"man" = it for farang

[iuytrede]

I understand that "man" can be used 1. for persons you are very close to (like BF/GF) or 2. with a derogatory connotation - compare mueng/gu.

So it seems to be ok if a GF talks about her farang BF using "man" (actually I have heard someThais complaining about it) - but how about a street vendor refering to a farang as "man"?

[ March 03, 2002: Message edited by: iuytrede ]

[Guest]

"Man" is rude in any context. It can be used among very VERY close people -- kind of like how I call my best buddy a cunt sometimes.

Otherwise, use "kae" (neutral) or "khao" (mildly honorific).

Personally, I'd avoid "man" altogether unless you really know what you're doing.

[iuytrede]

I sure do avoid "man".

But I would be interested to know what I have to think of Thai people who refer to me or some other farang as "man"?

[ March 03, 2002: Message edited by: iuytrede ]

[Guest]

They are rude, and likely low class and uneducated.

[bibblies]

It pisses me off no end to be referred to as "man" and I raise such a fuss every time that an offender has rarely repeated the mistake.

However, I have heard some argue that it's a colloqialism, often used without malice, in Isaan. Anyone know if this is true?

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

"However, I have heard some argue that it's a colloqialism, often used without malice, in Isaan. Anyone know if this is true?"

I think it is. My wife (although she is not from Isaan) uses this when refering to family members and close friends (hers only, never mine). However, it should never be used when refering to someone you are not close to.

I too would get severly pissed off if a streetvendor (to use iuytrede's example) would refer to me like that.

My wife overheard a laundry girl refer to her like this once, she had the manager and girl come up to our room. Both profusely apologized.

As a rule, I don't use 'man'. Unless I am trying to get a point across, like the person I am refering to is scum.

Sanuk!

[Guest]

ex-wif's gf referred to me in her conversation to the wif as 'mahn', in front of me. i called her up on it and she went scarlet. she never set foot in the house again. means you're lower than dog shit. that's the general idea anyway. that's how a lot of them think. a lot of them hate us but we get sidetracked by smiles. ching ching. anyway they need the money, we need the pussy. something like that.

[Guest]

"man" is usually a word you hear when refering to animals basicaly the same as "it" in English. Did the dog eat it's food yet? Did "it" bite you? for example. Sometimes I hear it used when refering to children. bahnawk

[Guest]

"man" is not respectful but it's not necessarily derogatory. Whether "man" is used is not just a matter of the relationship between the person speaking and the 3rd party referred to, but also a matter of the relationship between the person speaking and the person being spoken to. If two people have a very close relationship they can use "man" to refer to another person of equal/lesser status without any derogatory connotation even though they may not have a close relationship to that 3rd party.

[Guest]

Yes, PhiiJames is correct. To refer to someone else as "man" when discussing him with another person who is very familiar to you is quite common. But it would be rude to do so when that third person was within earshot.