"FARANG"

[check_bin_krap]

tolerance was not really the subject.

 

 

 

Oops, sorry. I should look more at the thread. Stille early here...

[BkkShaggy]

"but still the fact that ¤¹µèÒ§´éÒÇ translates into alien makes me wonder. "

 

 

 

 

 

Me too. Must have been a translation mistake ?

 

 

 

"Aliens are from a another planet, are they not. And those lands are very very distant aren't they, äÃéâ· or no äÃéâ· "

 

 

 

 

 

In our connotation I guess so but not for Thai language.

 

µèÒ§´ÒÇ Aliens are from a another planet , without äÃéâ·

 

µèÒ§´éÒÇ foreign (in this case)

[BkkShaggy]

"Another reason is, some Thais do not call the foriegners by their names because the names can be difficult to prononce."

 

 

 

 

 

So true. Why didn't we think of that before?

 

 

 

My gf's granny called her dad's boss as Buk Fang (ºÑ¡á¿§)because she could pronounced his name Frank.

[markle]

>"but still the fact that ¤¹µèÒ§´éÒÇ translates into alien makes me wonder. "

 

>Me too. Must have been a translation mistake ?

 

 

 

Not really, considering it's the official word for foriengers in the USofA

 

 

 

>I just found out recently that in Hindi the corresponding word is firanghi and is often used the same way, as a generic classifier for non-Indian persons of European origin.

 

 

 

Really! That throws a spanner in the works of the French -Farangset- falang theory.

[Brink15]

BkkShaggy,

 

 

 

I wrote:

 

 

 

"The people I'm referring to as annoying are the "ji koh" and drunks."

 

 

 

You wrote:

 

 

 

"Jik-koh or ¨Ôê¡â¡ë comes from English word..guess...Gigolo, with a different connotation of course. It doesn't mean drunk but rather a person who just hang aroung doing nothing or badmouth to passer-by and living off their family of gf. "

 

 

 

I didn't say that ji-koh are drunks, I said "ji-koh and drunks." Indicating two separate groups. Although often times the ji-koh I have seen have been drunk or on yah bah. The definition I learned many years ago was street punk or gangster wannabe. And no, I don't mean literal translation; I mean more in terms of usage.

 

 

 

 

 

Both groups are people for whom I have little or no use.

 

 

 

 

[Zaad]

"Another reason is, some Thais do not call the foriegners by their names because the names can be difficult to prononce."

 

"So true. Why didn't we think of that before?"

 

 

 

Difficult to pronounce?? Come on, first of all, a little effort by trying to pronounce it correctly wouldn't be that bad. And anyway, "fank" instead of "frank" is nicer to hear than "farang". It's unique and shows respect towards you.

 

 

 

Second, I have many Thai friends who I call by their names.

 

Some of those names require me to stretch my tongue first before even thinking about pronouncing it correctly. I always manage to pronounce it close enough.

 

I would feel very weird calling them "asian" or something.

[BkkShaggy]

"Difficult to pronounce?? Come on, first of all, a little effort by trying to pronounce it correctly wouldn't be that bad. And anyway, "fank" instead of "frank" is nicer to hear than "farang". It's unique and shows respect towards you. "

 

 

 

 

 

She was my gf's GRANNY. She was quite old at the time. Any foreign words is hard for her to pronounce even some Central Thai words !

 

 

 

I understand what you mean perfectly though. When my gf was abroad she insisted her farang friends call her by her Thai name. Some of her Chinese friends have English names because they think that it would be easier for farang classmates to pronounce. But my gf thought if they pronounced her Thai name incorrectly that was there problem - not hers. And she could correct them and would start 'cultural exchange' with them.

[Zaad]

I was mentioning "some Thais" not your GF's granny. Sorry for giving you the wrong impression.

 

 

 

And another thing, I'm very thankful that Thais have their own nickname. Their real name is so hard to pronouce and remember. Maybe they have nicknames since foreigners entered their country. Could be possible.

[markle]

Their real name is so hard to pronouce and remember. Maybe they have nicknames since foreigners entered their country. Could be possible.

 

 

 

Actually I find real Thai names alot easier than nicknames.

 

Most are derived from Sanskrit words so have few tones and, contrary to popualr belief they are usually 2-3 sylablles long(surnames are another matter). Nicknames are usually a minefield of tones and tricky pronunciation, and as a teacher I've found real names alot safer. The last thing you want is to embarrass some kid terribly by mispronouncing their nickname wrong(like calling them buttbreath in Thai).

 

Some examples of horror nickname situations:

 

§Öé§ (ngeung)

 

the brothers àà & àÃë ('a'middle tone and 'a' falling tone)

 

 

 

As for the historical aspect. Foreigners probably heralded the use of real names not the other way round. Originally most commoners had simple names like current nicknames. King Rama V introuduced the use of family names, then people started giving children high sounding official 'real' names and used nicknames in everyday life. The Chinese probably also had some influence since they often had a few names to go by.

[Boo Radley]

Hi,

 

àÃë would be rising tone, wouldn't it?