Can Thais Lipread?

[tourleadersi]

I was just wondering whether Thais can lipread as their language is tonal? I used to do some security work in England in loud clubs and we used to rely quite a lot on the ability to lip read. Noticing the number of deaf people on Sukumvit Road who sign to each other I was wondering if they can lip read at all as the same word can have 5 different meanings depending on the tone?

I spoke to someone recently who knows sign language and she told me that it wasn't universal, that each country had developed its own variations although it was more international than most languages.

Is there anyone out there that might be able to enlighten me? Its just a question borne from curiosity thats all. I can't imagine doing my prior job without being able to understand my colleagues through lip reading....

[Jai Dee]

I was just wondering whether Thais can lipread as their language is tonal?

I reckon they can.

On more than one occasion I've caught a waitress's eye across the restaurant as she's been taking someone's bill and money back to the till and mouthed "check bin dooaye nakup" to her and she's got the message...

I think it helps if you also use facial movements like raising the eyebrows on high tones to accentuate your whisper or mouthed phrase.

[tourleadersi]

I was just wondering whether Thais can lipread as their language is tonal?

I reckon they can.

On more than one occasion I've caught a waitress's eye across the restaurant as she's been taking someone's bill and money back to the till and mouthed "check bin dooaye nakup" to her and she's got the message...

I think it helps if you also use facial movements like raising the eyebrows on high tones to accentuate your whisper or mouthed phrase.

Thats true but in a basic context. Would she have understood if you had said "Can you bring me a size 15 spanner please" in Thai? We all use lipreading mixed with contextulisation and visual stimuli such as the facial expressions you mentioned. But could it be used in an context that the deaf person is unfamiliar with?

[jdinasia]

the overt answer is ... in an environment with limited responses ... yes lipreading is possible. In an average situation ... social etc .. no

as for sign languages ... there has been a movement for 20+ years for Gestuno to become an international Sign Language .. it has worked as well as Esperanto!

Signed English (UK) uses a 2 handed method based upon the language glove along with some signs that are truly local and some ASL

ASL is based upon early French sign language as brought to the USA by Gaulledette

[terry57]

I was just wondering whether Thais can lipread as their language is tonal?

I reckon they can.

On more than one occasion I've caught a waitress's eye across the restaurant as she's been taking someone's bill and money back to the till and mouthed "check bin dooaye nakup" to her and she's got the message...

I think it helps if you also use facial movements like raising the eyebrows on high tones to accentuate your whisper or mouthed phrase.

Thats true but in a basic context. Would she have understood if you had said "Can you bring me a size 15 spanner please" in Thai? We all use lipreading mixed with contextulisation and visual stimuli such as the facial expressions you mentioned. But could it be used in an context that the deaf person is unfamiliar with?

quote " CONTEXTULISATION "

tour, thats the besty word ive heard for a while mate. its not even in the dictionary ive got here?

i'll have to wait till i get home to perth to suss it.

cheers mate

[mowlem]

My colleague was a deputy head of a deaf school for many years. In short, in most situations, deaf people here don't rely on lipreading. Also, many don't speak much for the same reason. Tones will be incorrect, and their speech will, at best be misunderstood.

That is why many were based on Sukhumvit Road. With the background noise, the deaf could use sign language to communicate over short distances (Today, they text like everyone elase)

Edited August 10, 2006 by mowlem

[Nilapat]

My boyfriend's (Thai) mother is deaf, and my sign language is rather pathetic. She manages to lipread a significant amount of what I say, but not all. Her friend on the other hand is an excellent lipreader, and can also speak, despite the fact that she was born deaf. Sometimes her tones are a little off, but she is understood by all.

Thai sign language, by the way, is based on American sign language.

[tourleadersi]

My boyfriend's (Thai) mother is deaf, and my sign language is rather pathetic. She manages to lipread a significant amount of what I say, but not all. Her friend on the other hand is an excellent lipreader, and can also speak, despite the fact that she was born deaf. Sometimes her tones are a little off, but she is understood by all.

Thai sign language, by the way, is based on American sign language.

Thanks Nilapat, you have succeeded in answering my question.

[ZZZ]

I can not talk much Thai but when I hear Thai conversation the word arrai seems to be the most common and just about every second sentence is repeted.

Can not see how they can lipread when they have big problems making themselfs understod just talking to each other :-)

[Neeranam]

I can not talk much Thai but when I hear Thai conversation the word arrai seems to be the most common and just about every second sentence is repeted.

Can not see how they can lipread when they have big problems making themselfs understod just talking to each other :-)

What? I can't understand you?

[Nilapat]

Thanks Nilapat, you have succeeded in answering my question.

You're welcome tourleadersi!

[fxm88]

I was just wondering whether Thais can lipread as their language is tonal?

Can Thais whisper? Without tones how do they understand what they're saying? (You might conclude that they cannot whisper, especially if you've ever waited for one to finish talking on his mobile during a movie.)

Can Thais sing songs where the melody doesn't match the tones of the words? What would a Thai hear if someone sung a translation of this song?

Can you lipread?