learning the thai language

[parrot]

รถรับจ้าง rot rup jang = vehicle for hire

20 minutes/day with dictionary, baby steps

Stick with it.......toss the transliteration as you'll find it detracts from reading script. Check out learn thai with thaipod101 on you tube. Jay speaks clearly....easy to recognize the tones, and the lessons are short. If you're stiumped, pm me.....I'll try to help

[mech_401]

I can read well enough. consonants & vowels
can make all those out. recognize the tone marks
but have never been able to decipher tone/length
from all those clues

[parrot]

Today's menu for somptom had a chili scale.....1 pepper, not hot, 2 hot just so, up to 5. The highest rating said:
เผ็ดตายไม่เอาเรื่อง

Anyone want to take a stab?

[mech_401]

spicy die not want concerning

and, obviously that's not correct have
to plug & chug with google translate

[parrot]

เผ็ดตายไม่เอาเรื่อง

These are the kind of phrases that require some analysis.....straight dictionary translation helps but a bit.

Imagine if the McDonald's $3million coffee lady had returned her cup saying it wasn't hot enough and she asked for it to be blazing hot (to endure a long ride maybe).

[Chuchi]

Blazing hot which is of no concern (to the consumer)

[parrot]

My loose translation:. From the customer: I have only myself to blame if I die (because the food is too hot) .
From the restaurant:. If you die, we can't be held liable.
Any other ideas?

[mech_401]

yes , i was just thinking similar to you

" very spicy , eat at your own risk " when
the individual words are all akimbo

another difficulty, along with tones is length
เผ็ด spicy is short เพศ sex is long VERY similar

[Chuchi]

yes , i was just thinking similar to you

" very spicy , eat at your own risk " when
the individual words are all akimbo

another difficulty, along with tones is length
เผ็ด spicy is short เพศ sex is long VERY similar

Gets my vote

[parrot]

another difficulty, along with tones is length
เผ็ด spicy is short เพศ sex is long VERY similar

Actually, เผ็ด is low tone (ผ + ด as final = low), while เพศ is a falling tone syllable พ + ศ as final = falling)

It could be reason #5023 to learn the tones.....as there's a world of difference between the two words.

If you've been able to tackle the alphabet......and can put sounds to the mix of vowels/consonants, then tones are the next challenge. If you've gotten this far and haven't turned your brain into mush, there's no reason to shy away from the tone rules. Subtle differences between syllables and words.....but if you find the natives not understanding you when you speak Thai, in all likelihood, it's because your tones are messed up. If you've come this far, don't stop now! It's worth the effort

[FrazeeDK]

or you speak to a local in Thai or Issan and they look at you totally befuddled. I've had that happen on a number of occasions and asked the wife, "was my pronunciation correct?" She told me it was perfect. In some cases the power is in the mind of a listener who expects a foreigner to be babbling in their own language so doesn't hear the person speaking Thai...

[mech_401]

yes it isnt always squeals of happiness and applause at foreigners bumbling attempts

here are 3 thai words หญ้า , ยา , อย่า
grass , medicine and don't all yah-yah-yah
im afraid the tones are beyond me

[mech_401]

seriously im content being able to read&write
little bits. speaking like a native was not goal

[parrot]

Sitting in MK tonight........busy as ever......the signs on the wall caught my attention:

ซุปเปอร์แซ่ป in one photo.....a fusion of west meets east
โอ้! มายพอยท์ in the other.......a good example of how if you pronounce the consonant in ท์ most Thais won't understand you......but if you swallow the ท์ they will

[FrazeeDK]

super Saab (an Issan twist??)(

Oh, my point??

[parrot]

super Saab (an Issan twist??)(

Oh, my point??

I say "super saap" frequently.......when the food is super saap, of course.

MK's new promotion is a point system.......entitling you to free dishes when you get enough points. So, I think if I was forced to translate (judging from the expression on the girl's face), I'd say "Oh my! point." But then, the Thai version has the exclamation point over the first word, so............

[Chuchi]

I can only think it’s something similar to earn points , มาย on its own meaning count,calculate.

[parrot]

It's back to preschool for me. Oh! count points.
So much for that lesson. Thanks for pointing out my mistake!

[Chuchi]

It's back to preschool for me. Oh! count points.
So much for that lesson. Thanks for pointing out my mistake!

I have to admit parrot I’m only making a guess judging by what’s written underneath ,the more you eat the more points you get.

Ps I enjoy the thread, keep it up

[Chuchi]

super Saab (an Issan twist??)(

Oh, my point??

The answer I gave never sat well with me as it does seem it’s a play on the English Language, I asked my Thai teacher who told me มาย is never used on its own and go to the back of the class

She suggests that it is Oh! My point(s)