What Does The Squiggle In Words Such As "เป็น" Mean?

[JamesTh]

Hi there,

What does the character above the bpor bplar in เป็น do, and what's it's name? I've searched my books, but can't find an explanation - I think it's effect is to shorten the vowel, but I'm not sure.

Thanks,

James.

[Totster]

Briefly...

It shortens the length (in sound) of the vowel..

totster

[meadish_sweetball]

ํYep, it is the vowel length shortener, mai tai khuu, which is the same shape as the Thai number 8 - therefore often referred to as 'maay leek bpaed' by people when they spell out words.

[Rikker]

It can also simply be called เลขแปด leek bpaed when spelling aloud, too. And it's sometimes confused by Thais with the tone marker ไม้ตรี mai trii, which looks like a Thai numeral seven (๗) and is informally called เลขเจ็ด leek jet. I've heard even well-educated Thais mistakenly spell a word aloud saying leek jet when they mean leek pbaed and vice versa. My wife included.

The confusion arises because shortening the vowel can also change the tone of certain words. For example, the word เลก would have a falling tone (low class + long vowel + dead syllable = falling), but if you add leek bpaed (๘) over the ล to make เล็ก it becomes a high tone (low class + short vowel + dead syllable = high).

Compare that with the effect of mai trii (or leek jet) on middle class consonants. The result is always a high tone. In theory, mai trii is never used with low class consonants, but some people might have a hard time remembering what the correct rule for spelling is, or else they spell it incorrectly to make it hip and slangy. This sort of thing is particularly prevalent on the internet among younger Thais. So you see words like เว๊บ, when เว็บ is both correct according to standard spelling rules and results in the exact same pronunciation.

[JamesTh]

Thanks guys - just what I was after.

James.