Male Voice to Shadow

[jasons]

Hey there,

My first post here. Short version: Looking for a male voice to shadow while I'm learning Thai.

Long version: I've tried learning Mandarin and found that having a voice to copy is extremely useful. I'm now learning Thai and am struggling to find a good source. Can anyone recommend a Thai radio or TV show that I can access online? One with a male character that has a voice worth copying? It would really help with my pronunciation.

Cheers!

J

[RickBradford]

Could try Chula Radio, from the country's most prestigious university ...

http://www.curadio.chula.ac.th/

[CaptHaddock]

Interesting request. The economist who appears daily on this Thai PBS broadcast speaks more clearly than most Thai males, although he also speaks very quickly at times. His segment begins at about 15 minutes into this program.

http://program.thaipbs.or.th/newsprogram/article716253.ece

[jasons]

Thanks guys, appreciate the responses. Capt.H, would you say he has a normal speaking voice? If I copy him will I sound like a normal Thai person? Or will I sound like a news caster?

I guess I'm looking for the George Clooney of Thai cinema or radio. Someone who has a great speaking voice worth copying. Does that make sense?

Cheers!

J

[CaptHaddock]

He sounds like a professional speaker more than a newscaster. His way of speaking is a good example of how Thais put emphasis on one part of their discourse by slowing the rhythm down and stressing each word. Then they speed up through the less important part of the talk. This is a particular language skill that I am working on now to get away from changing pitch as we do in English for emphasis since that tends to turn our tones into gibberish for the Thai listener. Newscasters, by contrast, tend to speak at a constant, high rate without slowing for rhythmic emphasis, as though they are getting paid by the word. The two Thai anchorwomen in this broadcast speak that way most of the time, for example.

Few Thai men speak as clearly as this. Most mumble. Even highly educated Thais do not necessarily speak better than anyone else. I don't watch Thai movies, so I don't know who the Thai George Clooney would be, if there is one. Can't help you there.

[jasons]

Got it. Thanks, mate. I'll record this guy and work on my pronunciation. You rock!