luckyfarang Posted December 19, 2001 Report Share Posted December 19, 2001 MAI(f) PEN RAI….. Generally translated as “nevermind”, “forget it” or “It’s nothing”, this idiom would probably be the Thai national saying, if there was such a thing. It is frequently used to mean “you’re welcome” when thanked by a Thai, although “YINDEE” literal meaning: “glad” can be more polite and sounds more sophisticated. But MAI(f) PEN RAI is more of a state of mind than just a way to say “you’re welcome”. It epitomizes the Thai attitude of avoiding confrontation at all costs, and not being too serious or thinking too much. It could be translated into many slang phrases such as “Just blow it off”, “Get over it”, “Don’t get your knickers in a twist”, “No big deal”, etc. KHAAO(f) “rice” is basic to the mindset of all Asians, but Thais incorporate this into the language to stress it’s importance. GIN “eat” becomes GIN KHAAO(f) HIU® “hungry” becomes HIU® KHAAO(f) My favorite is KAP(l) KHAAO(f) literally “with rice”, the Thai word for “groceries”. This emphasizes that rice is the primary foodstuff and anything else eaten is secondary, to flavor the rice. Only a dirt poor Thai or a prisoner will eat plain rice, but just try to feed a meal without rice (or noodles) to a non westernized Thai, and they will feel deprived, whether they complain or not. Don’t be surprised when your Thai girlfriend expects rice in some form at every meal. In the North, I have heard girls say that if they have only plain rice and no sticky rice, then they don’t feel full. And they are always so surprised when a foreigner can eat sticky rice without constipation. And they are always so proud of their home brewed rice whiskey. They must be thinking “why do people pay 2000B for a bottle of Johnny Red when we have this great white lightning for only 25B?” I have to admit that the one time I had my arm twisted into tasting it, it was quite good. But then I’m a non-drinker, so what do I know? [ December 19, 2001: Message edited by: luckyfarang ] [ December 19, 2001: Message edited by: luckyfarang ] [ December 19, 2001: Message edited by: luckyfarang ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 19, 2001 Report Share Posted December 19, 2001 Apart from "MAI PEN RAI", two of the most important words defining the Thai psyche must be "KRENG JAI" (consideration? deference? how would you define it?) and of course "SANUK" (fun!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyfarang Posted December 19, 2001 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2001 See my earlier post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 19, 2001 Report Share Posted December 19, 2001 quote: Originally posted by luckyfarang: MAI(f) PEN RAI?.. Generally translated as ?nevermind?, ?forget it? or ?It?s nothing?, this idiom would probably be the Thai national saying, if there was such a thing. It is frequently used to mean ?you?re welcome? when thanked by a Thai, although ?YINDEE? literal meaning: ?glad? can be more polite and sounds more sophisticated. But MAI(f) PEN RAI is more of a state of mind than just a way to say ?you?re welcome?. It epitomizes the Thai attitude of avoiding confrontation at all costs, and not being too serious or thinking too much. It could be translated into many slang phrases such as ?Just blow it off?, ?Get over it?, ?Don?t get your knickers in a twist?, ?No big deal?, etc. KHAAO(f) ?rice? is basic to the mindset of all Asians, but Thais incorporate this into the language to stress it?s importance. GIN ?eat? becomes GIN KHAAO(f) HIU® ?hungry? becomes HIU® KHAAO(f) My favorite is KAP(l) KHAAO(f) literally ?with rice?, the Thai word for ?groceries?. This emphasizes that rice is the primary foodstuff and anything else eaten is secondary, to flavor the rice. Only a dirt poor Thai or a prisoner will eat plain rice, but just try to feed a meal without rice (or noodles) to a non westernized Thai, and they will feel deprived, whether they complain or not. Don?t be surprised when your Thai girlfriend expects rice in some form at every meal. In the North, I have heard girls say that if they have only plain rice and no sticky rice, then they don?t feel full. And they are always so surprised when a foreigner can eat sticky rice without constipation. And they are always so proud of their home brewed rice whiskey. They must be thinking ?why do people pay 2000B for a bottle of Johnny Red when we have this great white lightning for only 25B?? I have to admit that the one time I had my arm twisted into tasting it, it was quite good. But then I?m a non-drinker, so what do I know? [ December 19, 2001: Message edited by: luckyfarang ] [ December 19, 2001: Message edited by: luckyfarang ] [ December 19, 2001: Message edited by: luckyfarang ] If Im not totally wrong here saying KHAAO with a falling tone is ment rice in the isaan or lao but in THAI it means "knee" rice in THAI is more in a rising tone with a little downtone at the end. KHAAO with a flat tone is "White". Correct me anyone if im wrong but I think this is correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 19, 2001 Report Share Posted December 19, 2001 quote: Originally posted by The Mad Hatter: If Im not totally wrong here saying KHAAO with a falling tone is ment rice in the isaan or lao but in THAI it means "knee" rice in THAI is more in a rising tone with a little downtone at the end. KHAAO with a flat tone is "White". Correct me anyone if im wrong but I think this is correct. Sorry......wrong on all accounts. Rice (khao) is said with a very distinct falling tone in Thai and Laos Knee (also khao) is said with with a surpressed low tone. White (khao again) is said with a very distinct rising tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 20, 2001 Report Share Posted December 20, 2001 no way dan sorry don't come here saying that rice is said in the same way in lao dialect as in Thai caz I know it isn't so [ December 20, 2001: Message edited by: The Mad Hatter ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boo Radley Posted December 20, 2001 Report Share Posted December 20, 2001 With regard to KHAO, Dan is right about the tones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 20, 2001 Report Share Posted December 20, 2001 hmm this is very strange indeed then. I just talked to 4 different thai people tonight and they all said that the word for rice is said with different soundings in lao dialect and thai. But I don't want to pursue this any further so I lay down the sword. Eventhough I know I'm right. bye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamock Chokaprret Posted December 20, 2001 Report Share Posted December 20, 2001 Mad Hatter, While I dare not disagree with Dan, I remember when learning my colors that my g/f told me that the second word of sii khao was said the same as the word for rice. I have since learned the proper tones are (f)khao for rice and ®khao for white. However, she is from Issan and her words to me may have been influenced by your belief that the tones are different in Lao and Thai. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe there is another khao (falling I think) that means 'put inside of' as in khao bpaak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 20, 2001 Report Share Posted December 20, 2001 The "khao" that means "go inside" or "put inside" is indeed a falling tone. But it has a short "ao", whereas "khaaao" meaning "rice" has a long one. A very big difference in Thai: เข้า ("put into") versus ข้าว ("rice") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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