learning the thai language

Thai Society and culture, Living in Thailand.
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parrot
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Re: learning the thai language

Post by parrot » March 17, 2017, 3:14 pm

When I'm at banks, stores, checkouts, I often try to read the person's name.....and thank them, using their name, when I'm finished. Sometimes the names aren't familiar......or I don't have enough time to decypher an unfamiliar name.
Today, while in Bangkok Bank, my teller's name struck me as unusual.......so I snapped a photo.......to which I was politely admonished for taking a photo inside a bank. Who'd'a'known?!
Anyway, anyone want to take a stab at this person's name?
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d p meijer
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Re: learning the thai language

Post by d p meijer » March 17, 2017, 6:19 pm

samarad

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Re: learning the thai language

Post by parrot » March 17, 2017, 6:58 pm

The การันต์ gar ran over the final consonant in his name is a give-away (for me). It's a signal that the word may (big MAY) not be a Thai word at all, but more likely an English word.
So take Samarad..............and think "English" word


Smart

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Re: learning the thai language

Post by parrot » March 17, 2017, 6:58 pm

Of course, Thais would say sa-mart

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Re: learning the thai language

Post by parrot » April 20, 2017, 3:08 pm

gboard is a google feature (android) that gives your smartphone keyboard a boost. Extremely accurate glide typing.....or, press the mike key on the keyboard and your spoken message will be typed automatically.......with a high degree of accuracy. Here's the better part: add Thai language to your keyboard and you can do the same things with Thai. You can use it to test your pronunciation. I've tried, on a number of occasions to purposely mispronounce a Thai word (close, but no cigar, as my Thai teacher would say) and the program won't recognize the word. But if you get the pronunciation reasonably close, it will.

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Re: learning the thai language

Post by parrot » July 4, 2017, 4:53 pm

If you succumb to the package advertising (in the US) that proclaims an Oreo cookie to have "no transfats" or "zero cholesterol", you might do the same to the Kewpie Sesame Salad Dressing sold at Makro that advertises as:
สูตรใหม่
ไม่ใส่
ผงชูรส
Reason #1032 to learn a little Thai.

The salad dressing is our favorite.
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Re: learning the thai language

Post by parrot » August 6, 2017, 8:01 pm

There was a time, not so many years ago, when 99.9% of what you read in Thai was Thai. But that's been changing........newer generation replacing Thai words with English. It sometimes makes me wonder what a non-English-speaking, Thai-reading, foreigner would do!
To make matters worse, Thais will decide it's not important to say '7-11', instead, they'll just say "say-when".

This sign is at the 3 way intersection near the airport. As with almost all advertisements for new subdivisions, it's offering something free. In this case, the English word has been shortened:
Any takers?
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Re: learning the thai language

Post by Chuchi » August 6, 2017, 8:11 pm

With a picture of a chair underneath,I'm gonna guess it's furniture

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Re: learning the thai language

Post by parrot » August 7, 2017, 1:45 pm

Yes, it's furniture. But the Thai says "เฟอร์" fur.............it's not a mink stole though.

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Re: learning the thai language

Post by parrot » September 12, 2017, 2:40 pm

Thai's like most any language, you learn a base word, then a number of other words that build on the base. So you learn กัน (prevent) and then you have เสื้อกันฝน for raincoat, and แว่นกันแดด for sunglasses, and กันน้ำ and กันยุง for waterproof and mosquito repellent respectively.
46 years ago I learned one of my first ever Thai words. Today I learned a word that builds on that word.
1971 - กัญชา
2017 - กัญชาแมว

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Re: learning the thai language

Post by FrazeeDK » September 12, 2017, 7:25 pm

catnip...
Dave

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Re: learning the thai language

Post by parrot » September 12, 2017, 7:49 pm

Years ago I could buy hemp seeds at one of the pet stores behind the complex (now 7-11). That store and only that store. Then, one day, no more. Not legal. My bird sure misses those seeds.

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Re: learning the thai language

Post by vidmaster » September 12, 2017, 10:57 pm

ระวัง!!!!

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Re: learning the thai language

Post by parrot » September 22, 2017, 2:59 pm

Most all languages have difficult-to-pronounce words......words like colonel, rural, Sioux. In Thai, I've found that once you get a handle on the way consonants and vowels go together, it's pretty much what-you-see-is-what-you-get. Then there are the exceptions.......like สุวรรณภูมิ for the airport in Bangkok, and the word I learned today for a (royal) crematorium.......เมรุ which is pronounced like เมน. On that subject, the city is building a พระเมรุ in Tungsrimuang that will allow the public to pay its last respects to the departed royalty during funeral ceremonies next month.

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Re: learning the thai language

Post by parrot » September 29, 2017, 3:09 pm

If you're health conscious, my reason #1032 (above) is often advertised prominently at restaurants. Like the signs that say เจ or ไม่ใส่ผงชูรถ, you'll have a better idea of what it is you're eating.
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Re: learning the thai language

Post by GT93 » September 30, 2017, 10:30 am

When I lived in Thailand I knew ไม่ใส่ผงชูรถ but I have forgotten that one since I returned to farangland many years ago.
Lock 'em up - Eastman, Giuliani, Senator Graham, Meadows and Trump

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Re: learning the thai language

Post by parrot » November 24, 2017, 5:58 pm

My vocabulary still sucks.....the brain cells just don't hold on like they used to. But every day my "Thai" vocab increases as a result of the infiltration of English words into the language. So, the lesson for the day is........you'd be surprised how many words in "Thai" you know, if you can just pronounce the English version as the Thais do. For that, you'll need to learn to read Thai. Reason #1083
Any takers on the flavor of these Lays chips?
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Re: learning the thai language

Post by MrFixer » November 25, 2017, 3:09 am

Lasagne !
Never seen those before - in Thailand or anywhere else.

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Re: learning the thai language

Post by jeebeeg » November 25, 2017, 6:23 am

Lays Sun Bites ?

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Re: learning the thai language

Post by parrot » January 12, 2018, 7:45 pm

It's been a while......but with the latest scandal in skin whitening creams (https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... d#cxrecs_s) it's worth a lesson in Thai:

ตุดหมึก

Two words.....and something most every Thai child has. Literal translation doesn't count.

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