dave32 Posted September 2, 2010 Report Share Posted September 2, 2010 Pick up on conversations that you were not supposed to hear? Was thinking about bar situations but curious about any scenario... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted September 2, 2010 Report Share Posted September 2, 2010 I don't pretend, but there are times I simply may not tell them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vintage_Kwai Posted September 2, 2010 Report Share Posted September 2, 2010 Agreed with Flash... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USVirgin Posted September 2, 2010 Report Share Posted September 2, 2010 Second question: How do you keep a straight face? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vintage_Kwai Posted September 2, 2010 Report Share Posted September 2, 2010 There're conversations in bars?!? :hubba: The 'listening' from the OP's question would infer you're not the target of the converssation but you'd be in a position to overhear something. Just look the other way. The people I'm with know and expect proficiency from me. I'd like to be in a position to assess a situation with people ouside the normal circle and then make a decision whether or not it need to continue in a second language. Decisions, decisions... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USVirgin Posted September 2, 2010 Report Share Posted September 2, 2010 Understood. I didn't necessarily mean in bars, but anywhere Thais would speak about you in front of you, assuming you didn't understand them. So...in essence...yes, same type folk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizardKing Posted September 2, 2010 Report Share Posted September 2, 2010 Pick up on conversations that you were not supposed to hear? Was thinking about bar situations but curious about any scenario... Of course. Hard to keep a straight face in a bar because the conversations are so asinine. I have used it to my advantage in business negotiations where the Thai company simply assumed I did not speak Thai and assigned me an interpreter. Heheheheh...made out like a bandit on that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USVirgin Posted September 2, 2010 Report Share Posted September 2, 2010 Did you see the press conference the other day afer Manny Ramirez signed with the White Sox? He had a coach act as Spanish interpretor for him. Dude grew up in New York and has been speaking English to the media his entire 19 year career!!! Next day, back to English speaking interviews again. Some sportswriter pundit pointed out, "Might be a Chicago curse thing, remember Sammy Sosa forgot how to speak English before congress." LOL Damn, I really do need to get a job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelseafan Posted September 2, 2010 Report Share Posted September 2, 2010 No, but I have sometimes pretended I could speak Thai to keep the girls on their toes.. I'm afraid my proficiency is low, I do understand quite a lot but if they get a whiff of you understanding Thai they will switch to Lao anyhow....you can't win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specialist Posted September 3, 2010 Report Share Posted September 3, 2010 Several years ago, my second trip to LOS, two girls (one apparently a ladyboy, post-op, breast implants, and a really good person otherwise), it went pear-shaped and I wound up having to "ask" one of them to leave. (Any more difficulties and I was going to call security up to the room to escort her out.) The ladyboy remained, and was apologetic about how the situation had gone. I said "Mai pen rai". The SHOCKED look on her face said it ALL: How much of what they'd said to each other in Thai had I understood? I reassured her, quickly, explaining that I only knew about a dozen words of Thai, hello, thank you, mai pen rai, and how to say the address of the hotel. The relief on her face was equally obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.