Same same but different

[Seastallion]

Same same but different.

I've seen this written on TVF many times and guessed that's it's used with wry humour at the oxymoron, and assumed it's a literal translation of a Thai phrase (that may in real life not be seen as oxymoronic).

I asked Wifey what the Thai phrase might be, but she couldn't think of what it might be.

She speaks Central and her mother tongue is Southern...so perhaps it's from another dialect?

Anyone know if there is a Thai phrase that literally translates as "same same but different"? And if so, what is it?

Also...am I right in assuming the oxymoron does not manifest when it's said and that it's a normal/serious phrase, or is it a humourous phrase?

Cheers.

[MaeJoMTB]

muan gan tere tek tang = เหมือนกัน แต่ แตกต่าง= same but different

The real English translation of the meaning = similar.

[Seastallion]

TRhanks...I assumed it meant "similar".

Cheers for that.

[connda]

TRhanks...I assumed it meant "similar".

Cheers for that.

A literal translation would be:

เหมือนกัน mʉ̌an gan - is like

แต่ dtɛ̀ɛ - but

แตกต่าง dtɛ̀ɛk dtàang - to differ

[katana]

It comes from KHLAI KHLAI TAE MAI MEUAN คล้ายๆ แต่ไม่เหมือน

http://siamsmile.webs.com/same-same/same-same.html

[Roel]

Initially it was used by Thais when speaking English.

"Same, same but different" is a simplified way of trying to say something is "similar (comparable) but not identical".

Typical case of lost in translation.

For Thais it started as a serious phrase.

Some foreigners found it funny: how can something be the same AND not the same at the same time, and they used it in a funny way.

Thais picked that up and some started using it in a funny way too often even without understanding the funny part.

[tgeezer]

I suspect that although แตกต่าง is defined as ไม่เหมือนกัน it refers to people rather than things because ต่าง is a pronoun for people acting individually.

Doing the same but individually. If we could have some examples with a subject it may make sense.