panadolsandwich Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 Hi, I spent about 7 months in LOS in the last year or so. I'd never even heard Thai spoken before that. I got to a fairly simple level really - ordering food or beer, making simple jokes, the usual get to know you chit-chat, paying the bill, stock phrases like: "Are you hungry? (or sexy or OK or CRAZY)"; or even: "Less talk and more sucking is better" ("Phuut noi noi, chai paak yoei yoei dee kwaa" if you want to know). I suppose I don't appreciate what I do know - I remember these English backpacking chicks admiring my linguistic 'skill' when behind me in the Taxi queue at the airport were quite impressed when I talked Thai to booking desk on a return trip there. One thing I got a little confused with was the different dialects and indeed languages you'll encounter. I ended up speaking some 'Isaan' - which is very useful if you visit Laos as it basically *is* Laos language. I even learnt some Khmer when I spent some time up in Buriram with this girl. Even Thais get stumped occasionally. Once on a trip to Koh Tao with this girl she tried talking to these people at a restaurant but couldn't because they were Burmese! Things aren't always as they seem! I still can't really understand much Thai though; barely enough to follow those soap operas, or to translate a song with the help of a dictionary. My vocabulary is increasing though, and I keep plugging away at it. One thing that works for me is allowing it enough time. I view learning Thai as a 5 to 10 year project. I'm in no rush and at the pace I'm going - this timeframe is entirely realistic. I would say go ahead and give it a bash. I've had a lot of fun learning it and if you are spending or planning to spend much time over there then you owe it to yourself to pick up some of the lingo. You'll be surprised just how useful it can be. Also I'd just like to add that it's a lot of fun working out what a lot of the songs are saying. I got this album by Punch called "Lady in the Rain" or something like that (I highly recommend it). I've translated that and learnt a shit load of Thai from it. Also a good talking point with TG's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibblies Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 Sounds similar to me. I first learnt from Linguaphone while still a young man. I could read and write the basics and it was a time when not so many farangs knew that stuff so I got quite a bit of praise from Thais. To be honest, Thais were so appreciative that it held me back a lot - I sort of thought "this is enough to get by" (and seem sincere to Thai women ) and I stagnated. Now it seems like every man dog is better than me and younger than me, can read and write Thai and Lao and Thais don't seem to react with any surprise anymore to my basic efforts. Apart from the obvious, the benefits to learning it are that you will to start to understand "Thai English" better because you will know their equivalent and arrangement of what they're trying to say. I dare say you will be more patient and appreciative of their own efforts and will be able to communicate with them better because you will know the sort of problem that is preventing them from understanding something. One of the main problems is that the typical person doesn't realise how much he uses slang and idioms that are incomprehensible to a foreigner speaker. You can realise this and rephrase in simpler, clearer vocabulary terms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckwoww Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 I think learning a language is a question of listening. Just try to separate the words. Start with common phrases and worry about getting the grammar right later. Most of us only use about 300 different words in everyday speech. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglesoup Posted June 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 Some great points here lads,guys, and gentlemen. The poster who talked about finding out that good somtom can be found near the irish x change is the kind of little things that make it worth knowing. I also think that lots of the GTG would enjoy a farang speaking Thai to them. My friend got me a copy of the rosetta stone, all 26 languages on 2 DVDS...havent really looked much at it but the program seems really good. I ve already learnt the alphabet including the vowels and can read most letters and write/read the compounded words. I also got the david Smyth book, an essential Thai grammar. I just need to start building my vocab, practise my speaking, listening and start learning basic grammar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panadolsandwich Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 I find the "Thai for Beginners" by Benjawan Poonsam Becker (Paiboon publishing) series to be quite good value. I'm onto the Intermediate level at the moment. There is a dictionary / phrasebook by James Higbie that I've found invaluable (Hippocrene books inc, New York). It explains the grammar exceptionally well and succinctly. I'm also looking to buy the "Speak like a Thai" Volume 1 & 2 also from Paiboon publishing , once I've finished the above books. I've read good reviews of these - the main advantage being you can avoid speaking like a textbook! Learn some colloquiums. Also give that Rosetta stone a bash as well. I found it great for improving vocabulary and to supplement my book study with this computer program rather successfully. Also I'm on the look out for some decent flashcards for the Thai Alphabet. I'm also learning the Laos Alphabet. Ideally they would have examples of different fonts (used in advertising and such) in small print somewhere on the card. Otherwise I'll probably create these myself. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carew66 Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 Worth mentioning (I think) is to draw some distinction between 'Thai' picked up from bars and Thai. Saying 'Jing Jing' loudly at the end of every sentence is just silly. As is 'For Shoe-ah'. 'Ting-Tong' or Baa-baa-bo-bo' used indiscriminately might lead to a smack in the mouth. Pet cringer is "Oh, My Buddha". There really is no equivalence with "Oh My God". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 I think learning Thai is fun as well as ...the other benefits... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panadolsandwich Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 I think learning Thai is fun as well as ...the other benefits... I forgot to mention I picked up this book called Bar Guide (Bar girl small talk) by BangkokBooks.com (195 Baht at Bookazine). It gives a great number of one liners that I've had a lot of fun with. It covers most situations you'll find yourself in when you're dealing with BG's. It's not shy when it comes to sex either, some of my favorites are: "I want to sleep with four girls tonight, is that OK with you?"; "I want you to watch me have sex with your friend"; "Can we take pictures too?"; "Suck me right here"; "That feels good"; "How wonderful"; "Are Thai guys smaller?". It's got the transliteration and also the Thai alphabet so it's pretty good. Had a lot of fun with this book as you can imagine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglesoup Posted June 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 you seem very dedicated and focused PS.I m sure you ll be speaking fluently in no time... Thanks for the suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panadolsandwich Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 No problem Jungle. Just want to share my experience. Good luck with learning the language! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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