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What are the benefits of lerning Thai aprt from the obvious?


junglesoup

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Hi guys,

I posted this in general section because its not a question directly about Thai language. Its more a question about Thai culture.

 

I ve been making some contacts with Thai people on sites like myspace and faceparty. I would really like to learn to the Thai language.

 

Now apart from the obvious things like being able to order food in a restaurant,find directions etc and all the other fucnctional things what are the deeper benefits...

 

I mean I ve had nights out with just Thai people and sometimes they are speaking Thai and I dont know what they are saying. Its very annoying.

I ve found this great need to want to understand what they are saying so I can join in.

So do the Thia have a good sense of humour, do they tell good stories, what sort of things do they talk about?

Do they talk about serious things? I would love to be able to go out and speak in these situations with Thai people. I think its the only way to get know the people and the culture.

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Hi guys,

I posted this in general section because its not a question directly about Thai language. Its more a question about Thai culture.

 

I ve been making some contacts with Thai people on sites like myspace and faceparty. I would really like to learn to the Thai language.

 

Now apart from the obvious things like being able to order food in a restaurant,find directions etc and all the other fucnctional things what are the deeper benefits...

 

I mean I ve had nights out with just Thai people and sometimes they are speaking Thai and I dont know what they are saying. Its very annoying.

I ve found this great need to want to understand what they are saying so I can join in.

So do the Thia have a good sense of humour, do they tell good stories, what sort of things do they talk about?

Do they talk about serious things? I would love to be able to go out and speak in these situations with Thai people. I think its the only way to get know the people and the culture.

 

Thai's talk about the same things as any other nationality, serious, funny, trival etc, they do tell funny stroies and jokes but you need a Thai sense of humour to find them funny :sad:

 

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I think Thais talk about food more than most Farangs. I rarely hear Thais discuss policy issues in depth. When it comes to politics or economics, it seems to be more about personality than policy.

 

If you live or spend a fair amount of time here, it is very useful to know the language. There are some disadvantages in letting on that you know Thai sometimes in some places, that is easy to correct by simply sticking to English.

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The ability to speak Thai gives you a much better idea of what is going on around you, and by this I do not mean in the sense of say politics and what not (although there are benefits there too), but your immediate surroundings. This alone has real value.

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You've got it: food! That is the topic of probably 80% Thai women's conversations. Another 10% may be clothes.

 

Thai men tend to tell dirty jokes. (Women do too, but only when men aren't around.) Thais also like puns and other plays on words. Your Thai has to be pretty good to pick them up. (A lot go right over my head.)

 

As to advantages, if you live here you may well find yourself occasionally in situations where you simply have to speak Thai. You will be dealing with merchants etc whose English is far below BG level.

 

 

 

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LOL! Beware the Farang that knows too much!

 

Indeed, a sometimes overlooked advantage of speaking thai.

Any thai not appreciating a foreigner going through the effort of learning their language is best avoided in my book. YMMV

 

On the other hand, I`ve often experienced how thais take you into their confidence based solely on the fact that you speak their language with some proficency.

And I have repeatedly been astounded by some of the stuff I`ve been told particularly in situations when I am amongst thai/farang couples. Where the wife will be talking about her hardship with the hubby with him standing next to us not having a clue of what we are talking about. This happens mostly in my own country I should add as I don`t know any thai/farang couples in LOS.

Rather poor taste really.

 

I recall an article by stickman where he and his wife were acting as wedding mediators dealing with the sin sot issue in a thai/farang wedding . Very similiar situation.

 

 

 

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Shame on the husband for not at least trying to learn his wife's language.

 

Doesn't happen much any more, but I can remember when I fairly often had some BG who would pour out her heart to me, delighted she found a Farang she could talk to. The gals usually just wanted someone to listen to their sorrows and sympathise with them. Wasn't anything I could do to help them.

 

p.s. Thais do tend to tell virtual strangers things that we would consider rather private!

 

 

 

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