Use of "terr"?

[Guest]

I used to think this word "terr" meant "her" or "she", but then I was told it could also mean "I"? I then heard this word used in a song as "terr rak terr"! I am now thoroughly confused about this. My dictionary sucks, so of course, it's not in there.

 

Any feedback would be appreciated. If you do know about this word can you post the word in Thai so I can copy it. Thanks in advance

 

PS- Is "terr" used in conversation? I have in the past (as "she") but maybe I was wrong to do so?

 

 

[Pescator]

If you have thai-english dictionary I am sure it is in there, otherwise you should probably get rid of it

 

 

 

More often I hear it used meaning "you".

 

But it can also mean "she/her" and (even "he/him" although rarely.)

 

According to the above I would say that the song you are referring to probably means "you love her" or "she loves you".

 

 

 

I never have heard it used meaning "I".

 

Just to be sure I looked it up in my dictionary, here is what it says:

 

second person singular pronoun equivalent to you, used in polite conversation when speaking to an inferior or a person of the opposite sex; third person singular pronoun, used when referring to a lady, rarely to a man, equivalent to she.

 

Terr is only used in conversation.

 

 

 

Hua Nguu

 

 

 

 

 

Hua Nguu

 

 

[trotsky2]

I have been told that "tur" can be used in some ways but not others. For example, you can say "chan rak tur", meaning I love you. However, you can't say "pom rak tur" which you would translate to I love you. Instead you have to say "pom rak kewn".

 

go figure

[daeng bireley]

Ter (à¸Ã) can be used by females as third person pronoun and sometimes second person depending on closeness age etc. Chan and ter are used in songs by both males and females as the first and second person pronouns, as in "chan rak ter".

 

This is one of those words that is difficult for anyone other than a native speaker to use correctly.

 

 

[Pescator]

Right, and I`d bet that it is difficult even to a native speaker sometimes to be sure who you are actually talking about when using a word that can be a second person pronoun as well as a third person ditto.

 

Also the word "Kao" for he, she, her, him is a constant source of potential confusion. Who is the speaker actually referring to? It could be obvious from the context and the conservation but since thais like to shorten down on their sentences I am often left with a mild disorientation.

 

 

 

Does anybody in here know of any language that doesn`t necessarily make distinction between he, she, her, him?

 

I sure don`t.

 

 

 

Hua Nguu

 

 

[Guest]

For instance finnish is such language:he, she =hän

[tko]

I think that's why Thai's often use names instead of kow, or even chun or ter. Long ago I asked a girl if I was going to use kow to talk about her, how someone would know if I was speaking about a woman or a man. She said (using different name) "Noi mee chua reu plow" - "Don't I have a name?" I understood that to mean I shouldn't say kow when I knew someone's name, I should say their name.

 

 

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

 

 

 

I think there is a distinction in Thai. I have heard of the word 'lon' being used for 'her', with 'kao' being used for 'him'.

 

 

 

Seems to be only in 'polite' Thai though, and have only ever heard this being used on a English lesson tape my wife was listening to.

 

 

 

Sanuk!

 

 

[daeng bireley]

KS,

 

lon or ËÅèù this is one of those archaic words that i think now is only used if talking impolitely or down to someone.

 

Heard on thai TV soap operas when the rich older women of the house is telling the maid what to do.

 

 

[Goodthaigirl]

daeng bireley

 

 

 

>lon or ËÅèù this is one of those archaic words that i think now is only used if talking impolitely or down to someone.

 

 

 

Not necessarily. We still use the word 'lon (ËÅèù) or jow lon (à¨éÒËÅèù)' though not in common conversation. We tend to use it when we what our conversation with friends more colourful and fun. We use the word as the 'third person' to a friend and it's not to look down to anybody.

 

 

 

GTG