Southern Thai (Dambro)

[mmmarcus]

Hi everyone

Do you know where one would go about to learn to talk Southern Thai? And do you know how big difference there is between the different dialects in the south, like between Chaiya (as they speak in Surat Thani for example) and Ligor (as they speak in Nakhon Si Thammarat for example)?

Thank you!

[mmmarcus]

Anyone?

[sabaijai]

There is a pan-Southern Thai dialect that radio broadcasters use across the region, more or less, and which educated southerners from different provinces tend to fall into when they converse. And then there are more localised southern dialects, especially in rural areas of southern provinces (in contrast with amphoe muang, where it's more generalised).

I'm no expert on the differences between the four major subdivisions of Southern Thai (Ligor, Chaiya, SIngora, Tak Bai), but judging by what I've heard travelling around the south, it's mainly a difference of tone along with the percentage of vocabulary derived from Jawi or Malay. Surat and Krabi, to my ears, use basically the same vocab but different tone/accent, while in the far-south provinces of Pattani and Narathiwat you hear a lot of Jawi/Malay mixed in.

I don't know of any regular study programs for Southern Thai but I imagine Thai language schools in Hat Yai could arrange a qualified tutor. AUA Hat Yai may even have a program similar to the one for Northern Thai available, on request, at AUA Chiang Mai. I imagine that if they do,they would teach the pan-Southern Thai 'radio' style.

Prince of Songkhla University may also have a program for foreigners. http://www.en.psu.ac.th/

[phuketsub]

I am getting a crash course in it now having moved into my wife's parents place in Ranode.

I am fluent in Thai, but I speak the central dialect even though I have been living the last 15 of my 25 years in the south of Thailand.

When I lived in Haad Yai, Songkla Town and Phuket I never felt like I needed to learn the southern dialect because everyone just spoke central Thai to me.

This is particularly the case in Phuket, which is linguistically becoming just a vassal state of Bangkok.

But out here in the sticks, where all the people are really old or really young, I can hardly understand anything my parents-in-law are saying.

The striking aspect of the dialect is how excited they seem to become when communicating.

Sometimes I listen in and the tone changes back and forth between what sounds like a heated debate, followed by hushed, almost secretive tones. So I think there must be some great drama going on, some impending catastrophe -- or maybe they are arguing about something. Then when I ask my wife what they are talking about its the most banal topic you could imagine, like the neighbors getting a new moo-cow or something.

Anyway, I am really curious why you would want to learn this dialect. For me I think it may be a blessing in disguise that I don't.

I am picking up quite a bit, but against my will.