Some people say that learning other languages makes life easier but it is not, because for instance in Thailand, people over here talk about everything.   When I date some girls some do really personaol things  like cutting my finger nails,  Suddenly the news is every where so, cut the Bullshit I don't want to learn local language any more except for some words to go by.

Edited February 13, 20179 yr by redwinecheese
Add

If you don't speak the language how do you know your finger nails are the main topic of conversation ?

No sense in running before you can walk...

Well, they do say ignorance is bliss...

"instance in Thailand, people over here talk about everything"

unlike in every other country

Quite right never learn it as they will not understand you most of the time if you tried. I don't want to talk about som tam, lakorn or hear gossip about the neighbors anyway. Just get the basics and forget trying to converse with them, even the natives have trouble with the language at times leave them to it.

Great reason for not learning the local language

6 hours ago, redwinecheese said:

I don't want to learn local language any more except for some words to go by.

 

This.

 

I know about 50 phrases….and they get me through my entire trip which mainly consists of mongering, eating, drinking and shopping.

 

Wasteful to learn more if you're just an itinerant traveller.

Then it is also your opinion, that thai people should not  learn/understand english , so they don't need to  hear what we saying.

I realy interested in the way your life improving then here,  it will be a deep minded relationship.

So, either communication is not a big thing for you or you expect others to learn your language. Welcome Massa!

I think in most cases--saying you do not want to speak it is really an inability to learn it.

.

I put myself squarely in that category. 

 

Lived in S/America for a short while--spoke passable Spanish, worked on German/Swedish ships 2 years, got by OK. Thai has been a hill just to steep to climb for me---maybe the age...70 ..or maybe I am thicker than I thought, but try as I may I find the tones just to hard to master, I certainly don't have the energy to keep trying lessons any more.. Would I want to speak it fluently if someone said for a million Baht you can just flip this switch...sure, even more so since I moved up country...to Bahn Nok. When you leave the tourist belt you really find how nice it would be to communicate.

.

Its a bit of a put down to say that Thai People only talk about rubbish--I have some  bilingual Thai friends, & its nice that they converse & take the time to explain things to me.

you don't want to? or are finding it too difficult? 

 

I have no idea what cutting your nails has to do with it... I do sympathise with people who have difficulty learning/hearing the language. 

 

One of the many many advantages of being able to speak the language of the country you are living in is that you can direct the conversation to things that you are curious about. 

In the West, your lady might adjust your tie (assuming you wore one). Over here they cut your nails. Just a primate grooming to make a bond sort of thing. Don't sweat the small stuff.

 Tones are the killer here. Been here for 16 years, speak passable Thai, yet no one seems to understand when I say "8".... in Thai, natch.

One should understand:

Somebody who likes to have his finger and foot nails cut, why he should like to learn a foreign language?

It's a comfortable way to kill time in Isaan.

And as long as the tirak reads the wishes in the eyes of the handsome farang (one more Singha!), no words are needed.

Thai is a 'tonal' language; My age advances and my hearing gets worse. I've given up learning more.

Thai's don't have to learn English, only that amount that gets them more baht.

tones are not too important for semi intelligent Thais as long as you add a correct classifier for a word

1 hour ago, thai3 said:

Quite right never learn it as they will not understand you most of the time if you tried. I don't want to talk about som tam, lakorn or hear gossip about the neighbors anyway. Just get the basics and forget trying to converse with them, even the natives have trouble with the language at times leave them to it.

I totally agree with this opinion. The less trivial conversations that I have to partake in the better for me. 

or the more time I can sip my beer ?

Just for those who do not know what a classifier is:

You don't say just "dog" but you say "animal dog". Animal is the classifier.

13 minutes ago, bermannor said:

tones are not too important for semi intelligent Thais as long as you add a correct classifier for a word

and context

2 minutes ago, bermannor said:

Just for those who do not know what a classifier is:

You don't say just "dog" but you say "animal dog". Animal is the classifier.

that's not quite correct

 

animal is the classifier but you don't say 'animal dog' but 'dog one animal'  (sunak nung tua) but let's not derail the thread into a Thai lesson   :)  

7 hours ago, berybert said:

If you don't speak the language how do you know your finger nails are the main topic of conversation ?

I'll be glad to punch you in the face

I know enough Thai to get around, but will never be proficient in conversation. But I have learned a lot by just paying attention, and the use of applications on my phone. Having a Thai gf for a year really helped more than anything. 

1 hour ago, Incobart said:

Then it is also your opinion, that thai people should not  learn/understand english

If they spoke english I will be telling them to not speak about non sense.

23 minutes ago, ghworker2010 said:

I totally agree with this opinion. The less trivial conversations that I have to partake in the better for me. 

 

1 hour ago, thai3 said:

Quite right never learn it as they will not understand you most of the time if you tried. I don't want to talk about som tam, lakorn or hear gossip about the neighbors anyway. Just get the basics and forget trying to converse with them, even the natives have trouble with the language at times leave them to it.

If you do not like some of the things they talk about, being able to speak the language will enable you to sometimes direct a conversation to some of the things you are interested in... conversation does not always have to be trivial. 

 

And Thai3 - that is not true for everyone. Some people can learn to speak so they can be understood by most. It takes time and effort and desire, which you can easily brush off with silly excuses/comments about subject matter. I find most Thai very genuine and quite willing to confide their concerns in life. They can also be quite funny and light hearted. 

 

Not being able to speak, I think you miss out on many of the joys of living here. It does take time and effort to learn. If you don't want to make that effort, that is fine, but don't blame your inability to learn a language on an excuse that you think Thai people are shallow and have nothing to say when you can't even talk with them and confirm that... 

1 hour ago, thai3 said:

Quite right never learn it as they will not understand you most of the time if you tried. I don't want to talk about som tam, lakorn or hear gossip about the neighbors anyway. Just get the basics and forget trying to converse with them, even the natives have trouble with the language at times leave them to it.

I love the way you think

9 minutes ago, redwinecheese said:

If they spoke english I will be telling them to not speak about non sense.

since you are concerned about the topics of conversation, if you can speak to them in Thai, then you can converse about the topics that you find important... they don't just speak about toenails. 

Posit if you try to mix with learned Thais (other than the 'norm' ) you will discover they not only talk about food and the neighbours. Stroll on!