learning the thai language

[Frankie 1]

There are more languages in the world than only English. Parrot, it seems like you think that English has some superiour way of pronouncing the Roman alphabet which the rest of the western world should adapt. Strange way of thinking.

The way the English pronounce the k, aspirated, is not the standard way, it's the exeption. And writing the un-aspirated k like a G, is wrong, because the ก has an unvoiced sound.

English is not the only western language, but it's a language that uses a rather strange pronunciation of the Roman alphabet.

Koh is an excellent way to transcribe the word, easy to understand for speakers of most european languages. Why should we all change everything because only native English speaking people like to pronounce a lot of vowels and consonants differently?

When you give pronunciation advice, make it clear that you only address native English speakers, because most other people think that you are writing nonsense when you transliterate to the Roman script.

There are also many speakers of other languages member of this forum and busy learning Thai.

[parrot]

There are more languages in the world than only English. Parrot, it seems like you think that English has some superiour way of pronouncing the Roman alphabet which the rest of the western world should adapt. Strange way of thinking.

The way the English pronounce the k, aspirated, is not the standard way, it's the exeption. And writing the un-aspirated k like a G, is wrong, because the ก has an unvoiced sound.

English is not the only western language, but it's a language that uses a rather strange pronunciation of the Roman alphabet.

Koh is an excellent way to transcribe the word, easy to understand for speakers of most european languages. Why should we all change everything because only native English speaking people like to pronounce a lot of vowels and consonants differently?

When you give pronunciation advice, make it clear that you only address native English speakers, because most other people think that you are writing nonsense when you transliterate to the Roman script.

There are also many speakers of other languages member of this forum and busy learning Thai.

My approach is simply trying to encourage those who think learning Thai is beyond their ability....and to show the usefulness of learning even the basics of reading. I'm afraid I'd not be successful in doing so by flinging 'aspirated, unaspirated, unvoiced' vocabulary at someone who might be interested in learning to read. I'll leave that for the academics. Sorry if I insulted your intelligence.

[Frankie 1]

My approach is simply trying to encourage those who think learning Thai is beyond their ability....and to show the usefulness of learning even the basics of reading. I'm afraid I'd not be successful in doing so by flinging 'aspirated, unaspirated, unvoiced' vocabulary at someone who might be interested in learning to read. I'll leave that for the academics. Sorry if I insulted your intelligence.

You completely miss the point here. It's not about technical terms, but about the odd way native English people pronounce Roman script.

Writing something like "gought" makes no sense at all to most westerners, it's complete gibberish to westerners who are not native English speakers. The way you English speaking people transliterate Thai text makes no sense at all to other westerners. The western world is not only about native English speakers, sometimes native English speakers seem to forget that...

There is nothing wrong with the transliteration of เกาะ to Ko or Koh. Probably only the English speakers pronounce Koh differently, that's their problem. So please don't generalise all westerners as if they all should adapt the English way of pronunciation. We are not all English and we don't have the many pronunciation problems with Thai language the way English speakers have.

[Thaitompa]

I do agree with Frankie. I am a Swede living outside Udon but two years ago I study Thai in Phuket. My classmates from Canada was unable to pronounce "gin " as in "gin kao". They have had too many gin and tonics, haha

[Frankie 1]

Hmmmm, because English speakers have a hard time pronouncing Thai, let's help them a bit.

A good way to learn Thai is through Thai songs. This is a website that has probably hundreds of Thai pop songs, including links to the songs on YouTube. While listening to the music you can read: the Thai lyrics, the (awkward) English style of transliteration of the lyrics, and translation of the lyrics in English as well.

So you can read the text while listening to the song and try to repeat. At the same time you can read the translation in English. Good way to practice...

http://deungdutjai.com
http://deungdutjai.com/lyrics-directory

Deungdutjai.com - ดึงดูดใจ - Thai music translations. Promoting Thai music internationally.

[parrot]

Learning to read a little bit of Thai can go a long way! Most everyone knows how to say school in Thai.....(rong rien) โรงเรียน. The first syllable โรง means 'building/hall' and is also used as a classifier for buildings. You'll see signs in front of every primary school with the word โรงเรียน. You'll also see traffic signs warning drivers to be careful when approaching a school zone.
Some other common words that use the syllable/word โรง
โรงรถ carport
โรงกลึง machine shop
โรงสีข้าว rice mill
โรงแรม hotel
and my favorite: โรงแรมจิ้งหรีด a seedy hourly room hotel จิ้งหรีด means a 'cricket' or a leaping chirping insect.

[parrot]

Last week, on another channel, someone was yakking about veggie food places in Udon. They're easy to spot....as most all will have a yellow sign in front announcing veggie food. Look for the sign that says เจ.......you say "jay" or aa-haan jay for veggie food.

Here's another restaurant sign I spotted this morning, on the road behind the complex. Several people have asked about finding such a restaurant......this isn't the only one.....but the ones that cater to such tastes usually have signs to that effect.
The sign says:

ร้าน นี่ ไม่ มี ผงชูรส (the last word can be broken down.....ผง ชู รส)


Any guesses?

[Prenders88]

Er... no MSG here?
This shop does not sell MSG?

[parrot]

You got it! or....more colloquially, MSG-free food served here.

[parrot]

Lots of folks think things like Google Glass are geeky (among other things). But I wonder:
If you lived in Thailand and couldn't read Thai, but by wearing Google Glass, you could at least read signs/menus, would you consider wearing Google Glass?

Or does the saying, ไม่รู้อะไรสบาย mai ruu arai sabaai take precedence over looking geeky?

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/trave ... ref=travel

Nothing to do with Learning Thai, but I'd wear Google Glass if there was an app to instantly recognize a face/name. Sometimes they stick, and sometimes they don't......possibly a result of playing too much with mercury when I was a kid.

[FrazeeDK]

ah... yes, something to whisper in your ear the name of the person you've forgotten you ever met!! A technical antidote to the bane of growing older and the neurons not firing nearly as fast as when younger..

[GT93]

Thanks for sharing those links Frankie 1. They're great websites. I hope to use them a lot this year (2014).

[parrot]

On the way back from Khonkaen today, I saw this road sign several times. It's a warning sign.....for me, it serves as a reminder of road hazards to come, rather than happening now......especially at this time of year.....actually, more so at this time of year than during the rainy season.
Reason #1476 that a little Thai goes a long way.

(note: I scooped the photo below off of google images....but it's the same one I saw along the highway today)

[Frankie 1]

Thanks for sharing those links Frankie 1. They're great websites. I hope to use them a lot this year (2014).

Here's another one...

http://www.melodyinthai.com

Western pop song lyrics translated to Thai.

You can look at the YouTube clip of the song, scroll down and read the English lyrics followed by Thai translation of the lyrics.

Another good site for learning Thai through songs.

Example:
http://www.melodyinthai.com/2013/01/one ... oon-5.html

... and another good reason to learn to read Thai script. :-"

[Frankie 1]

On the way back from Khonkaen today, I saw this road sign several times. It's a warning sign.....for me, it serves as a reminder of road hazards to come, rather than happening now......especially at this time of year.....actually, more so at this time of year than during the rainy season.
Reason #1476 that a little Thai goes a long way.

Hint:

road sign 555.png (11.73 KiB) Viewed 5102 times

[Shado]

We've been doing a bit of traveling in the Chiang Mai area. A couple of days ago we stopped at a small restaurant and found this "special menu". Interesting reading if you like อาหารป่า (ahan bpa).

[parrot]

Shado, there's a restaurant on the way to Khonkaen that serves up a variety of อาการป่า. The ปลากระเบน seems a bit out of place for a อาหารป่า menu, especially in Chiangmai. Maybe it's a freshwater variety??
Enjoy your trip. Send more signs!

[Shado]

The ปลากระเบน seems a bit out of place for a อาหารป่า menu, especially in Chiangmai. Maybe it's a freshwater variety??

Yes, I thought a bid odd also but pretty sure it would be a saltwater species as the freshwater ปลากระเบน is a fairly rare catch even in the larger rivers. This restaurant was a little mom & pop place and probably offered up whatever might be brought to them or what their supplier might have recommended.

[parrot]

Here's reason #979 why a little Thai goes a long way:

While picking up flowers for our anniversary, I inquired whether there was a key maker nearby. The owner directed me to a shop near Makro. She told me the name ต๋....I asked if there was a sign in front of the shop, but she didn't know.
So now I'm driving past Nongbua market, looking for the key shop.....and sure enough, directly across from the sports complex, there's the sign:

ตี๋ says he can make keys for most any Thai lock....and 80% of the others. He has 3 different machines. 20 baht for a door key is about as cheap as any place I've been to in many years.

These are good signs for learning the variety of Thai fonts......some easier than others. If you know the word for 'key'......กุญแจ......you'll be able to read through the modern font and see the word.

[GT93]

It's time consuming learning to read Thai and then there's this problem of the fonts. I would have spotted ต๋ if I was driving past. But it took me a while to see key because of the red vowel. I enjoy trying to work out shop signs, names on buses and menus. It makes Thailand even more interesting for me.