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French and Thailand


drogon

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[color:"blue"]Cambodia - even if my knowledge is based on a few days in february all people in PP over 30 spoke french and all under 25 english (and much better than thais speak english).

 

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I heard this too. And you know that you will hear some foolish Thais say "Because these people have mentality of being colonized, we Thais do NOT need to learn any foreign language!".

 

For me learning a language opens a world, here goes Jasmine struggling with her French more! ::

 

Jasmine

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My wife had to learn Thai as a foreign language. Her native tongue is Kham Muang.

 

::

 

 

But the North is getting its revenge. All graduate students at Chiang Mai University now have to study Kham Muang, including the old alphabet. My wife says it is boring for her, but she feels sorry for her classmates from Bangkok. Yeah, right.

 

:elephant:

 

 

p.s. Decades ago a friend taught at Buriram Teachers College. He said for some of his students, Khmer was their first language. They had to learn Isaan Lao (Buriram style) to talk to others in the province, whilst they studied in Central Thai in school. And then some damn Farang was trying to make them learn English!

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Hi,

 

My father was a border patrol policeman and we moved to the border of Thailand and Burma when I was 2. My family speak central Thai but we (my little brother and I) were encouraged to speak the Northern dialect which was different from other families who moved there from central Thailand. I still can speak "kam muang" but cannot read and I am very proud of the knowledge.

 

[color:"blue"]And then some damn Farang was trying to make them learn English! [/color]

 

Not, no farang did such. Learning a foreign language is benefitial, IMO, no matter what it is.

 

However, there are many central Thais who feel that the central dialect is superior and it is wrong. I am very glad that the CM U starts the learning of the Northern dialect, knowledge is not going to hurt.

 

Jasmine

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I asked my Mrs if she could tell where someone was from by their Kham Muang, and she said yes. Some words are regional, while there may be a different word lengths. But Lao has many more varieties. I can speak to the people in Wiengchan better than I can some gal from southern Isaan.

 

p.s. The old joke used to be that if Hanoi ever invaded, the Thai Army would fight to the last border policeman. The BPPs were regarded as much tougher than the ordinary Thai soldier!

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[color:"blue"] asked my Mrs if she could tell where someone was from by their Kham Muang, and she said yes. Some words are regional, while there may be a different word lengths. But Lao has many more varieties. I can speak to the people in Wiengchan better than I can some gal from southern Isaan.

[/color]

 

Yes, most people can tell from certain usage of words where they are from. My Northern dialect has a lot of Thai words with Northern accent and people can tell that I normally do not use the dialect. The same as my regular Thai, people can detect also that I don't use it in everyday life. For me accents is the least we should be worried about as long as people are willing to listen. :D

 

I have been trying to say to some French speakers now to slow down when they speak to me, I swear I don't think anyone can speak faster than the French! ::

 

Also, I suggested to Hubby to slow his English down in Thailand and try to tune his ears a bit, he just looked at me with blank expression, hopeless! :o

 

Jasmine

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