White lies

[Pescator]

How does this concept translate into thai.

The reason for my question is that there is currently running a TV serie in my country with this title.

Although I am able to translate it to thai, I wondered if there is a similar concept in thai.

[Guest]

I don't know about translation but, the concept is there. Just about every thai girl I know with holds information. The only thing is not so u don't lose face, it's so she doesn't lose face.

[Lamock Chokaprret]

I don't think a white lie and a lie of omission are the same thing.

You can tell a girl you like her hair when it looks like it should be worn only by a Gorgon. That is a white lie because you don't want to hurt her feelings.

You can fail to tell a girl that you are a 'jao shue.' In other words, you fooled around behind her back. That is a lie of omission and could be a very bad lie. Of the black variety.

I say this because I also wonder if Thai makes these distinctions. All I know is 'go-hock' and 'moo-sa' (from the Pali) but neither implies the degree of the lie to my knowledge.

[Pescator]

quote:

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Originally posted by Lamock Chokaprret:

I say this because I also wonder if Thai makes these distinctions. All I know is 'go-hock' and 'moo-sa' (from the Pali) but neither implies the degree of the lie to my knowledge.

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I am not familiar with the word Moo-Sa? How does that spell in thai?

How would you say the word: Doorlae fits in here?

And how would one say the expression "White lie" in thai?

Actually I don`t think there is an expression covering it, but I could be wrong of course.

The closest I can get to a similar expression in thai would be something like:

Kham Gohok Thi Mai Mee Jeetnaa Raay.

"A lie that doesn`t intent to do any harm."

But that sure isn`t a fixed expression as White Lie is in english.

I wonder what a dictionary like the one authored by Mary Haas would suggest for this expression.

[luckyfarang]

GO-HOK - "Lie", or "Liar" (short for KON GOHOK)

DOH-AH-LAY® "Fib", "fibber", or "You fibber!" "A minor lie". This is the closest Thai word to "white lie" I could think of, but not quite exact.

PAK WAAN® - Literally: "sweet mouth". Closest translation is "flatterer" but used way more frequently than the same word in english. Also used in a similar way to DO-AH-LAY® in response to insincere compliments.

POOD(f) THAYT(f) - I'm not too clear on this one. I think it may be for more formal and written usage and translates something like: "to speak untruths", "to speak with forked tongue".

I will need to ask my girlfriend for a better word for "white lie". It would seem that the Thai language would have many adjectives or terms for lying.

[Lamock Chokaprret]

Hua Nguu asked:

quote:

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I am not familiar with the word Moo-Sa? How does that spell in thai?

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I can't read or write Thai so I can't help you there. I can say that I picked it up off another post on this board and know from there that it derives from Pali and that monks use it. The context I heard it in was to say to someone:

'Mai tawng moo-saa'

Always gets a great reaction. I've changed the transliteration a bit because the last aa is kind of drawn out (sort of like when the dentist tells you to open your moutn and say 'ahhh') and rising tone.

I'm told that older folks use it a lot. Whether that means the word itself is old or what, I'm not sure. It does seem to command some respect though.

[Pescator]

quote:

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Originally posted by luckyfarang:

GO-HOK - "Lie", or "Liar" (short for KON GOHOK)

DOH-AH-LAY® "Fib", "fibber", or "You fibber!" "A minor lie". This is the closest Thai word to "white lie" I could think of, but not quite exact.

PAK WAAN® - Literally: "sweet mouth".

POOD(f) THAYT(f) - I'm not too clear on this one. I think it may be for more formal and written usage and translates something like: "to speak untruths", "to speak with forked tongue".

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Yes I guess most of us in here are familiar with the expression Paak Waan for some reason

Mayby you will also have heard somebody add: Dtae Gon Pliaw, suggesting that you are not quite sincere.

Actually a thai friend of mine told me just the other day that "white lies" could translate to: Gohok Nah Daay.

Never heard it before, but one should probably listen to the experts.

[Guest]

gor hog = lie / fib

dorlah jing = bullshit (not good)

[Guest]

To understand white lies in Thailand you first have to understand Kalatesa, a Pali Sanscrit construct. Kala (Gan in Thai) means time and tesa (Thet as in prathet Thai) means space.

Kalatesa is a noun, according to the dictionary it means proper, suitable ask and people will tell you it is "appropriateness". Kalatesa is about people and places and events coming together appropriately. Knowing Kaltesa is central to Thai social relations. acting according to Kalatesa is imperative to orderliness in social situations.

To accuse someone of "mai ruechak galatesa" or literally, not knowing the right time and place is offensive in that non- gutter level. It serves as an admonition to both adults and children. To relate this to the issues on this board Thais operate according to Kalatesa and will tell a white lie if the time and place or context warrants it. They are no different to us. The real challenge for those who are interested is finding out what constitutes kalatesa to the Thais.

[Guest]

Originally posted by farangboy:

"To understand white lies in Thailand you first have to understand Kalatesa, a Pali Sanscrit construct. Kala (Gan in Thai) means time and tesa (Thet as in prathet Thai) means space."

Actually, in Sanskrit it's "kaala" (first a long, second a short), and "desha". Of course, the Thais would pronounce the d as a t.

"Desha" means land or space (as in "Bangladesh"); "kaala" is time, finity and even death. Another name for Shiva is Mahaakaala, "The Great Death/Terminator"!