Funny examples of Tinglish (Thai/English)

[djhotsox]

Most of these are not "Thai/English," they are specifically BAR GIRL English.

I think you like bar girls since you are saying they are specifically from a bar girl. How uniformed you really are

Although my girlfriend ( who is a Thai actress) is pretty good in English and was never a "bar girl" she does use a few of those mentioned phrases

So I am just going to assume you are the typical beer drinking, bar hoping, pot belly bar girl wolf .not knowing that most woman are not bar girls

Now how could you possibly know that he wears a "uniform?' Impossible. Now who has all the facts here? Learning English from your "Thai actress" girlfriend? (Uninformed?)

Had to edit as that is rather ironic considering your posting i.d. "realenglish1" .....nice.

Edited November 11, 2013 by djhotsox

[Bonefish]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinglish

[abrahamzvi]

One that I hear quite a lot is "Something like that". Phrases like that always makes me wonder how they entered into the vocabulary so widely.

I do not know if English is your mother tongue, but most certainly your grammer is not quite right. The second sentence should read either "A phrase like this always makes me...", or "phrases like this always make me..." Do you know the saying "if one sits in a glass house, one should not throw stones"????.....

[freejack]

I have heard:

"Hope you are funny"

Means:

"I hope you have fun."

[mok199]

^{hellicopterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr}

[elgenon]

Some things sound strange to us but it is a literal translation of what they say in Thai.

[djhotsox]

[andrew55]

This is the dumbest thread I've seen in a long time.

And you chose to reply.

Dumb and Dumber?

I'll take the Dumbest label as I chose to reply to your post which I must say I found less than insightful.

I'd love to know if this thread is on your watch list.

Keep up the positive input (my attempt at the lowest form of wit)

The world needs more smileys I reckon...

[niteowl]

My wife has a problem remembering phrasal verbs, and which one is correct in a given situation. So, she usually uses both, just to cover her bases:

"Turn off turn on the light"

"Take out take in my mp3"

"Go out go in (the store)"

and etc.

[andrew55]

Noticed that Thai lasses will sometimes have trouble with 'darling'. Comes out sounding more like 'dark-ling' which might be taken as 'monkey anus'. Sure it's a genuine mistake.

[flyingdoc]

Travelling to one of the main provinces in Central Thailand - KK or King Kong!

[jackflash]

> Some things sound strange to us but it is a literal translation of what they say in Thai.

Spot on!

In many countries there is a local pidgin or creole resulting from the mixing of two languages

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creole_language

In Thailand it seems to be an overlay of English words with Thai Grammar.

The variety which is so hard on my ears is the "Farang Baby Talk". Strangely, it becomes so embeddded with some westerners that they continue to speak it whenever they return home.

I try hard not to lapse into "baby talk" but I find it surprisingly difficult. I think we insingtively adopt the very simple Thai grammer rules.

[jackflash]

> Some things sound strange to us but it is a literal translation of what they say in Thai.

Spot on!

In many countries there is a local pidgin (patois, creole, dialect) resulting from the mixing of two languages

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creole_language

In Thailand it seems to be an overlay of English words with Thai Grammar.

The variety which is hard on my ears is the "Farang Baby Talk".

It becomes so engrained with some westerners that they continue to speak it when they return home.

I try hard not to lapse into "baby talk" but I find it surprisingly difficult. I think we quickly and insingtively adopt the very simple Thai grammer rules.

Edited November 11, 2013 by jackflash

[xen]

Many of the Thais will read the English spelling and then try to say it like it is spelt. My ex wife always pronounced Casino as Cass-in-no .

My gf always says "Eye -ron" too and "many years long ago" .

[Paangjang]

I started this thread as a bit of innocent humor. It's not supposed to be offensive. For those who felt the need to reply negatively, please check out the general sub forum. There's some right weirdo's lurking in that forum, you might find some friends!

"Mr. I lie you wewwy wewwy muck" Can mean, i like you very very much. Or can mean something totally different and wewwy rude.

[planetdweller]

This is the dumbest thread I've seen in a long time.

What's dumb about it ? It's light hearted humor. Perhaps your razor sharp wit will floor us in future posts , can't wait to see them.

[curtklay]

I found this thread "dumb" because it seemed to border on mockery, not humor. I appreciate any attempt made by Thais to speak English, no matter how fractured it may be. If I laugh or correct them, they usually become embarrassed and clam up.

I can imagine how unintelligible our attempts to speak Thai sound to them. But instead of laughing, they seem pleased that we even try.

[LeeTheCelt]

One My wife uses all the time "She go number one universe in Thailand" Meaning the girl studied at the top university in Thailand.

[slipperylobster]

So what? At least they can speak some english, whereas most expats have an even funnier version of Thai mixed with baby talk. It is just hilarious to see somebody who spent so many years here mix two or three Thai phrases with baby talk. thinking they are smart linquists.

[bino]

Ms Bino always confuses the words flooding and floating. When she tells me about news stories, she will say that "Chiang Mai (or wherever) is floating now."

What can I say? Technically, she is not wrong! That's my girl!

Edited November 11, 2013 by bino

[bino]

Double posted.

Edited November 11, 2013 by bino

[DGIE]

• You sahtoopid by yourself (meaning you made an error that was completely your fault)

I very enjoy! Sanook mak!

[dao16]

King burger (Burger King)

He go monkey house (he is going to, or is in, jail)

Khun taxi (Mr. taxi driver)

On that topic, anyone know where that expression (Monkey House) comes from? I assumed for years it was a direct translation from a Thai slang word for jail, but one day, after laughing about it for the millionth time, I asked some Thais, and they all said it came from English and that they didn't have an expression like that in Thai. Maybe it's a translation into English from another European language? Any help on this one?

[DGIE]

• You sahtoopid by yourself (meaning you made an error that was completely your fault)

just like me when I speak Thai. Thais also don't understand me.

Em sahtoopid sapiking Thai languet

[Guitar God]

Asisde from not using the verb "to be" and forgetting tense, my gf says things like:

"I have been to..." Meaning she has done something before. e.g. I have talked to my sister about this, I've eaten lefse.

or

"I have been to tell you" meaning , "I've mentioned this before", or "I've already told you".

" I am bored with (my family, work...)", meaning she's annoyed or fed up with by someone or something.

"Please don't annoy", meaning "please don't be annoyed by (my stupid friend...)

"Not talk about" or "Not to talk about", Let's not talk about it. or "don't bring it up again"

"I try to clam down", I'm trying to calm down".

"Fight talk"- to argue

She's cutie, the baby is cute

"trust in" to belive in, such as believe in ghosts, Buddah etc.

"accept" = agree with

"make activity", have sex.

The rest I can understand but I've neard the phrase "make activity" before. Has anyone else ever heard that, or it that her own neologism?

[A1Str8]

Most of these are not "Thai/English," they are specifically BAR GIRL English.

 

I think you like  bar girls since you are saying they are specifically from a bar girl. How uniformed you really are

 

Although my girlfriend ( who is a Thai actress)  is pretty good in English and was never a "bar girl" she does use a few of  those mentioned phrases

 

So I am just going to assume you are the typical  beer drinking, bar hoping, pot belly  bar girl wolf .not knowing that most woman are not bar girls

Is this for real?? Just because he said most of those are bargirl english(which is CORRECT) it doesn't mean he likes bargirls!!

But let's say he does. So then what? Does that make you feel superior?

[Bazt]

Most of these are not "Thai/English," they are specifically BAR GIRL English.

I think you like bar girls since you are saying they are specifically from a bar girl. How uniformed you really are

Although my girlfriend ( who is a Thai actress) is pretty good in English and was never a "bar girl" she does use a few of those mentioned phrases

So I am just going to assume you are the typical beer drinking, bar hoping, pot belly bar girl wolf .not knowing that most woman are not bar girls

My wife qualifies as an actress also

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited November 11, 2013 by Bazt

[josemanuel]

Sakool - school , is one of my favourites

Wolwo - Volvo

hahaha, Sapain for Spain, Saprite for Sprite, when an alone s is at the beginning they put an a afterwards

[Fookhaht]

• When Thais say "serious" they mean "worried" or "anxious" rather than "not silly" ("Red shirts and yellow shirts going at it again? Don't be serious!")

• When Thais say "excited" they mean "stressed" ("Oh, teacher I am so excited for test today!"

• Thais consistently mix up "fun" and "funny" ("Let's have a funny vacation!")

• "You!" means "Excuse me, may I have your attention?" especially when shouted at you by street vendors--probably the only English word they know. Don't take offense.

• Thais don't know the words "obese" "plump" "stocky" "overweight" or "large lady." They just say it like it is: "FAT" Try not to take offense if your beer belly is being described.

• Thais don't know the words "manure" "feces" "number 2" "natural fertilizer" "sewage" or "have to use the restroom." Everything is "SHIT" My gardener continually reminds me that "COW SHIT" is his secret recipe for all things green and colorful. My students, as they leave the class in an alimentary-tract emergency, often politely mutter to me in passing "Gotta shit, teacher!" They don't pause long enough to see my scowl. Fair enough. Probably best not to detain them for an impromptu lecture, anyway.

Edited November 11, 2013 by Fookhaht

[stickylies]

the one i like the most is the MY FRIEND as in "He My Friend" meaning "is he YOUR friend"...

pure surrealism :-)

ps. and believe it or not, my neighbour always says FREEDOM instead of CONDOM... even more surreal.