Quote:
Originally Posted by pickel
Yeah, that's how it was taught to me. Knew it was rude, just didn't know quite how rude.
So I gather then that it's a rather more coarse expression than โคตร / "coat." Best avoided then...
:suspect:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pickel
Yeah, that's how it was taught to me. Knew it was rude, just didn't know quite how rude.
So I gather then that it's a rather more coarse expression than โคตร / "coat." Best avoided then...
:suspect:
Another typical "Prissy Little Missy" comment from you. Surprise, surprise.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rural SurinThat's only if you're a typical farong.Quote:
Originally Posted by RickThai
ไม่เป็นไร
หนาแน่น
A typical falong would probably find words like เบียร์ , โสเภณี , or, (perhaps in your case??) ไอ้ตัว useful.
RickThai
RickThai
Pretty good stuff here. Personally I hear the jeb hai much more often than the kot. I'll just have to listen more carefully. I'm sure it also depends on which group of Thai society you are hanging around with. Personally, I never use the impolite Thai words even though in English I often will throw in a fucking this or that.
Man, "RickThai" if those are the only words you really need (or really think anyone needs); all I've gotta say is you're wading in the shallow end of the gene pool here. Considering that extensive vocab you must be really mixin' it up with the locals!Quote:
Originally Posted by RickThaiAnother typical "Prissy Little Missy" comment from you. Surprise, surprise.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rural SurinThat's only if you're a typical farong.Quote:
Originally Posted by RickThai
ไม่เป็นไร
หนาแน่น
A typical falong would probably find words like เบียร์ , โสเภณี , or, (perhaps in your case??) ไอ้ตัว useful.
RickThai
Here I'll even correct your "karaoke Thai"
ไม่ - no
ไม่เอา - don't want
ไป - go
ใช่ - yes (not really the word yes because Thai has no word for yes, and instead you repeat the verb back to the speaker)
ขอบคุณครับ - thank you ("Rick" please note the difference between the first and last word which in your karaoke you spelled the same, 'cause they ain't spelled or pronounced the same)
ขอโทษครับ - sorry
Rural Surin, I think you're a little off the mark with your หนาแน่น comment there. I'd imagine you used that word which means "dense". However, that term is not used when referring to people with marginal intelligence. That'd be either ปัญญาอ่อน (literally "soft intelligence" or colloquially; "retard"), and of course there's ปัญญาทึบ (dense, opaque, thick intelligence) which is used to call someone "dense". Then there's ไม่เต็มบาท - (not a full baht, or "an order of fries short of a 'happy meal'". . .)
Personally I prefer using the Thai idiomatic phrase น็อตหลวม "loose nut". It is interesting to note in English we say someone has a "screw loose", but in Thai they say someone has a "nut loose" even though it carries the same meaning.
Oh, to back up my claim there's no word for "yes" in Thai here's a video;
No word for yes in Thai
As an aside, I've rarely heard the word โสเภณี spoken when referring to Thai whores or any whore for that matter. Usually it's ผู้หญิงขายตัว (girls who sell their body) ผู้หญิงขายบริการ (girls who sell "service"). I just usually say กะหรี่. Mostly because I'm all for calling whores; whores, instead of mincing around the trade they ply.
In the newspaper the other day when they rounded up a bunch of whores they called them ผีมะพร้าว (coconut ghosts). It's a word play on the colloquial term for katoeys who usually stand under the jackfruit trees in the parks ผีขนุน (jackfruit ghosts). The reason they're called ghosts is when children would ask their parents who those people were, the parents would say they were ghosts. Given the fear Thais have of ghosts, that'd be the end of the questions from the kids...
Still, keep at it RickThai; I have no doubt you'll get there eventually. Remember even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.
Garee? I see that you prefer to call a spade a spade.
I doubt, though, that it will win you any friends, but then again for some reason I feel rather confident that you don`t care. :)
I have never heard the full expression used: poo ying khaay borigaan. It is invariably the short version Ying Borigaan.
(Poo)Ying Klaang Khuen - Night woman is another way of putting it or (Poo)ying Haa Ngun - woman looking for money.
If one really feels the urge to have one`s teeth kicked in there is always: Dork Thong Garee Chaang Yet.
As others in this thread have pointed out, I also find that reasonably polite thai gives one much more mileage.
I have been corrected on more than one occasion for being a bit too outspoken.
"WTF? You just used that expression yourself??". "That is different, I am thai".
Well, I cannot argue with that. Back to the drawing table.....
Sorry this is long (for those with limited reading skills or limited attention spans, just give it a pass!)
Interesting about the; "WTF? You just used that expression yourself??" and the obligatory response; "That is different I am Thai".Quote:
Originally Posted by pescator
I had that exact thing happen not all that long ago when some Thais I was sitting with called a bunch of foreigners wandering down the Soi a "ฝูงฝรั่ง". The word ฝูง is Thai to denote; herd, flock, school, gaggle, etc, and it's used only with groups of animals. In the Thais defense this was one FAT flock of oh-so flabby foreigners waddling by.. Still, I pointed at the next group of Thais who meandered by, saying ดูซิฝูงไทย! Only to have the; "Hey, you can't say that about Thais" thrown in my face. I just laughed out loud at their audacity. You can say เพื่อนฝูง to denote a "gang" of close friends you have though and it’s fine.
Honestly, I don't often talk to whores, although enough parade by whilst I'm sitting Soi side that I do refer to them when talkin' to my Thai friends. I tried the other nite to get them to understand the "If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, it's probably a duck" idiom. I switched the words to "If it dresses like a whore, is made up like a whore and walks like a whore, it's probably a whore". In my incantation of the idiom I used both the pronoun for animals มัน and the blunt term for whore กะหรี่. Even though we were all pretty drunk they got it right away! So much so that when a "likely suspect" would walk by, my friends would whisper, คงเป็น - "probably is".
I haven't heard the ผู้หญิงหาเงิน / หากิน in a LONG time, and I think they've fallen outta fashion. Last time I checked, everyone who has a job is "finding money" and "finding something to eat" one way or another. อีดอกI hear occasionally, but that's usually when two Thai gurls are quarreling and I rarely hear it in reference to whores by others and I have never ever heard ดอกทอง ever..
There are two other more poetic terms you can use for whores. One is ดอกไม้ใกล้ทาง “flower close to the path” and the other is กุหลาบริมทาง “rose on the edge of the path". It's mostly in reference to those street walkers who stand around on the footpaths. Sorta fits, huh?
In other news I recently found out if someone has a significant other at home but are out on the prowl for "a little strange"; Thais will call it เปลี่ยนบรรยากาศ or "change of atmosphere".
As I’ve said, I ain't gonna change who or what I am because I happen to choose to live amongst the Thais and speak their language. I'm sure it vexes them just as much as they vex me..
"A narrow mind thinks the world only exists as they see it in their narrow view." (an original quote by RickThai).Quote:
Originally Posted by toddanielsMan, "RickThai" if those are the only words you really need (or really think anyone needs); all I've gotta say is you're wading in the shallow end of the gene pool here. Considering that extensive vocab you must be really mixin' it up with the locals!Quote:
Originally Posted by RickThaiAnother typical "Prissy Little Missy" comment from you. Surprise, surprise.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rural SurinThat's only if you're a typical farong.Quote:
Originally Posted by RickThai
ไม่เป็นไร
หนาแน่น
A typical falong would probably find words like เบียร์ , โสเภณี , or, (perhaps in your case??) ไอ้ตัว useful.
RickThai
Here I'll even correct your "karaoke Thai"
ไม่ - no
ไม่เอา - don't want
ไป - go
ใช่ - yes (not really the word yes because Thai has no word for yes, and instead you repeat the verb back to the speaker)
ขอบคุณครับ - thank you ("Rick" please note the difference between the first and last word which in your karaoke you spelled the same, 'cause they ain't spelled or pronounced the same)
ขอโทษครับ - sorry
Personally I prefer using the Thai idiomatic phrase น็อตหลวม "loose nut". It is interesting to note in English we say someone has a "screw loose", but in Thai they say someone has a "nut loose" even though it carries the same meaning.
Still, keep at it RickThai; I have no doubt you'll get there eventually. Remember even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.
Transliterations are just approximations of the words of another language. I know full well how certain Thai words change tone (and sometimes Thai spelling) when used in different contexts.
The topic was "useful Thai words", not Thai grammar.
If it puffs you up to show your "advanced" knowledge of Thai grammar, then enjoy, but the first rule of any communication (written or verbal) is to consider your target audience.
And, unless you work in a mental hospital, just how useful is the Thai phrase for "loose screw"?
So says a "blind squirrel".
RickThai
คนปัญญาอ่อน
หล่อนดื่มปัสสาวะควายQuote:
Originally Posted by Rural Surin
Not that rude, although a little crass perhaps. More akin to 'damn' than 'fuck'.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paco
Gear down there big shifter, err "blind squirrel"!
I'm neither a grammar nazi or someone tryin' "puff up" and show off my "advanced knowledge of Thai". In fact I've got some pretty piss poorly structured, poorly enunciated Thai. I make no bones about my level of spoken Thai, the degree of politeness I do or don't convey to these people when I interact with 'em or any other nonsense like that.
I was tryin' to show "useful Thai words", which to me are words I get use out of (hence the reason I posted in this thread with the catchy title "useful Thai words").
Now that you don't feel you'd get any bang-4-the-baht outta my phrases or words, fine, don't use 'em.
As far as what I call "karaoke Thai" or writing Thai with the English alphabet; there are so many different versions, different spellings, different incantations out there. Even the one designed by Benjawan Poomsan Becker (the karaoke version most printed) sometimes falls short of the mark. Most of the version are about as worthless as tits on a tomcat as far as accurately representing Thai vowel length and tone.. That's why I don't use 'em. If anyone wants to plug in what I wrote in Thai on any number of Thai language sites they'll get the karaoke version. If they don't wanna, well they possibly aren't as in to learning Thai as they thought, because to be even half assed good at it is a goddamned tough fucking row to hoe!
Since I learned it, I use the term "loose nut" all the time here. Mostly when one of these people says something to me which I refuse to accept as an answer to a question I asked.
These people are famous for spitting out "Cannot!" (ทำไม่ได้), or "No Hab!" (ไม่มี) as soon as they're asked a question.
More times than not, I've found "cannot" means;Due to the incredible amount of time every day these people invest in "gaining", "saving" and "not losing" that mythical thing called "face", if they're unsure about any answer it'll invariably be "Cannot". It's the same for "Thailand no hab!", they won't admit they don't know where it can be found, so again the answer is a fall back face saving "No hab!"
- I don't know how to do it, but am afraid to lose face if I tell you that
- I can't ask someone else as I'd look stupid and lose face
- If we find out it in fact it can be done, I'll lose face for sure
Coming back with; "Do you have a screw loose or what? Of course it can be done" gives them a chance to "man up" and think to themselves, "Hmmm, hang about, lemme think about it a second or maybe lemme go ask someone" instead of offering out a mindless knee jerk answer.
Sorry if I ruffled anyone's feathers as that was not my intent. I am only relating my experiences and things I've found useful as I've made my way slowly thru the mine-field of learning this language to the half assed degree I now possess...
P/S: you lost me on the หล่อนดื่มปัสสาวะควาย "She drinks buffalo pee". What is it a tongue twister?
Here's a really good one to use getting on the BTS, the MRT, a public bus, etc when it's jam packed w/people;
โอ้โห แน่นยังกะปลากระป๋อง
It means, "Wow, packed like fish in a can.
We use the same idiom in American English we just say "packed like sardines". .
Here's Benjawan Beckers pronunciation;
ôo-hǒo nɛ̂ɛn yang-gà bplaa grà-bpɔ̌ɔng
Here's Thai Language dot com's pronunciation;
o:hF ho:hR naaenF yangM-gaL bplaaM graL-bpaawngR
(the capital letters after each syllable are the tones)
Here's the perma-link to the sentence on Thai Language dot com;
Thai-Language dot com
You can go to "site settings" and choose the "karaoke Thai" of your choice..
Also if you use that site, make sure in site settings under "Content" you put checks in the "Enable Racy Content" and Enable Gay Content". It opens up more choices as far as slang etc..
Honestly, I'm NOT tryin' to put anyone learning Thai down with my posts or my comments. For me Thai's been a goddamned tough fucking row to hoe as far as languages go! Then again perhaps Thai wasn't the best choice for "first-second languages"...
After all, I'm just a dumb hillbilly from Ohio who happens to live in Thailand. Believe me, my thai ain't nothing to write home about..
Good Luck, I'll try to be more helpful in my postings.
A word of advice, Thai's have a very quick temper. Unless you are really on good terms with someone, referring to someone as a "loose screw" might elicit a much bigger response then you might think. Rather than "useful", I would think that very counter-productive for a westerner trying to assimilate into Thai culture.Quote:
Originally Posted by toddaniels
As for the Thai "buffalo pee" comment, I assumed RS and perhaps yourself, were playing a street game known as "dissin" and that was my contribution.
Historically, Thai insults often involve animal allegories.
RickThai
หีหมา
Christ, about the very last thing I'd wanna do would be "become one with the frickin' Borg" here. I'd rather bite out my own veins. Honestly I don't know that I could EVER dumb myself down to that level....Quote:
Originally Posted by RickThai
I only started using the "loose nut" term about a month ago, so don't have a long track history in using it. In all the situations I've said it, (when given a crock of shit answer to a question), I've never had one person appear to get irked in the slightest, EVER! Thais play their emotions pretty close to the vest in regards to telegraphing it on their faces. Still you can see it if you watch 'em closely.
Now perhaps it's because of the fact that during our interaction I tell them right outta the gate that I speak directly, that I swear and that I curse, but it's an inherent character flaw I was born with; สันดาน. It is a self deprecating remark. Seeing as thais will NEVER put themselves down, the fact that I do it without the slightest bit of hesitation, clues 'em into the fact that this ain't gonna be a fluffy, oh-so polite, sugary sweet interaction.
Almost to a person they've laughed at my comments, thought a second and given a better answer to my question. Some even ask people around them, another worker, etc.
Another useful term I found quite a while ago and started using to clue these people into the fact that I'm serious about my questions is; เรื่องนี้ มันไม่ใช่ขี้ไก่ "this topic isn't chicken shit" or this "ain't no small thing"..
Sometimes I find it amazing just how fearful foreigners appear to be of the thais. It's like you're walkin' around here on eggshells afraid to offend any of 'em. I hafta ask, do you find it hard living without a spine?
I've never felt like I was on thin ice over deep water interacting w/these people; especially since I started speakin' to them in what passes for thai comin' outta my mouth. I don't think the thais have "quicker tempers" than anyone else. I mean I just don't see it.
Remember, what works for me might not work for you; your mileage may vary, some restrictions apply, no warranty expressed or implied, all scenes whether actual or created, depict authenticated facts. .. :)
Just so you know what your doing ...:mid:Quote:
Originally Posted by toddanielsChrist, about the very last thing I'd wanna do would be "become one with the frickin' Borg" here. I'd rather bite out my own veins. Honestly I don't know that I could EVER dumb myself down to that level....Quote:
Originally Posted by RickThai
I only started using the "loose nut" term about a month ago, so don't have a long track history in using it. In all the situations I've said it, (when given a crock of shit answer to a question), I've never had one person appear to get irked in the slightest, EVER! Thais play their emotions pretty close to the vest in regards to telegraphing it on their faces. Still you can see it if you watch 'em closely.
Now perhaps it's because of the fact that during our interaction I tell them right outta the gate that I speak directly, that I swear and that I curse, but it's an inherent character flaw I was born with; สันดาน. It is a self deprecating remark. Seeing as thais will NEVER put themselves down, the fact that I do it without the slightest bit of hesitation, clues 'em into the fact that this ain't gonna be a fluffy, oh-so polite, sugary sweet interaction.
Almost to a person they've laughed at my comments, thought a second and given a better answer to my question. Some even ask people around them, another worker, etc.
Another useful term I found quite a while ago and started using to clue these people into the fact that I'm serious about my questions is; เรื่องนี้ มันไม่ใช่ขี้ไก่ "this topic isn't chicken shit" or this "ain't no small thing"..
Sometimes I find it amazing just how fearful foreigners appear to be of the thais. It's like you're walkin' around here on eggshells afraid to offend any of 'em. I hafta ask, do you find it hard living without a spine?
I've never felt like I was on thin ice over deep water interacting w/these people; especially since I started speakin' to them in what passes for thai comin' outta my mouth. I don't think the thais have "quicker tempers" than anyone else. I mean I just don't see it.
Remember, what works for me might not work for you; your mileage may vary, some restrictions apply, no warranty expressed or implied, all scenes whether actual or created, depict authenticated facts. .. :)
Well, "RickThai" as long as you have my best interests at heart.
I mean, how can I cast dispersions, err, cast aspersions on your asparagus. :). .
Like I said, I ain't here to be the ambassador of goodwill or friendship between America and these people. I have a t-shirt which says, "I'm part of the problem", another one that says "Not an accurate representation of white people".. Both are probably true:mid:
I also ain't tryin' to impress none of you people with my less than stellar grasp of this oh-so hard language:rofl:
OFF TOPIC:
I march to the beat of my own drum.. Hang on, that drum beat sounds a LOT like this;
KISS - Rock And Roll All Night [Zurich 2013] - YouTube
If you watched the video, there's 7 minutes 32 seconds of your life you'll never get back!
Take care,
toddaniels,
I must admit I like your style. I have always tried to be honestly blunt, but after 38 years of being married to a Thai lady, I've learned to not "blurt out everything that pops into my mind".
That is one of the nice things about TD, if you aren't troubled by the flaming, you can pretty much speak your mind on whatever topic you desire. (Of course, if you upset a Mod, you always run the risk of having your thread (or yourself) put in the doghouse. Small price to pay for expressing your opinions IMO)!
Here on TD, I have the distinction of being a conservative, Buddhist who believes in shooting home invaders (Castle Doctrine), and publicly believe homosexuality is a disorder (with certain physical practices I find disgusting).
It has earned me a lot of hate-filled posts from the libs and homosexuals here on TD, but I am, who I am (and make no apologies).
Santi (peace),
RickThai
Poor old Rick....
Why is everyone always pickin' on 'im?
I do tread close to the line on a lot of my posts.
In an effort to be a "kinder, gentler Tod Daniels" concerning all things to do with the "glorious Land 'O Thais", I thought I'd offer out a few tried and true phrases using American English.
Say these phrases just as you would in American English. Do not make corrections for intonation or vowel length to try to "mimic' how the Thais talk. Just say 'em normally..
I call it "Thai for idiots who speak with a mid-western American accent". . .
Sweaty crap = Hello - สวัสดีครับ
Coon chew a lie = What is your name? - คุณชื่ออะไร
Ahh you towel eye = How old are you? อายุเท่าไร
My cow died = I don't understand - ไม่เข้าใจ
Knee towel eye = How much is this? - นี้เท่าไร
Bang bye = Too expensive แพงไป
My pens high = It's okay - ไม่เป็นไร
I tried these phrases today on about 10 strange Thais (not that they were any stranger than the rest of these people here, but strange as in they didn't know me from Somchai). It appears that these "phrozen phrasez" are so hard-wired into them; their brain auto-corrects and they understood immediately what I was saying..
Anyway, just tryin' to do my part to help you know..
"RickThai" I'm with you on shooting home invaders, no problem there, and if buddhism works for you man, who am I to piss on your parade?
However, you lost me at the part where you "pubic-ly" :mid:errr sorry, "publicly believe's homosexuality is a disorder (with certain practices you find disgusting)". .
Am I to believe from that statement that when you're not in public you're okay with fags & queers, as well as finding that certain practices of theirs aren't all that disgusting? Just wonderin'??:)
TodD,
Got me on that one. What I meant to say was that I have no problems publicly stating my beliefs about homosexuality (even though I know they will draw the ire of the homosexuals and their apologists). As you can see, old Rural Surin and some others have long memories when it comes to someone stating things they don't believe (or at least publicly acknowledge).
I actually kind of enjoy their "Prissy Little Missy" comments. It is a kind of vindication that my comments are uncomfortablly "close to the truth". (It's like calling someone with an IQ of 160, "stupid" - no one really cares; but if you call a person with an IQ of 60 "stupid" then everyone gets upset because it is too close to the truth. Not that I would ever" knowlingly call someone with an IQ of 60 "stupid". That's why I never personally call any of my distractors stupid - I am much too polite for that.)
As far as your accented, Thai phrases; I think Thais are so accustomed to non-native speakers mangling their language they just ignore it. Unless you can get the tones correct (which few Westerners consistently do), much of the Thai will be gibberish. My wife works with quite a few Laotian, Hmong, and Cambodians. Many of them grew up in refuge camps in Thailand and (to me) appear to speak Thai very fluently. My wife, however, often tells me she hates speaking Thai to most of them, because it is hard to understand them. She prefers they speak to her in English. As you can guess, I very seldom try and speak Thai to my wife, although I get by okay when shopping and traveling around Thailand.
Cheers,
RickThai
I'd rank the thais right up there as far as their "accent identification" skills, easily on the level of Limeys who can tell immediately where another one grew up!
Two thais who've never met before will interact with just a few sentences in Central Thai and they both immediately know where the other person is from. Sometimes right down to the specific city in a province!
That's why I always tell foreigners learning thai to forget ANY compliment given by a thai about their alleged proficiency in the language. It's worthless as tits on a tomcat. These people are some of the most over complimentary people I've ever come across! I don't care how well a foreigner imagines their thai is; non-native speakers will always be pegged by the thais their their foreign accent. I mean it just is what it is. In fact, it's only when the thai you're interacting with doesn't say a thing about your spoken thai that you know you're making headway with the language.
Those phrozen phrasez I offered out don't have the slightest bit in common with the thais being accustomed to non-native speakers mangling their language.
You say something to a Thai in mangled Thai and they're not gonna understand it. Nor do these people appear to make "leaps in logic" as far as understanding some of the words in a sentence and working out the ones they didn't get by context, like we do when we speak English with the thais. It is my experience that if a thai doesn't get one word in a sentence, they stop listening and go into "safe mode".
The reason Thais understand those phrases (even when they're said with the English words I used) is because those phrases don't ever change, thais have heard 'em a million times in their lives so they're still understood almost by auto-pilot. One more I came up with is "Tammy eyed you" for ทำอะไรอยู่
Sadly, that mindset your wife has where she "hates speaking Thai to most of them" is shared by almost the entire populace of this country! It's the "I'm Thai, you're not" or the "my shit doesn't stink" superiority complex these people have which I totally loathe. It's almost as bad as every Tom, Dick and Somchai telling me they're of Chinese descent, as if I cared. That kinda one-upmanship doesn't cut any ice with me. Then again, what do I know, I'm just a dumb hill-billy from Ohio. . .:mid: