Origin of the word ว๊ากเกอร์

[phuketsub]

Every time at this time of year the universities do their hazing of freshmen.

I know the senior student responsible for giving them a hard time is called a ว๊ากเกอร์ (whacker!?)

I am sure this is a loan word, most likely from English, but I just can't find the origin in any dictionary.

The Thai Wikipedia page uses it, but doesn't say where it comes from either.

Any ideas?

[TVeronica]

ว๊าก is ADJ to describe when person screaming or speak very loud to the first year student to get attention or yell to scare them (First year student).

then ว๊ากเกอร์, เกอร์ is suffix for ว๊าก

Edited August 22, 2014 by TVeronica

[phuketsub]

ว๊าก is ADJ to describe when person screaming or speak very loud to the first year student to get attention or yell to scare them (First year student).

then ว๊ากเกอร์, เกอร์ is suffix for ว๊าก

Thanks for that...still interested in the origin of 'ว๊าก' then

[tgeezer]

ว๊าก is ADJ to describe when person screaming or speak very loud to the first year student to get attention or yell to scare them (First year student).

then ว๊ากเกอร์, เกอร์ is suffix for ว๊าก

Thanks for that...still interested in the origin of 'ว๊าก' then

It probably comes from 'whack' to strike heavily with a stick. A character from one of Charles Dickens' books( Pickwick papers), was a schoolmaster called Mr Whackford Squeers. His name suggests and the storyline supports this, that he 'whacked' the boys.

Whacker would appear to be Thai adaption of whack, making a noun : the one who does the Whacking.

In English 'whacker' has a different meaning, noun for a big thing. Whopper, thumper, have similar meaning.

Edited August 23, 2014 by tgeezer

[Ohng]

I think it come from เขียดว้าก (http://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%82%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%A7%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%81) since the person who is ว้าก(ว๊าก)เกอร์ sounds really like เขียดว้าก, haha!!!!

When I was as a freshmen, I really did not like this kind of SOTUS society.

[Mole]

Yes, I too doubt it has anything to do with the English "whack".

[phuketsub]

I think it come from เขียดว้าก (http://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%82%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%A7%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%81) since the person who is ว้าก(ว๊าก)เกอร์ sounds really like เขียดว้าก, haha!!!!

When I was as a freshmen, I really did not like this kind of SOTUS society.

Nice theory; sounds very plausible: โดยจะส่งเสียงร้องดัง "ว้าก ๆ ๆ ๆ" อันเป็นที่มาของชื่อเรียก

[tgeezer]

I supposed we assumed that it came from English because เกอร์ looks a lot like the suffix -er .

Since it is used a lot then it's origin probably can only be guessed at, mine is a guess.

[Mole]

Not necessary, because Thais are familiar with the meaning of suffix -er, and they can add this to an existing Thai slang or word.

Besides, your guess is far too advanced to become a Thai slang. Most Thai people aren't really that familiar with such English literature, and those who are would have read the Thai translation of it. Another factor is for a slang to become widely used in Thailand, Thai people must in some way be able to recognize it's meaning, so your guess is just way too complex for it to become a Thai slang.

[phuketsub]

Yes, I too doubt it has anything to do with the English "whack".

Maybe they know it from the game 'whack-a-mole' (joke! nothing personal)

[Mole]

Note that the English "whack" is a short a, while the Thai is long aa.

"Whack" would have been written in Thai as วัก.

[tgeezer]

My guess had nothing to do with the meaning if the word, I equated the cruelty in his learning institute administered by Squeers with hazing in Thai universities.

It only takes a small group to sow the seed of slang. A slang word showing erudition which you say Thai students are unlikely to possess would be especially attractive to a student group. The thicker they are the more likely they are to be attracted by it I should think.

I don't claim that my guess is the origin but there is no more authority in your dismissal of it than in my making it.

[Mole]

The more complex and elaborate the origin, the less likely a word will go mainstream. People must in some way be readily able to identify with a slang, and a complex meaning will just reduce the usage to a smaller group who is able to "get" its meaning.

Thai people don't like things to be too complex.

Edited August 25, 2014 by Mole

[kriswillems]

ว้าก is a Thai word for making a loud screaming sound. It's an Onomatopoeia. It doesn't come from english. You find it often is Thai cartoon books : ว๊าาาาากกกก

Like mole said, young Thai people often add เกอร์ to a word, referring to person doing an action. This part comes from English.

I think it's just part of of the SOTUS thing where all the students get an older brother/sister that has to look after them. The older brother will talk very loud, blame the new student and scream to him/her. So the older student is called ว้ากเกอร์

Edited August 25, 2014 by kriswillems

[kriswillems]

There are other slang variations on this word, like : มว๊าากก which is a combination of มาก and ว๊าากก.

So, it somebody is so beautiful you want to scream it out, you can write under her facebook picture: สวยมว๊าากก

Edited August 25, 2014 by kriswillems

[Ohng]

There are other slang variations on this word, like : มว๊าากก which is a combination of มาก and ว๊าากก.

So, it somebody is so beautiful you want to scream it out, you can write under her facebook picture: สวยมว๊าากก

I don't think so and I think it means that if we say มว๊ากกก then it means that as much as we would like to kiss it. Trying to say "มาก" while you're kissing something and it will sound like "มว๊ากกกกก"

[kriswillems]

There are other slang variations on this word, like : มว๊าากก which is a combination of มาก and ว๊าากก.

So, it somebody is so beautiful you want to scream it out, you can write under her facebook picture: สวยมว๊าากก

I don't think so and I think it means that if we say มว๊ากกก then it means that as much as we would like to kiss it. Trying to say "มาก" while you're kissing something and it will sound like "มว๊ากกกกก"

Thank you, that sounds indeed more logical.

[tgeezer]

ว้าก is a Thai word for making a loud screaming sound. It's an Onomatopoeia. It doesn't come from english. You find it often is Thai cartoon books : ว๊าาาาากกกก

Like mole said, young Thai people often add เกอร์ to a word, referring to person doing an action. This part comes from English.

I think it's just part of of the SOTUS thing where all the students get an older brother/sister that has to look after them. The older brother will talk very loud, blame the new student and scream to him/her. So the older student is called ว้ากเกอร์

A Thai friend of mine agrees with you. From the word วาก เสียงร้องดัง ๆ อย่างเด็กร้องไห้

I wish that I had just looked it up in the dictionary!