Is LER(r) a real word? Flasher/DaengBireley/ScumBa

[bibblies]

Is Wauw a separate word from Wow! then? ::

[Pescator]

Hi Bibblies

 

Goood question.

Now we should be able to keep this thread alive for another week or so! ::

 

Cheers

Hua Nguu

 

[Guest]

"""The point is that if it isn't in the dictionary then it's likely to be a spoken corruption of another word, innit? """

 

That would be the case if dictionaries are complete.

The Thai-English dictionaries that I have come accross howveer are far from that. And on top of that, don't always translate correctly or give an overview of all the possible translations and correct usages of each word.

The latter is very difficult to achieve as we all know, since many words need to be placed in a context before a "BEST" translatin of it can be given.

 

[khwaimaisabai]

Says luckyfarang:

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<<<LER at the end of a sentence makes it into a question (like mai) but when in the question you have said something you think is likely to be true >>>

 

Here is my take on this:

 

REU® is the question word at the end of a sentence when in doubt about the answer. Using it in this manner is awkward, outdated sounding textbook Thai, and rarely, if ever, heard in actual conversation.

 

In the middle of a sentence, it simply means "or".

 

MAI(h) is the most common question word at the end of a sentence that indicates you don't know the answer, or are asking the speaker to make up his/her mind about something.

 

LER® at the end of a sentence is asking for confirmation when you think you know the answer:

 

PAI THEEO(f) SAO® LER®?

 

When used by itself, LER translates most closely as "Is that so?"

 

 

<<< I was told by TGF that I should try not to say LER because it is commonly used by women but not by men.>>>

 

 

Interesting. I have been hanging around mainly with women for years

, so I will have to ask around if using LER makes one sound effeminate.

 

CHAI(f) MAI(h)? does seem to have a very similar meaning when used as a question word, but is used a lot less frequently by the Thais, and I try to avoid using it too much. It gives a different and more aggressive, Western sounding feel when used to make a question.

 

And CHAI(f) MAI(h) cannot be used alone to mean "Is that so" like LER® can. When used alone, it gives a meaning much closer to CHING REU(h) PLAO(l).

 

---

 

Hi lucky,

 

Well, at least we agree on this while the argument rages about dictionaries.

 

Khwai

[Lamock Chokaprret]

<<< I was told by TGF that I should try not to say LER because it is commonly used by women but not by men.>>>

 

 

Interesting. I have been hanging around mainly with women for years , so I will have to ask around if using LER makes one sound effeminate.

---

 

I don't think this makes you sound effeminate or is used primarily by females. I've heard my boss use it quite a bit and he's a highly educated Thai (PhD) who won't even use the 'kha' ending when addressing young female children.

 

It may however, be the case that males don't use it with other males, just with females. I may have to do some research on that.

[daeng bireley]

I wasn't going to answer this because I am a bit lazy, I sometimes I find it very time consuming defining the use of certain words, and so much has been said on this topic already.

 

" ler " is a spoken form of "rue" which I always thought came from

" rue plaow" until I looked it up in book on sentence particles I have.

It says "ler" and its variants are derived from " rue" with no mention of the "rue plaow" form.

 

"" signals a yes/no clue derived question for which the speaker has already recieved some clue, often signals a confirmation request.""

 

The dictionary also lists "rue" as a question word on its own , seperate from "rue plaow" which has a slightly different meaning to the above. You would think it a fairly safe bet though, that it has derived from the "rue plaow" form .

[Guest]

Indeed. "Plao" just means "not". "Rue" means "or". So, "rue plao" at the end of a sentence just means, literally, "or not". The construction is often shortened, leaving out the "plao", but the meaning is not changed. When alone, a lot of people pronounce the "rue" as "ler". Same-same, though.