Pescator Posted May 22, 2002 Report Share Posted May 22, 2002 Anybody staying any length of time in Asia will sooner or later come across this asian concept. Suchart are you coming? Yes, I am coming. Suchart won`t you be coming? Yes, I won`t be coming. That always leaves me slightly disorientated. It sure is a pitfall for those arriving in Thailand for the first time. Hua Nguu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobbledonk Posted May 22, 2002 Report Share Posted May 22, 2002 It took me a while to realise that people would nod vigourously in agreement with me when I was asking a question, even though they had absolutely no idea what I was on about. I believe its the prospect of losing face that prompts this behaviour. Not sure if answering in the negative has anything to do with this behaviour, but, as you can see, I AM nodding vigourously... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 23, 2002 Report Share Posted May 23, 2002 I'm always entertained by non-yes-or-no questions answered with a "yes," no matter how many times I attempt to rephrase the question: "What time would be good for you?" "Yes." "No, I'm asking you at what time will you be available." "Yes." "The clock. What time will the clock show when you can meet me?" "Yes." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iuytrede Posted May 23, 2002 Report Share Posted May 23, 2002 this is a matter of grammar, not an "Asian concept". English: "John won't you be coming?" "Yes I will be coming." That always leaves me slightly disorientated. It sure is a pitfall for those learning English. In my language, which is closely related to English, you cannot use "yes" here, and it took me 22 years to realize in English you can use "yes" here. Actually, I am not even sure about it, please correct me if I'm wrong. (I just checked the biggest dictionary I could find and they say you can use "yes" here.) To me, "yes" feels a lot more counterintuitive here than the Thai usage "Yes, I won't be coming." And I am not Asian. BTW in French or German you cannot use the equivalent of "yes" (oui resp ja) here (as you can do in English). But you cannot use "no" (non resp. nein) either, there are special words for this case (si resp. doch). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 24, 2002 Report Share Posted May 24, 2002 I agree it tends to be disorienting, makes you think twice. Though in Thai it makes sense, Suchart ja pai duay, chai mai. Chai, (ja pai duay) Suchart ja mai pai duay, chai mai. Chai, (mai pai) Suchart you will be coming also, right? Right, (I am coming). Suchart you won't be coming, right? Right, (I won't be coming). I think it is the sentence structure in Thai, placing the words for confirmation at the end, which lends to the confusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pescator Posted May 24, 2002 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2002 It does make sense in the leading question you mention, however, you might as well ask the negative question like this: Suchart Ja Mai Pai Rue? Chai (or Mai Pai for that matter). In the first example it still makes somewhat less sense to me as you cannot answer like that in my language. But now when I come to think about it we have 2 different words for replying "yes" to a question, depending on whether it is a negative one or not. So that is probably why it at first was particularly confusing to me. Hua Nguu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.