Translation

[Pepette2mars]

Hello,
I would like to translate my daughter's firstname in thai for a tatoo. I saw there are several translations of the same letter. I saw you can't really translate a firstname but I would like to know what translation you seems fairest to the firstname MYLA. Thanks you for your answer.
Laura

[Oxx]

The plastic film, Mylar, is ไมล่าร์, so if it's pronounced the same, simply drop the final two characters:  ไมล่า.

 

By analogy Myra is ไมร่า.

 

However, with current rules for loan words, some would say the tone mark should not be used:  ไมลา.

[katana]

Funnily enough, the Manager newspaper did a story on Roger Federer's twin girls Charlene Riva and Myla Rose and spelt it มีลา, which doesn't really agree with the pronunciation.
http://www.manager.co.th/Sport/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9520000084364
http://www.manager.co.th/Sport/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9520000084792
http://www.manager.co.th/Sport/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9520000088089

[Oxx]

5 hours ago, katana said:

Funnily enough, the Manager newspaper did a story on Roger Federer's twin girls Charlene Riva and Myla Rose and spelt it มีลา, which doesn't really agree with the pronunciation.

 

I believe Federer isn't a native English speaker, so it's perfectly possible that he pronounces the name Mee-laa in accordance with his native tongue, rather than the probable English pronunciation of Mai-laa.

[Pepette2mars]

Hello,

Thanks you for your answer! It's very nice.

I didn't know that Federer's girl called Myla!

For me, the firstname is spelled with the letter Y but pronounce Mee-laa like Federer's girl.

It's pronounced even Me-La.

For the first syllable, maybe มิ is more just than มี ?

For the letter L, what is the difference between ฬ and ล ?

And for the letter A, witch difference between า and ะ ?

 

 

 

[CMBob]

1 hour ago, Pepette2mars said:

It's pronounced even Me-La.

For the first syllable, maybe มิ is more just than มี ?

For the letter L, what is the difference between ฬ and ล ?

And for the letter A, witch difference between า and ะ ?

I don't think there is much (or possibly any) difference between using ฬ or ล.  Pretty much the same pronunciation in my opinion although ล is definitely a more common spelling.

But I don't think one can answer your other two questions without knowing how exactly "Me-La" is being pronounced (as in terms of the length of the vowels or, perhaps, how the two syllables are accented) by you.  For example, า and ะ are pretty much the same sound but า is a longer pronounced vowel.  So, if you pronounce it "Me-Laa" (the "laa" part being longer sounding), า would be the more accurate vowel.  If you're stressing (or saying longer) the "me" syllable, then perhaps มี would be the better spelling.  If you're pronounce both syllables quickly, then maybe มิละ would work (although, for whatever reason, that spelling simply looks weird to me). 

 

Best bet?  Ask a couple of Thai friends to spell it out in Thai for you after you pronounce it a couple of times for them.  If they both write it the same way, use it; if not, ask a third and then take the matching answer.  Given you're talking about a pretty much permanent tattoo, I'd recommend this extra step.

 

 

[katana]

So Oxx's spelling was wrong and the Manager's was more in line for the pronunciation?

Hope you didn't get the tattoo done yet!

[Pepette2mars]

2 hours ago, CMBob said:

I don't think there is much (or possibly any) difference between using ฬ or ล.  Pretty much the same pronunciation in my opinion although ล is definitely a more common spelling.

But I don't think one can answer your other two questions without knowing how exactly "Me-La" is being pronounced (as in terms of the length of the vowels or, perhaps, how the two syllables are accented) by you.  For example, า and ะ are pretty much the same sound but า is a longer pronounced vowel.  So, if you pronounce it "Me-Laa" (the "laa" part being longer sounding), า would be the more accurate vowel.  If you're stressing (or saying longer) the "me" syllable, then perhaps มี would be the better spelling.  If you're pronounce both syllables quickly, then maybe มิละ would work (although, for whatever reason, that spelling simply looks weird to me). 

 

Best bet?  Ask a couple of Thai friends to spell it out in Thai for you after you pronounce it a couple of times for them.  If they both write it the same way, use it; if not, ask a third and then take the matching answer.  Given you're talking about a pretty much permanent tattoo, I'd recommend this extra step.

 

 

I pronounce both syllables quickly so มิละ seems to be the best translation. But, why this spelling looks weird for you?

Good idea to ask the best translastion to Thai friends but it's too bad for me, I don't know Thai people!

[Pepette2mars]

2 hours ago, katana said:

So Oxx's spelling was wrong and the Manager's was more in line for the pronunciation?

Hope you didn't get the tattoo done yet!

Hopefully not!!! I wait to have the best translation before to do the tattoo! -')

[Oxx]

7 hours ago, Pepette2mars said:

For the first syllable, maybe มิ is more just than มี ?  No.  Written as มิ it's pronounced with a short vowel, glottal stop, high tone.  You want a long vowel, no glottal stop, mid tone.

For the letter L, what is the difference between ฬ and ล ?  ฬ is used for words imported from Pali to represent a specific consonant (which doesn't occur in Sanskrit).  Since the name isn't Pali (AFAIK), ล is the correct character.

And for the letter A, witch difference between า and ะ ?  ละ is pronounced with a short vowel, glottal stop, high tone.  You want a long vowel, no glottal stop, mid tone, so า.

 

In short:  มีลา.

[CMBob]

5 hours ago, Pepette2mars said:

Good idea to ask the best translastion to Thai friends but it's too bad for me, I don't know Thai people!

 

Well, ask somebody who does.  Given the disparity in spellings already discussed and your intelligent choice to be absolutely sure before committing to a tattoo spelling, it's the only sensible thing to do. 

For what it's worth, I just asked a college-educated Thai friend how to spell the name in Thai (of course, I pronounced the name a couple of times the way I'm guessing you pronounce it) and here's the result:  มีล่า

[Pepette2mars]

Could I find someone speaking Thai forum in which send sound with the correct pronunciation?