Foreigner speak Thai, did you experience the same?

[CaptHaddock]

S

Yes, I've had the experience were I wish Thai people would just slow down and speak proper Thai and then I would be able to carry on a conversation with them. Since I live in Chiang Mai, I suspect that when this happens, the people may not be capable of speaking proper Thai. I don't have this problem when I'm interacting with staff at a hospital or government office, just in shops, restaurants, songthaews or with tradespeople who come to do work in our condo. I ask them to slow down or use different vocabulary and it doesn't help. They just keep repeating the word I don't understand.

Conversely, when I'm in Bangkok I can understand just about everyone. It's really refreshing. For one thing, people in Bangkok speak more slowly than they do here in the north.

The problem is that there isn't really a "proper" Thai in the way that there is proper English. There is formal Thai (ทางการ), but that is not appropriate in normal conversation. I have been surprised at how often Thais complain when I use formal language. My teacher explained that to use formal Thai in a social situation is inappropriate and may actually be offensive. Thais are acutely sensitive to social distance. Increasing social distance, by being too formal or too polite, can be a way of rejecting the other person or even a put down. Since most Thais have no understanding of the process of learning a language, they don't grasp that foreigners will have to speak a more formal version of Thai, because that is what he will learn in school. By contrast, when we encounter a German who speaks English, probably very well, we are not surprised that his version of English is a little stilted since we know that's what he was taught.

You may have noticed that academics or politicians being interviewed don't speak clearly or use familiar language when we would expect a more formal language. In fact, unlike English, we cannot use the Thai speaker's clarity as an indication of his level of education. Puts me at a loss to judge the level of education of a Thai, something that is foreground information in the languages with which I am familiar.

These differences in language and culture make matters more difficult for us intermediate students, but they also reveal the truly deep cultural differences that are all the more interesting for the light they shine on the Thai ways of thinking.

[Lancelot]

@ Lancelot : not me 5555. Yeah, big difference between touristic places and not. Sometimes when back in touristic places I wish I couldn't understand Thai anymore ))

Yep, they will gossip about us and some times in very unflattering terms...

[mrtoad]

One 'oh hoiiieee!' and they all think you are fluent.

Or an urrrrrrrrrrr

[Mickey Cohen]

After 4 years of intensive speaking I got to the point where people dont even bother to say anything assuming Im from here or born here...

[greg71]

Mai son jai .

[kurnell]

One 'oh hoiiieee!' and they all think you are fluent.

Or an urrrrrrrrrrr

When I say eeerrr!, it's rude. When Thais say eerrr, it's acceptable....except they don't say er.

[kandi]

Yeah, I've also had the situations a few times where the Thai for some reason refuses to speak Thai to you even if you start the conversation in (decent) Thai. In the beginning I used to switch to English at that point, but now I'm a bit less patient and ask them straight away in Thai if they don't want to speak Thai to me. Some laugh, some say nothing and just go back to Thai.

To be honest, I find it a bit rude when I make the effort to learn their language and try to use it as often as I can and they just refuse to "suppport" me in that. However, there's also the other side of the story: Maybe the Thai feels exactly the same and only wants to take the chance to practise his or her English? Whatever, doesn't happen as often as that I had to think about that seriously.

[badgerbailey]

The only thing i have found is sometimes they cannot seem to beleive you as a falang can speak Thai,one day my friend and i were at a resturant and he asked "ao nam som khap" [take orange juice} the girl looked dumbfounded,he then asked her in good Thai,if she spoke Thai,again a vacant look,then in english he said Orange juice please,she smiled and nodded okay and went to fetch the juice,we both scratched are heads at that.

This happens quite a lot to me, I too like the OP have progressed over time to the same responses from most, although sometimes, I feel that however much I say it correctly the more they just don't understand, I think it has a lot to do with nervousness on their part, they are waiting for an English spoken request, and preparing themselves mentally for what we may ask, then we come out with something in Thai and they are trying to listen for what we might mean in English, and from then it goes downhill. I only ever experience this with young girls in restaurants who have probably been up all night practicing the English menu, then trying to figure out what we are saying that is of course not in English.

[ABCer]

Do not speak Thai.

Do not understand Thai except half a dozen words.

Meet with Farang speaking Thai here on TV very often.

Afraid to admit it is very annoying.

Mak, Kak, Duck, Kung, Mei, Pei, Pompei... - comprene vu?

[Thaiberius]

I use a lot of Issan in my Thai and nearly always get asked if I have a Thai wife, which I don't have.

[slipperylobster]

Some of the difficulty is that their ear is expecting an english word, but they hear a Thai Word. Being unprepared, a short phrase or a few words of Thai spoken abruptly might confuse them...even if your pronunciation is right. Context has a lot to do with understanding as well.... Once they know you can speak a bit of Thai, they adjust to the situation, and context, and can make out what you are trying to say.. Of course, fluent speakers can rattle out a few sentences, and then everything comes together smoothly.

This is true in any place where a local assumes you are not a speaker of their language..or have little knowledge. For instance, in Japan, I would prepare them bye saying some polite words in their language that prepare their ear for something I am actually trying to say. Like..."Listen Carefully..(Sumimasen) or even "hey..." (Ano ne).

Edited May 14, 2014 by slipperylobster