ไข่ช็อกโกแล็ตหรือ ช็อกโกแล็ตไข่

[skylar]

With Easter upon us, I'd like to raise the word order of chocolate egg in Thai. A couple of years ago, a Thai teacher of mine insisted that it was ช็อกโกแล็ตไข่. We students were confused, as we firmly believed that it was ไข่ช็อกโกแล็ต - the egg that is chocolate. i can't rmember his reasoning behind ช็อกโกแล็ตไข่, but it did make sense that the time. Which is it?

[Boon Mee]

With Easter upon us, I'd like to raise the word order of chocolate egg in Thai. A couple of years ago, a Thai teacher of mine insisted that it was ช็อกโกแล็ตไข่. We students were confused, as we firmly believed that it was ไข่ช็อกโกแล็ต - the egg that is chocolate. i can't rmember his reasoning behind ช็อกโกแล็ตไข่, but it did make sense that the time. Which is it?

Believe it's 'kài chók goh láet' rather than 'chók goh láet kài' but not sure.

[meadish_sweetball]

With Easter upon us, I'd like to raise the word order of chocolate egg in Thai. A couple of years ago, a Thai teacher of mine insisted that it was ช็อกโกแล็ตไข่. We students were confused, as we firmly believed that it was ไข่ช็อกโกแล็ต - the egg that is chocolate. i can't rmember his reasoning behind ช็อกโกแล็ตไข่, but it did make sense that the time. Which is it?

'Chocolate of the type found in eggs' could be construed, just as you have "bottled water" (náam khùat), but if focusing on the egg itself and not on the contents I could not see anything other than ไข่ช็อกโกแล็ต either. Maybe it is an exception?

[Rikker]

Yeah, I agree with Meadish... it's possible to interpret it where ไข่ is the modifier of the noun ช็อกโกแล็ต. Or in other words, ช็อกโกแล็ตรูปไข่. It would translate to something like "egg-shaped chocolates" or more simply "egg chocolates."

But it does sound more like an exception.

I guess the final answer on this is simply usage: which is more commonly used, if any?

Everyone in Thailand, put your ears to the streets and come report!

Edited April 15, 2006 by Rikker

[yoot]

For formal writting term, it should be ช็อกโกแล็ตรูปไข่ as Rikker mentioned. But for common speech, I think both ช็อกโกแล็ตไข่ or ไข่ช็อกโกแล็ต are acceptable. Thai people will understand what it is without any doubt. But the first one is like it's shortened from the formal term.