษาเขียน, written Thai): official and

  written version, includes respectful terms of address; used in

  simplified form in newspapers.

• Rhetorical Thai: used for public speaking.
• Religious Thai: (heavily influenced by Sanskrit and Pāli) used when discussing Buddhism or addressing monks.
• Royal Thai (ราชาศัพท์): (influenced by Khmer) used when addressing members of the royal family or describing their activities.

Most Thais can speak and understand all of these contexts. Street and elegant Thai are the basis of all conversations;^{[citation needed]} rhetorical, religious and royal Thai are taught in schools as the national curriculum.

Now which Thai language is the useful one your talikng about in the op Blether!...

Edited June 7, 2013 by krisb

[Hedghog]

Its handy in the UK.

Helps when trying to pull a Thai import.

[SinglePot]

• Isan (Northeastern Thai), the language of the Isan region of Thailand, a collective term for the various Lao dialects spoken in Thailand that show some Siamese Thai influences, which is written with the Thai script.It is spoken by about over 20 million people. Thais from both insideand outside the Isan region often simply call this variant "Lao" whenspeaking informally.
• Khorat Thai, spoken by about 400,000 (1984) in Nakhon Ratchasima occupies a linguistic position somewhere between Siamese Thai and Isan, or more appropriately Lao, on a dialect continuum, and may be considered a variant of either.
• Northern Thai (Phasa Nuea, Lanna, Kam Mueang, or Thai Yuan), spoken by about 6 million (1983) in the formerly independent kingdom of Lanna (Chiang Mai). Shares strong similarities with Lao to the point that in the past the Siamese Thais referred to it as Lao.
• Southern Thai (Pak Tai), spoken by 4.5 million (2006) in the formerly independent kingdom of Ligor (Nakhon Si Thammarat).
• Phu Thai, spoken by about half a million around Nakhon Phanom Province, and 300,000 more in Laos and Vietnam (2006).
• Phuan, spoken by 200,000 in central Thailand and Isan, and 100,000 more in northern Laos (2006).
• Shan(Thai Luang, Tai Long, Thai Yai), spoken by about 100,000 in north-westThailand along the border with the Shan States of Burma, and by 3.2million in Burma (2006).
• Lü (Tai Lue, Dai), spoken by about 80,000 (2001) in northern Thailand, and 600,000 more in China, Burma, and Laos (1981–2000).
• Nyaw language, spoken by 50,000 in Nakhon Phanom Province, Sakhon Nakhon Province, Udon Thani Province of Northeast Thailand (1990)
• Song, spoken by about 30,000 in central and northern Thailand (2000).

Most speakers of dialects and minority languages speak Central Thaias well, since it is the language used in schools and universities allacross the kingdom.Numerous languages not related to Thai are spoken within Thailand. Near Laos and Burma, ethnic minority hill tribes people speak Hmong–Mien (Yao), Karen, Lisu, and others. Near Cambodia many communities speak Khmer, and the Mon-Khmer language variously known as Suay (ส่วย) Guay or Kuay (กวย).^[9]Siamese Thai is composed of several distinct registers, forms for different social contexts:

• Street or common Thai (ภาษาพูด, spoken Thai): informal, withoutpolite terms of address, as used between close relatives and friends.
• Elegant or formal Thai (ภาษาเขียน, written Thai): official andwritten version, includes respectful terms of address; used insimplified form in newspapers.
• Rhetorical Thai: used for public speaking.
• Religious Thai: (heavily influenced by Sanskrit and Pāli) used when discussing Buddhism or addressing monks.
• Royal Thai (ราชาศัพท์): (influenced by Khmer) used when addressing members of the royal family or describing their activities.

Most Thais can speak and understand all of these contexts. Street and elegant Thai are the basis of all conversations;^{[citation needed]} rhetorical, religious and royal Thai are taught in schools as the national curriculum. Now which Thai language is the useful one your talikng about in the op Blether!...

A long over complicated post if I may say so.

Scottish people speak English, but it sounds different.

Geordies speak English, but it sounds different.

My guess is OP is trying to learn Thai before he learns Mandarin, Japanese and Esperanto.

[Tomtomtom69]

@tomtomtom69

"In Lao, males usually say "doy" which sounds a bit like the Chinese "dui" meaning right or correct when answering something in the affirmative. Females either say "doy" or "jao". I have never heard a Thai Isarn speaker use "doy" but maybe I wasn't listening for it. I should ask one of my Thai Isarn friends if she knows this word; I suspect she might but probably wouldn't use it herself or even any males she knows would use it"

Butter in Lao is "beu" or essentially "beurre" from the French, whereas in Thai it's "neuy".

This is wrong I'm afraid. "Doy" is a more polite form of "jao" and used by both sexes to mean "yes" or used as conformation.There is no differentials in the Lao language between the sexes as there is in Thai.

Neuy is Laotian for butter also.

'Doy' was the respectable polite form of reply when acknowledging elders or people of higher class pre-1975. You still hear it used by the older villagers. 'Jao' was introduced and encouraged to the language by the Communists after they shortened the Lao alphabet and simplified the language to make it all more 'egalitarian'.

That's interesting because I have generally only ever been aware of "jao" until some people started using "doy" last October and in April (when I was in Laos) when speaking with me (I'm talking about younger people in their 20s and 30s) so I deciphered it must be another form of saying "jao" just that I find it odd to never have heard it used until now. I have definately never heard a Thai use "doy", especially not a northerner, who almost always use "jao", in particular women. However, I don't want to dispute anyone who has heard northerners use it, but given what has been mentioned about it being used by elderly people in Laos I suspect the same is true in northern Thai. I'm no linguist but I strongly suspect "doy" comes from the Chinese "dui", as I have already pointed out. The meaning is quite similar as well.

Edited June 9, 2013 by Tomtomtom69

[krisb]

• Isan (Northeastern Thai), the language of the Isan region of Thailand, a collective term for the various Lao dialects spoken in Thailand that show some Siamese Thai influences, which is written with the Thai script.It is spoken by about over 20 million people. Thais from both insideand outside the Isan region often simply call this variant "Lao" whenspeaking informally.
• Khorat Thai, spoken by about 400,000 (1984) in Nakhon Ratchasima occupies a linguistic position somewhere between Siamese Thai and Isan, or more appropriately Lao, on a dialect continuum, and may be considered a variant of either.
• Northern Thai (Phasa Nuea, Lanna, Kam Mueang, or Thai Yuan), spoken by about 6 million (1983) in the formerly independent kingdom of Lanna (Chiang Mai). Shares strong similarities with Lao to the point that in the past the Siamese Thais referred to it as Lao.
• Southern Thai (Pak Tai), spoken by 4.5 million (2006) in the formerly independent kingdom of Ligor (Nakhon Si Thammarat).
• Phu Thai, spoken by about half a million around Nakhon Phanom Province, and 300,000 more in Laos and Vietnam (2006).
• Phuan, spoken by 200,000 in central Thailand and Isan, and 100,000 more in northern Laos (2006).
• Shan(Thai Luang, Tai Long, Thai Yai), spoken by about 100,000 in north-westThailand along the border with the Shan States of Burma, and by 3.2million in Burma (2006).
• Lü (Tai Lue, Dai), spoken by about 80,000 (2001) in northern Thailand, and 600,000 more in China, Burma, and Laos (1981–2000).
• Nyaw language, spoken by 50,000 in Nakhon Phanom Province, Sakhon Nakhon Province, Udon Thani Province of Northeast Thailand (1990)
• Song, spoken by about 30,000 in central and northern Thailand (2000).

Most speakers of dialects and minority languages speak Central Thaias well, since it is the language used in schools and universities allacross the kingdom.Numerous languages not related to Thai are spoken within Thailand. Near Laos and Burma, ethnic minority hill tribes people speak Hmong–Mien (Yao), Karen, Lisu, and others. Near Cambodia many communities speak Khmer, and the Mon-Khmer language variously known as Suay (ส่วย) Guay or Kuay (กวย).^[9]Siamese Thai is composed of several distinct registers, forms for different social contexts:

• Street or common Thai (ภาษาพูด, spoken Thai): informal, withoutpolite terms of address, as used between close relatives and friends.
• Elegant or formal Thai (ภาษาเขียน, written Thai): official andwritten version, includes respectful terms of address; used insimplified form in newspapers.
• Rhetorical Thai: used for public speaking.
• Religious Thai: (heavily influenced by Sanskrit and Pāli) used when discussing Buddhism or addressing monks.
• Royal Thai (ราชาศัพท์): (influenced by Khmer) used when addressing members of the royal family or describing their activities.

Most Thais can speak and understand all of these contexts. Street and elegant Thai are the basis of all conversations;^{[citation needed]} rhetorical, religious and royal Thai are taught in schools as the national curriculum. Now which Thai language is the useful one your talikng about in the op Blether!...

A long over complicated post if I may say so.

Scottish people speak English, but it sounds different.

Geordies speak English, but it sounds different.

My guess is OP is trying to learn Thai before he learns Mandarin, Japanese and Esperanto.

You may so if you so wish. My point is there is more than 1 Thai language. Yes Scots speak English and same with Geordies. If a Scot meets a Geordie in a pub, they understand each other correct? Its because they speak the English language. Same if me as an Aussie sat and talk to them, no problem. Not so in Thailand. There are distinct dialects so someone from deep south wont understand someone from deep Issan. Perhaps words like sawatdee are the same, but theres enough that they wouldnt understand. Exactly like the words "doy" and "jao". Not understood unless your using Chiang Mai Thai.

Sorry for the looong quote, cant work out part quotes.

Edited June 10, 2013 by krisb

[boosta]

Relevant case in NYC - very surprised to see such PC overreach there, obviously controversial:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10135068/New-Yorks-only-Welsh-pub-to-pay-2500-after-asking-for-British-job-applicants.html

I understand your point but it's still discrimination. In Australia and other western countries there are tribunals such as the anti-discrimination commission which is designed to handle such cases and anti-discrimination laws are enshrined in the constitution these days. Also, isn't it a bit of a double standard if I go to an American steak restaurant in Thailand and all the servers and chefs are Thai - that's not very authentic, as cute as the girls might be. If I wanted to make sure I could get an authentic Texas steak I'd rather have a real Texan serving me (as is the case in Vietnam where I know a guy that runs an American restaurant in Nha Trang and although he employs locals of course, he sometimes takes orders and always chats with customers!) On the other hand why should a Thai restaurant in Australia not also employ Aussies, Chinese, Iranians etc. seeing it's a multicultural country? In America they are already doing so, why is Australia so different?

-

I can't speak to the fine point differences between how these ideals are implemented in practice in the US vs Australia.

Just pointing out the principle that if a business can make a valid case for using male Asian dwarfs between 20 and 25 because in that particular situation that will help the business then that should be OK.

Obvious examples include casting for acting roles, fashion modeling, really any public-facing staff, there are employment agencies openly advertising that they only accept handsome/beautiful applicants.

A ladies perfume company looking for sales people is allowed to hire females only, PC doesn't override common sense at least not yet.

Except when unions get involved protecting their members, then it often goes too far IMO.

Obviously in Thailand none of these legal restrictions exist employers are free to discriminate however they like, like the airline that only hired katoeys.

Hiring only farang wait staff for a steak house would probably not be worth the extra expense but no problem here.

Hiring only Thai wait staff at a Thai restaurant would IMO be fine in the US, would be surprised if Oz has gone too far overboard to prevent that, easy to make a business case for it.

But few businesses would actually go to that much trouble, unless there were a lot of Thais locally available anyway.

[justben]

The annoying thing about investing your time learning Thai, is that even once you have learned and have become competant, your face and skin are always the first impression. Invariably, the locals always start off by treating you as a clueless tourist, or a downright moron.

The other annoying thing is that you get to hear what they really think about farang, as if all farang is the same thing from the same country. Generally, they are completely dismissive of you, putting it gently. Some really smart locals think farang is a language as well.

Edited June 22, 2013 by justben

[boosta]

It's so hard to be tolerant of ignorance, bigotry and intolerance isn't it?

[JLCrab]

Languages really can be not much of a problem: Just let the people in your vicinity know that you are super-rich and have a lot more money than they do and they will speak whatever language you want.

[Thereisnoif]

A useless language if there ever was one.