Thai language for newbies

[Guest]

Hi,

 

Thought a lot about how to do this, to make it easy to use. Here is what I've come up with. 4-5 separate threads dealing with particular aspects a newbie might/will encounter. This way, if going out to a restaurant, they bring the copied 'QUICK LESSON: THAI DINING' page with them, and are ready to go.

 

Quick lesson topics: Would be nice to keep to around 4-5 threads, and make 'sticky', meaning that they will always appear at the top of the forum list (like 'forum rules' is always the first thread). That way, newbies won't have to go searching every time they get an email letter, and want to know what "Dii-chun mai rak khun" means. I think this would be a huge asset for this forum. 'Want to know what a Thai word means?'...It's most likely right there, for the newbie, anyway.

 

Also need to remember one Thai word may have multiple meanings, so need to keep things very simple, and not even bring up multiple meanings that they are not likely to come into contact with in a 1-2 week visit. Also should explain that it is best to speak in a monotone voice, unless they are sure of the proper tone. Will force Thai listener to put word into context, instead of relying on tones. This stuff can be explained it the "QUICK LESSON: The Basics...(Vowel sounds, tones, structure, and word list)"

 

Another thought is to stay away from problem words, or phrases, that can easily be screwed up. Some thought will have to go into every entry, always thinking of this fact. Sometimes, it might mean not presenting the easiest way to say something, and using a more round-about way, using all mid-tone words (as much as possible), to express the same results.

 

Anyway, here are my thoughts.......(I lost my Thai dictionary, so tones listed are not correct)

 

 

Thread name: QUICK LESSON: THAI DINING

 

(thread opens to) This thread addresses what you might need to know when taking your tilac (sweetheart) out to breakfast, lunch, dinner, or simply stopping for some street food snacks.

 

Restaurant Dining:

 

PLATE = jaan(f) /// (sounds like John, but just a little longer.....'Johhhn')

 

SPICY = phet(m) /// (sounds like pet, but push a little extra air out in the beginning...'PHet')

 

NOT SPICY = my(f) phet(m) /// (lit. 'not spicy'). Actual Thai word is "mai phet"

 

A LITTLE SPICY = pet(m) nit(m) noy(h) /// nit noy (nit noi) means 'little bit', so lit. is 'spicy little bit'.

 

I'D LIKE THE CHECK = car bin.........

.

.

.

ETC., ETC

 

(Then give a few sample sentences they are likely to use/need.)

 

I WOULD LIKE MY FOOD NOT SPICY =

.......car........ ..aahaan.. ...my pet...

 

THE FOOD IS VERY DELICIOUS =

..aahann.. ....a-roy mak mak....

 

FOOD NAMES

 

(insert food names here, and possibly a link to Nuttawuds site's food page, which has pictures of dishes, and clickable sound files to hear spoken name)

 

DINING ETEQUETTE

 

(blah, blah)

 

(ADDITIONAL TOPIC(S) HERE (like Street Food Dining, Room Service Ordering, etc.)

 

Etc...

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

Each thread will have a head topic, such as QUICK LESSON: Bed, Bar, and Bangkok. Under that, sub topics will appear within that tread, like....In the Bar, At The hotel, Transportation, etc.). This will allow volunteers to pick a specific area to work on, based on there knowledge/interest. Before submitting, we can have a thread just for submissions, that can be presented, for concideration, and additional input before finalizing. We monitors did this while re-writting the board rules and individual forum rules, and worked out quite well.

 

The different 'QUICK LESSON:' thread titles might be as follows:

 

QUICK LESSON: The Basics...(Vowel sounds, tones, structure, and word list)

 

QUICK LESSON: Bed, Bar, and Bangkok (would include communicating with your tilac, and getting around, including accomodation, shopping, etc.)

 

QUICK LESSON: Thai Dining and Food. (see above)

 

QUICK LESSON: Do's and Don'ts (all other misc. stuff goes here, including a short information guide to include things like touching of head and pointing of feet, don't tell B/G she "butterfly, too" , never get angry, etc. Do tip maid and taxi driver, and explain how much might be acceptable. Just basic stuff a newbie might need to know. Speech lessons could also go in here, depending on what is decided for content).

 

Just throwing this out there for concideration. I think any of us who want to get involved, need to decide on a common format, and go from there. Once format is decided, the real work can begin. This almost has to be broken up into catagory threads. Just too much there for a single thread.

 

Edit: QUICK LESSON: Bed, Bar, and Bangkok might be better broken up into two separate threads:

 

QUICK LESSON: Bed & Bar (Thai for lovers, and communicating within the nightlife scene)

 

QUICK LESSON: Krug Thep by Day (Shopping, Taxi/Tuk-Tuk instructions, At the Hotel, Major Street Names, etc.)

 

All comments and suggestions are most welcome!

 

HT

 

[Guest]

First of all....Samak, thanks very much for that info. Only reason I did not revise, is that I'm tying to establish a common format, but your suggestions will most definitely be incorporated, as soon as is established :: Thanks.

 

LaoHuLi,

 

Man....thanks for that link. If they only had sound files for every word, would be better than a Thai B/G in heat. Nah....forget that!. It would still be good, though. ::

 

I very much hear you,... that slang should be incorporated in this. After all, it is what a newbie will hear, so presenting formal words, is useless. Would be great to pass every considered word, or phrase, through a B/G, street vendor, or hotel maid/waitress first. You are correct that many phrases that are used, are not going to reside in your average 'Lonely Planet' Thai dictionary. Good suggestion, and thanks for your, and G/F's, help in the future.

 

HT

 

 

 

[gobbledonk]

Ht and the Gang,

 

You mentioned phonetic spelling - is there a universally accepted 'Pinyin' for Thai ? Its tough enough trying to learn the spoken language without having to be able to read the native characters first, and 'freeform' phonetics only muddy the water further ...

[samak]

Says artiew:

---

Ht and the Gang,

 

You mentioned phonetic spelling - is there a universally accepted 'Pinyin' for Thai ?

---

 

there are no rules for transliteration (if that is what you mean) of thai into english phonetic spelling of thai and there are many methods.

the worst is the method to tansliterate character by character so you get far away from actual pronounciation; examples:

 

shinawatra instead of chinawat

singha instead of sing

hongsakula insteaad of hongsakun

etc.etc.

 

pinyin is mainly used in taiwan as far as i know. i know many mainland chinese who don't know it.

[gobbledonk]

Thanks, Samak. Yes, 'transliteration' is the word I was struggling to find. The only people I found in China who could make anything of my Pinyin were people who could already read and write English, and speak the language fluently. Despite the fact that they learn English in school, lack of practice with native speakers makes it difficult for them to conduct a conversation. Thai bargirls really do get an invaluable education in this regard - I would have killed to find a Chinese hotel employee or travel agent with the spoken English skills of my TG ....

[Guest]

One more massive on-line Thai dictionary

 

web page

[Guest]

So how goes the "work in progress" ?

 

Actually I just wanted to bring this back to the top og the list some more may contribute, or criticise.

[Guest]

I am waiting with baited breath for all info, I am just starting to learn thai, and a simple easy to use introduction to the most common useful words and phases would be a great benefit.

 

My bride to be wants to teach me thai, and she speaks and thinks in english better than most of my friends, but I know she will only tell me what thai she wants me to know, so I need other sources for a greater understanding.

 

I am currently using all of the online websites that deal with the thai language, but they are hit or miss in the regular common talk, some sites are better than others, but none seem to have a common everyday dictionary that can be used as a point of reference.

 

Keep up the good work!!

 

Best Regards From the cold weather testing capital of Canada

 

 

 

[Guest]

Hi,

 

Just today finally found my Thai-English book (had lost it last week), so now can enter the correct tones. Which brings me to a question. Well...I'll get to the question in a minute.

 

This initial list was simply copied from my notes, so not focused towards a newbie. Some of these words need to come out, and quite a few added. This list won't make newbie learn how to speak, but more for being able to decifer what is being said to him by G/F, or emails, and also being able to fill in the last word of "I want to go _____". And also 'where is _____"? (Hotel, bathroom, my barfine, my wallet, my passport.....CHIP HAI ...... :

 

So, wanted to get this page looking fairly well before proceeding on the the actual 'Quick Lessons'. Which brings me to my question. I should add that I'm going to break down, and buy that $70.00 hardcover Thai-English book at Border's Monday, so this question may be answered in there:

 

Here's what Lonely Planet has for transliteration for vowel sounds:

 

a - as the 'u' in 'but'.

aa - as the 'a' in 'father', but twice as long

ae - as the 'a' in 'bat'

ai - as the 'i' in 'pipe'

ao - as the 'ow' as in 'now'

aw - as the 'aw' in 'jaw'

e - as the 'e' in 'hen'

eh - like 'a'in 'hay', but flat; twice as long as 'e'

eu - as the 'i' in 'sir'

eua - 'eu' + 'a'

i - as the 'i' in 'it'

ii - as the 'ee' in 'feet', twice as long as 'i'

ia - as the 'ia' in 'fiat'

iaw - as the 'io' in 'Rio'

iu - 'i' + 'u' ; as the 'ew' in 'new'

o - as the 'o' in 'bone'; but shorter

oh - as the 'o' in 'toe'; twice as long as 'o'

oe - as the 'u' in 'hut', but more closed

oei - 'oe' + 'i'

u - as the 'u' in 'flute, but shorter

uu - as the 'oo' in 'food'; longer than 'u'

ua - 'u' + 'a'

uay - 'u' + 'ai'

aai - 'a' + 'ai'

ui - 'u' + 'i'

ohy - as the 'oy' in 'boy

awy - 'aw' + 'i'

aew - "ae' + 'u' (with lips unrounded)

 

Are these right?. 'Yaak' according to above should sound like

dock, with a 'y'. Jaak should sound like 'jock' ('aa' is 'a' as in 'father'). But according to my one Thai speaking friend here, 'jaak' is pronounced like 'Jack' (but longer). So transliteration spelling should be 'jaek' (ae is like 'a' as in 'bat).?? Right. What am I missing here? I really want to get these verbs down good, before proceeding further. And also come up with English words that match the aai, ui, ua, etc., sounds, or at least as close as possible.

 

Any suggestions, or tips, on this would be very helpful.

 

HT

 

 

[Guest]

Glas you found your book and the work is still in process.

 

I'm afraid that asking me about tones is completely chip hai useless. (can see this word becoming a standard in Farang BarThai speach)

 

No doubt others here can comment more effectively on the tone issue.

 

Keep at it