'He speaks Thai'

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

 

"The only way to really improve your Thai is by reading."

 

I agree, it's just finding time (and motivation ) to do it.

 

Sanuk!

[bibblies]

Then you have to keep using the words in context otherwise you forget them anyway, I find..

[rickfarang]

Most likely its a sign of respect and admiration, and besides a farang who speaks Thai is a true novelty.

 

 

Also:

 

"... I've found that speaking Thai tends to drive away the mercenary BGs."

 

Is there any other kind?

[Guest]

Flashermac said:

The only way to really improve your Thai is by reading. Otherwise, you find yourself in the same situations over and over again using the same vocabulary.

 

 

 

 

...or having lots of thai friends you hang out regularly with and only speak thai with all the time.

[Mentors]

KS,

I hear this to me also in difference situations, but im quite shure it is with positive intentions.

[gobbledonk]

Hi Mentors,

 

I apologise for using you as an example, but English is clearly your second language, yet we can all understand you (most of the time ). Why would Thai be any different ?

[Flashermac]

<< ...or having lots of thai friends you hang out regularly with and only speak thai with all the time. >>

 

 

You're likely to end up with the "wrong kind" of vocabulary though. It came be embarrassing when you come out with a word that has women blushing at work.

[Guest]

blushing chicks are cute. ::

 

 

but it depends. obviously at the beginning one makes mistakes, but the more and wider social situations one gets into the better the command of the language becomes, and one knows which words to avoid in certain social settings.

i found the most embarrassing situations come up when bar style tinglish is used, especially with idioms almost exclusively used in bars.

and, personally, i have not much patience with stuck up bitches (of both sexes ) who do not tolerate little mistakes when a foreigner tries to speak thai. once a while in office situations you meet those sort of people who snottely point out every single mistake one makes, pretending not to understand one's tones, generally accompanied by some comments bordering on racism. i have developed a few standard answers and jokes on that, which reverses the situation rather rapidly, and makes them end up being the laughing stock in front of their collegues. some people simply do not want to understand you, however well you speak the language. fortunately those sorts are the minority.

[Guest]

Sir,

Would you be so kind as to pass on 2 of those jokes with pronouciation?

thanks heaps!

[Guest]

my favourite one is asking innocently, slowly and politely if they speak thai (ohh, kor tot, krap. khun puut thai dai mai krap?).

or, sometimes you get great laughs when you suddenly switch then into countrybumkin isaarn lao dialect (a few phrases are enough) when they pretend not to understand your attempts of central thai, imlying that they might be more familiar with a language perceived as very low class.

 

can't really help you with the pronounciation as i have never learned how to read and write thai, and when you come out with those comments you have to have the right facial expression along with it, so that it is really understand as a joke, and you gotta time it well enough also for maximum effect.