Learn Thai and Shut Up

[wym]

Each of the various local dialects and context/class-specific variations in pronunciation are VALID languages here just as much as back home.

The whole idea of "proper English" or "proper Thai" is ethnic/racist and classist linguistic imperialism, purpose is to let the educated ruling elite feel superior and lord it over their inferiors.

Fit for purpose.

If you're only communicating with upcountry Isaan, then you should learn to speak what they speak.

But it's true that the urban central Thais and uni-educated professionals will look down on you and assume you learned your language from sex workers.

If that is a problem for you, e.g. you are a professional working here and care or otherwise have a reason to care what people like that think, then by all means learn central Thai and relatively formal register vocabulary FIRST.

Once you have that mastered, feel free to learn swearing and other lower-register vocabulary forms and more informal pronunciation and local dialects etc.

Just make sure you understand the different contexts where different uses are and aren't appropriate, definitely a later stage after you've learnt the "proper" official central Thai dialect.

These later refinements are probably more difficult than is worthwhile to most visitors here.

But then most visitors probably just want to learn to communicate with the Thais AROUND them and don't give a stuff what the snobby Thais think of them.

Up to you!

[speedtripler]

i know a few of these book Thai farangs that haven't a clue when to use the language in real life scenarios.

The best / worst one was this guy who would walk into 711 and without anyone saying anything to him, he would announce Krap Pom.

I have no idea who he was talking to.

maybe hes new here and hes acknowledging the staff as they are forced to say "sawadee krap " to every single customer ?

could be his misguided way of trying to be polite to the greeting .............

i used to have a security guard who used to jump out of his chair and do a military salute when i walked past him and id say wadee kap to him

in the mornings and he would say KAPPOMMMM in his army style lingo

Edited March 19, 2014 by speedtripler

[speedtripler]

Learning Thai is hard, especially with all the dialects and completely alien alphabet.

But Neeranam, your OP, in almost incoherent English, is hypocritical of the headline "Learn Thai or shut up"

The headline isn't "Learn Thai or shut up".

Seems he can't understand the difference between and / or. No wonder he didn't understand your first post.

I think Duane is a Welsh name so it's understandable if he can't read English like a native.

just be thankful hes not speaking to you in "welsh "

[Mangkhut]

I think first a guy should get to know the difference between Thai and Loas. "sep ee lee" is Loas for delicious not thai but is uised in Thailand by isaan people and others in northeren thailand. Why would someone speak loas and then tell someone to else to learn to speak thai?

Loas???? I presume you mean Laos.....

"Sep ee lee" is Isaan dialect and Isaan dialect is similar to laotian language but by no means totally the same. In Laos they would say "sep lai lai" or "sep lai doeh" and absolutely not "sep ee lee".

And "sep ee lee" is NOT used by Northern thais - in Northern Thailand they will use the expression "lam tee tee"......when talking about delicious food.

(and in Southern Thailand "aroy djang hoo"....)

[Sigurris]

Anyone who has a go at learning is ok with me. And trying out words is a way to consolidate your learning. I make mistakes all the time and even when I don't I find 50% of Thais don't or won't understand.

Last night in a restaurant I spoke to the waiter in Thai. He then looked at the girl who I was with. I said (in Thai), "Don't look at her look at me, I am the one speaking and I am speaking to you in Thai". He suddenly understood everything I said.

It is a tough language and Thai's don't seem to be able to extrapolate what you mean unless you are word and tone perfect. So you have to keep making mistakes and it does get better. Especially now I can read and write (badly) the tones are getting better.

It is a tough language and Thai's don't seem to be able to extrapolate what you mean unless you are word and tone perfect.

That's a bit of an over-generalization. Thais who have spent most of their lives listening to Thai spoken only by friends and relatives and then find themselves in Pattaya or Bangkok, will probably have some problems understanding Thai spoken by farang or even other Thais, just as I can't always understand English spoken by someone in, for example, parts of Louisiana or when it's spoken by someone with a German accent even if the speaker is getting all the words exactly right. I find that the longer a Thai person is exposed to Thai spoken by foreigners and Thais from various parts of the country, the more flexible they become in their listening.

What I was trying to say was that if, for example I am talking about food and I use the word cow with the wrong inflection the majority of Thai's(who I have had dealings with) cannot or will not take the context of the conversation and work out that I mean rice not him, white or hill. Coming from London I have been asked so many times for directions by tourists who could not pronounce words or whose grasp of English was poor. The first thing I would do would be to work out what they are TRYING to say from the context etc. This I find happens rarely here and I have a host of funny stories about this. But now I am seriouslt trying to learn and try to use Thai whenever I can it is frustrating that Thais are not able to help. (This goes for work colleagues and girls I date so it is not about being too busy).

Before the rose tinted brigade flame me, this is a personal experience thing not a generalisation of all Thai's. And, yes I do like it here and no, I don't want to leave.

[lostinisaan]

Op, please don't even start to destroy my flirty Thai. Love it when I see pretty bids working in a restaurant and I'm asking always the same question. "Kunm mee freinn, mai khrap?"

92 % of them answer: ? "Mai me, kaa." Don't blame me for being so hansum, please.

[asdecas]

On a forum website replete with native English speakers who have never mastered the intricacies, never mind the basics, of their own language (greengrocers' apostrophies, its and it's, their, there're and there, then and than, lose and loose and so on), it's pretty rich to come a-criticising others who at least make an effort with language.

[Sigurris]

Speedtripler how I would love Thai to be as easy to learn as Welsh. My two kids were born and brought up bi-lingual and I lived in the welsh speaking area of Wales for several years so made the effort to learn.

First of all Welsh is phonetic, every letter sounds the same every time it is used. There are less letter in the alphabet. Most modern words are English, but spelt using the Welsh alphabet (due to the English attempting to supress the language).

Once you realise that some letters (LL, DD FF CH) are actually one letter the pronunciation is easy and is always the same.

There are no tones, there are no silent letters, there are no added letters that arent used. There is only one K (not 4 like in Thai) and one S etc.

If Welsh was the local language we would be laughing.

[Tchooptip]

Funny the words used by farang that are obviously learned from a bar girl. My GF is quite fastidious in what I should and should not learn. Occasionally I use a word I've picked up here on TV and she is usually shocked. we've got an understanding too...whenever she says a word that I don't know and it has an "L" or and "R" sound, I ask "Ror rua or lor ling?" She doesn't want me saying things like "aloi" it has to be "aroi" with a fair amount of rolling the "r".

Ror rua prononce lor ling has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with having learn with a bar girl, millions of Thai do say aloi mai? OK probably not the hi so in Bangkok ( your gf?) So much so I have a few applications bought on Appstore for learning Thai where many times it is like that, sailing for instance is prononce lenlua and it is a Lingo App!

[hotrod4098]

i speak thai..not perfect..some with out tones..i get understood no problems...thats in pattaya..thats 7/11 ..malls or bar...

just make a litle fun if not sure what to say....

mai loo...not sure the spelling...means i dont no etc

[hotrod4098]

i speak thai..not perfect..some with out tones..i get understood no problems...thats in pattaya..thats 7/11 ..malls or bar...

just make a litle fun if not sure what to say....

mai loo...not sure the spelling...means i dont no etc

[Seastallion]

 

I find the English words that have slipped into Thai sometimes hard to understand. I learned a new one yesterday. I knew that some Thais call 2 stroke oil autolube but I was asking my nephew why he couldn't use petrol in a plastic bottle (aka stic) and he said mai dai sy talube lao I finally worked it out. I took me ages to work out that yar para was actually paracetamol because I thought it was being pronounced with an l ie yar pala. I still learn new words nearly every day, trouble is if I don't use them often they go out the back door

I get sick of saying Australia the second time after they always say ahh Austria

It take it , you mean, when ever you go somewhere, someone always asks...."where you from"....I got so sick of them trying to pronounce Australia in many different ways, I just reply now...."up the road"...job done

Ha....try to tell them you come from Greece.

None of them have a clue where this is.

Although, I have to admit, a few know that Greece won the European cup in 2004.

Amazing Thailand.

 

resoundingly beat Thailand in rugby league a few months back, as well, if I recall correctly.

Greece and Thailand have rugby league teams?????!! Oh kayyyyyy.

[Tchooptip]

Learning Thai is hard, especially with all the dialects and completely alien alphabet.

But Neeranam, your OP, in almost incoherent English, is hypocritical of the headline "Learn Thai or shut up"

The headline isn't "Learn Thai or shut up".

Next one will tell you t'was "Speak Thai or shut up"

[krisb]

Singha nng kwat.

That's all then I'll shoosh.

[StreetCowboy]

 

 

I find the English words that have slipped into Thai sometimes hard to understand. I learned a new one yesterday. I knew that some Thais call 2 stroke oil autolube but I was asking my nephew why he couldn't use petrol in a plastic bottle (aka stic) and he said mai dai sy talube lao I finally worked it out. I took me ages to work out that yar para was actually paracetamol because I thought it was being pronounced with an l ie yar pala. I still learn new words nearly every day, trouble is if I don't use them often they go out the back door

I get sick of saying Australia the second time after they always say ahh Austria

It take it , you mean, when ever you go somewhere, someone always asks...."where you from"....I got so sick of them trying to pronounce Australia in many different ways, I just reply now...."up the road"...job done

Ha....try to tell them you come from Greece.

None of them have a clue where this is.

Although, I have to admit, a few know that Greece won the European cup in 2004.

Amazing Thailand.

 

resoundingly beat Thailand in rugby league a few months back, as well, if I recall correctly.

Greece and Thailand have rugby league teams?????!! Oh kayyyyyy.

 

I don't want to be negative or anything but

https://www.google.com.my/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CEoQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rugbyleague.gr%2Fepsilonthetanuiotakappaeta-omicronmualphadeltaalpha--national-team.html&ei=J2spU9GWFMuSrgedsoHwDQ&usg=AFQjCNFYwN9DU-qN4-0py6gBq6PjYBkwAQ&sig2=oJInB9wy8NvSFyC4A422GA&bvm=bv.62922401,d.bmk

[Trentham]

I get sick of Thai who can't speak Thai. Klab baan, alloi, tao lai klab, nung loi, loi nung, mai loe klab.

When i speak like that they understand me, if i use the R they don't. They all are to lazy to speak the R instead of the L.

My wife is getting a course about how to do business with farang at work. Now she understands how important everything i taught her is. Also the teacher taught her to never be lazy with english language, like not pronouncing the last letters of a word. I 'm happy she hears it from a Thai teacher this time (who is married with a farang).

Even the Thai on the radio and tv can't speak proper engrit so how should they ever learn it?

Learn to transliterate or transcribe dude.

I wonder what a Thai would think if you told them that you are sick of their Thai language abilities.

I can read and write Thai a bit and am constantly amazed at the bad spelling amongst the general Thai population. One Thai friend sends her son to me when he has a question about Thai language and she herself once asked me how to write ษ sor bor rusi. Oddly enough I don't feel my Thai language is very good.

[Gillyflower]

Some years ago I made a great effort to learn Thai. The next year on arrival in Bkk, I went to a handicraft shop and decided I would try out my best Thai. The two people went into hoots of laughter. "You learn Thai in CM, you no speak Bkk Thai. You speak CM Thai". I didn't exactly slink out, but for sure I don't use any Thai in Bkk. The three of us had a good laugh after. Their English being quite good.

[tubby johnson]

Someone needs to shut up here: the OP

And never skip your medication again.

[speedtripler]

Speedtripler how I would love Thai to be as easy to learn as Welsh. My two kids were born and brought up bi-lingual and I lived in the welsh speaking area of Wales for several years so made the effort to learn.

First of all Welsh is phonetic, every letter sounds the same every time it is used. There are less letter in the alphabet. Most modern words are English, but spelt using the Welsh alphabet (due to the English attempting to supress the language).

Once you realise that some letters (LL, DD FF CH) are actually one letter the pronunciation is easy and is always the same.

There are no tones, there are no silent letters, there are no added letters that arent used. There is only one K (not 4 like in Thai) and one S etc.

If Welsh was the local language we would be laughing.

aha , good old wales ,once a guy scolded a stand up comedien for using C instead of double LL

and the comic relied aha ,thanks for correcting me you "LLUNT"

it was jimmy carr at his finest .........priceless

Edited March 19, 2014 by speedtripler

[duanebigsby]

Learning Thai is hard, especially with all the dialects and completely alien alphabet.

But Neeranam, your OP, in almost incoherent English, is hypocritical of the headline "Learn Thai or shut up"

The headline isn't "Learn Thai or shut up".

and/or in that sentence conveys the same meaning.

[Neeranam]

I think first a guy should get to know the difference between Thai and Loas. "sep ee lee" is Loas for delicious not thai but is uised in Thailand by isaan people and others in northeren thailand. Why would someone speak loas and then tell someone to else to learn to speak thai?

Loas???? I presume you mean Laos.....

"Sep ee lee" is Isaan dialect and Isaan dialect is similar to laotian language but by no means totally the same. In Laos they would say "sep lai lai" or "sep lai doeh" and absolutely not "sep ee lee".

And "sep ee lee" is NOT used by Northern thais - in Northern Thailand they will use the expression "lam tee tee"......when talking about delicious food.

(and in Southern Thailand "aroy djang hoo"....)

I love it when guys try to be clever and make a tit of themselves. Edited March 19, 2014 by Neeranam

[wolf5370]

I find the English words that have slipped into Thai sometimes hard to understand. I learned a new one yesterday. I knew that some Thais call 2 stroke oil autolube but I was asking my nephew why he couldn't use petrol in a plastic bottle (aka stic) and he said mai dai sy talube lao I finally worked it out. I took me ages to work out that yar para was actually paracetamol because I thought it was being pronounced with an l ie yar pala. I still learn new words nearly every day, trouble is if I don't use them often they go out the back door

I get sick of saying Australia the second time after they always say ahh Austria

It take it , you mean, when ever you go somewhere, someone always asks...."where you from"....I got so sick of them trying to pronounce Australia in many different ways, I just reply now...."up the road"...job done

I usually say "Chiang Mai", when they say " before that" I say, "oh Bangkok" at which point they usually give up or decide I'm either American or British

[Neeranam]

I get sick of Thai who can't speak Thai. Klab baan, alloi, tao lai klab, nung loi, loi nung, mai loe klab.

When i speak like that they understand me, if i use the R they don't. They all are to lazy to speak the R instead of the L.

My wife is getting a course about how to do business with farang at work. Now she understands how important everything i taught her is. Also the teacher taught her to never be lazy with english language, like not pronouncing the last letters of a word. I 'm happy she hears it from a Thai teacher this time (who is married with a farang).

Even the Thai on the radio and tv can't speak proper engrit so how should they ever learn it?

Learn to transliterate or transcribe dude.

I wonder what a Thai would think if you told them that you are sick of their Thai language abilities.

I can read and write Thai a bit and am constantly amazed at the bad spelling amongst the general Thai population. One Thai friend sends her son to me when he has a question about Thai language and she herself once asked me how to write ษ sor bor rusi. Oddly enough I don't feel my Thai language is very good.

UNbelievable!

[Neeranam]

I find the English words that have slipped into Thai sometimes hard to understand. I learned a new one yesterday. I knew that some Thais call 2 stroke oil autolube but I was asking my nephew why he couldn't use petrol in a plastic bottle (aka stic) and he said mai dai sy talube lao I finally worked it out. I took me ages to work out that yar para was actually paracetamol because I thought it was being pronounced with an l ie yar pala. I still learn new words nearly every day, trouble is if I don't use them often they go out the back door

I get sick of saying Australia the second time after they always say ahh Austria

It take it , you mean, when ever you go somewhere, someone always asks...."where you from"....I got so sick of them trying to pronounce Australia in many different ways, I just reply now...."up the road"...job done

I usually say "Chiang Mai", when they say " before that" I say, "oh Bangkok" at which point they usually give up or decide I'm either American or British

That must really frustrate them. I overheard a Thai woman in an Aberdeen supermarket and asked her, in Thai, where she was from. She said "Aberdeen" and ran away. I thought what a stupid bitch, I was just trying to be friendly..

[DrTuner]

So far I've found looking like a soi dog is hanging by teeth from your <deleted> keeps overly friendly social types away. Try it.

[StreetCowboy]

 

I find the English words that have slipped into Thai sometimes hard to understand. I learned a new one yesterday. I knew that some Thais call 2 stroke oil autolube but I was asking my nephew why he couldn't use petrol in a plastic bottle (aka stic) and he said mai dai sy talube lao I finally worked it out. I took me ages to work out that yar para was actually paracetamol because I thought it was being pronounced with an l ie yar pala. I still learn new words nearly every day, trouble is if I don't use them often they go out the back door

I get sick of saying Australia the second time after they always say ahh Austria

It take it , you mean, when ever you go somewhere, someone always asks...."where you from"....I got so sick of them trying to pronounce Australia in many different ways, I just reply now...."up the road"...job done

I usually say "Chiang Mai", when they say " before that" I say, "oh Bangkok" at which point they usually give up or decide I'm either American or British

That must really frustrate them. I overheard a Thai woman in an Aberdeen supermarket and asked her, in Thai, where she was from. She said "Aberdeen" and ran away. I thought what a stupid bitch, I was just trying to be friendly..

 

It doesn't seem very friendly to call someone a stupid bitch for being overcome with embarrassment, or shy, or frightened of their psychopathically jealous husband, or whatever. Perhaps, despite your best efforts, you were unsuccessful

SC

[Neeranam]

Learning Thai is hard, especially with all the dialects and completely alien alphabet.

But Neeranam, your OP, in almost incoherent English, is hypocritical of the headline "Learn Thai or shut up"

The headline isn't "Learn Thai or shut up".

and/or in that sentence conveys the same meaning.

Now I know you're not a native speaker.

[wolf5370]

I find the English words that have slipped into Thai sometimes hard to understand. I learned a new one yesterday. I knew that some Thais call 2 stroke oil autolube but I was asking my nephew why he couldn't use petrol in a plastic bottle (aka stic) and he said mai dai sy talube lao I finally worked it out. I took me ages to work out that yar para was actually paracetamol because I thought it was being pronounced with an l ie yar pala. I still learn new words nearly every day, trouble is if I don't use them often they go out the back door

I get sick of saying Australia the second time after they always say ahh Austria

It take it , you mean, when ever you go somewhere, someone always asks...."where you from"....I got so sick of them trying to pronounce Australia in many different ways, I just reply now...."up the road"...job done

I usually say "Chiang Mai", when they say " before that" I say, "oh Bangkok" at which point they usually give up or decide I'm either American or British

That must really frustrate them. I overheard a Thai woman in an Aberdeen supermarket and asked her, in Thai, where she was from. She said "Aberdeen" and ran away. I thought what a stupid bitch, I was just trying to be friendly..

She's a stupid bitch because she didn't want to be interviewed by you (a stringer in a public place)? If I am amiably chatting with someone, then sure I'll answer - but when Thais call out in English or Thai, "Oi where you from?" I see no reason to oblige them - and often as not, they - or those around them - see the funny side.

Edited March 19, 2014 by wolf5370

[masuk]

I find the English words that have slipped into Thai sometimes hard to understand. I learned a new one yesterday. I knew that some Thais call 2 stroke oil autolube but I was asking my nephew why he couldn't use petrol in a plastic bottle (aka stic) and he said mai dai sy talube lao I finally worked it out. I took me ages to work out that yar para was actually paracetamol because I thought it was being pronounced with an l ie yar pala. I still learn new words nearly every day, trouble is if I don't use them often they go out the back door

I get sick of saying Australia the second time after they always say ahh Austria

It take it , you mean, when ever you go somewhere, someone always asks...."where you from"....I got so sick of them trying to pronounce Australia in many different ways, I just reply now...."up the road"...job done

Ha....try to tell them you come from Greece.

None of them have a clue where this is.

Although, I have to admit, a few know that Greece won the European cup in 2004.

Amazing Thailand.

I found they do if you say 'Greek' instead of Greece.

I wonder if country names here in Thailand are different to what English speakers know them as.

In Indonesia, Greece is "Unani", but I never could find out why. Any ideas from our Greek members?

Would Thais understand 'Deutschland' or "Germany"? "England" or Great Britain"

[Trentham]

I get sick of Thai who can't speak Thai. Klab baan, alloi, tao lai klab, nung loi, loi nung, mai loe klab.

When i speak like that they understand me, if i use the R they don't. They all are to lazy to speak the R instead of the L.

My wife is getting a course about how to do business with farang at work. Now she understands how important everything i taught her is. Also the teacher taught her to never be lazy with english language, like not pronouncing the last letters of a word. I 'm happy she hears it from a Thai teacher this time (who is married with a farang).

Even the Thai on the radio and tv can't speak proper engrit so how should they ever learn it?

Learn to transliterate or transcribe dude.

I wonder what a Thai would think if you told them that you are sick of their Thai language abilities.

I can read and write Thai a bit and am constantly amazed at the bad spelling amongst the general Thai population. One Thai friend sends her son to me when he has a question about Thai language and she herself once asked me how to write ษ sor bor rusi. Oddly enough I don't feel my Thai language is very good.

UNbelievable!

Well I suppose you have to write a lot of silly comments to run up a total of more than 10,000 posts.

Keep up the drivel.