The negative "Plao" used under which circumstances

[Guest]

Originally posted by luckyfarang:

"PLAO literally means "empty", ..."

... just as in "naam-plao", "plain water".

[Lamock Chokaprret]

quote:

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PEN ARAI? PLAO.

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?? 'bpen arai' as in 'what you be' ??

Not sure I understand the question. If I were to ask

'what are you doing?' - 'tahm arai?'

with the expected answer being 'mai mii tahm arai' which I understood to be the standard phrase for nothing, substituting 'tahm' for the appropriate verb (e.g., 'ginn,' 'hen,' etc.). So a little elaboration on when 'plao' is used as 'nothing' would be appreciated.

Of course, I am new at this stuff so I could be wrong.

[luckyfarang]

Good point, Phil.

[Guest]

Quite simply, if you look at it as MAI meaning 'no',or more specifically 'not' and PLAO (on it's own - not in question form) as meaning 'nothing' there shouldn't be too much confusion.

[ August 18, 2001: Message edited by: Dan ]

[Guest]

rue bplao

or not, or nothing

khun ja pai rue bplao

are you going or not

in this case normal reply mai pai or pai

tam arai? what are you doing

mai dai tam arai or mai mii arai tam

or just "bplao"

if you ate or have you eaten is

gin khao rue yung

eat or (not) yet

yes is "gin laew" eaten already

no is just "yung" or not yet

probably a bit harder to understand the

"not" is not said. "yung" or "yet" used this way means "not yet"

you cant answer this type of question

with "bplao"

what did you say

phoot arai?

nothing

bplao

I didnt say anything

mai dai phoot arai

[Guest]

plao does not mean empty.

wun-plao means empty.

ask a thai to write it for you.

a car is a vehicle; is a carton a vehicle?

wind is moving air; is a window, moving air?

a jumper is a pull-over; is a jump, a pull-over?

[ September 10, 2001: Message edited by: mushroom ]