That they need not learn their hosts' language to communicate.
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That they need not learn their hosts' language to communicate.
interesting that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Texpat
as my thai has improved to a really pretty good level, i have found myself less willing to broadcast it.
these days I speak English to Thais that can, even if their English is worse than my Thai.
for some reason it annoys me to hear bad Thai spoken very loudly, especially to people who speak good enough English.
^Yes, good to have the option, but the farangs I am referring to are the smug, I-won't-stoop-to-learn-Thai types.
Must admit I have gone in that direction myself, partly due to wanting my children to improve their engllsh and partly wanting the locals to get off their butts and start using some of the ( lImited) English skills I know they have.
I spent a couple of days in BKK last week with me Mia noi or ex Mia noi as she now is, trying to bond with our daughter. They both live in Thai situation, she has a job dealing only with Thais, her English has regressed to the point of being useless.
So maybe they feel the same way, when the requirment becomes superfluous the skill atrophys.
I don't see the point of learning Thai, it's not like it's a major language, definitely not a mustQuote:
Originally Posted by Texpat
It's like learning how to speak Monkey, who the fuck care.
^
jeezus.
:frog:
^^like that :) Thanks for illustrating my point BF.
No honestly, BF has a good point. Nobody in the entire world speaks Thai. It has no influence whatsoever in any circles in the world, whether business, diplomatic, scientific...nothing.
Why learn more than a smattering of this useless language? What's the point?
Learn Chinese. Learn Russian. Learn Arabic. Learn Spanish.
Those are important world languages.
^
is that a troll?
do you live in thailand?
absolutely beats me how people can live here and can't read or write.
would you feel happy being illiterate in France, England, America.
not rocket science.
well at least BF can speak a couple of languages well
(that i know of, it may be more). And thats better than me.
As for monkey, yes i never bothered to learn malay either, even though the whole language only seems to comprise of about 100 words
[quote=kingwilly;455738]Well, most expats are not that careful usually and it has nothing to do with delusions of grandeur.Quote:
Originally Posted by a bloke from an indo forum
He should be rewarded for his caution...:rolleyes:
I was just going to say that but I could predict the responses - after a quick edit, I see I was right - but the cat's out of the bag now. The way I see it, the Thais would be doing themselves a big favour if they just learn English & if they're going to do that, there's not much point learning Thai properly.Quote:
Nobody in the entire world speaks Thai
I speak fluent French, mostly fluent English and American, and conversational Thai. I rarely use English in Thailand.
But I stand by my point. It's a useless language. It relates to no other important world language, such as Mandarin. It gives you no foundation for any other important Asian language, such as Japanese or Bahasa.
Useless. Sorry.
Exactly. But you forgot French, the universal language of love and a beautiful language period :)Quote:
Originally Posted by chinthee
twattish post.Quote:
Originally Posted by Clockwork Orange
I'm sure it is, unless you fukking live here.Quote:
Originally Posted by chinthee
christ almighty.Quote:
Originally Posted by Butterfly
:(
I have plenty of admiration for those who try and do speak and read ThaiQuote:
Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon
but really, it's pointless and there are better things to do than spend time to learn the language of a minor third world country
learning a language is never a waste of time.
i've learnt (and forgotten) to speak half a dozen languages over the years, always helps.
one day i might even learn to speak or write english
Ok, yeah, I speak converasational Thai because I have to. Not because I want to. It's a useless language and gives you no tools for any other language on this earth. * And I promise this is true.
Everyone is so proud when they speak Thai in Thailand, but it doesn't get them anything outside this little country.
^
I'm flabbergasted.
do you live in thailand or not Chintee.
i agree it is utterly useless if you are elsewhere, but if you are here???
anyone who cant speak english probably isn't worth speaking to anyway.
espcially kw
anyway this thread wasn't about speaking thai and is also in the indo/phils forum
It's actually useful to score hotties and have freebies with the uni girls, so not totally useless if you live here. But yeah being proud of speaking Thai is like being a proud puppy putting his first turd on the carpet, not really an accomplishment.Quote:
Originally Posted by chinthee
I don't see how this can be an argument, and no, giving out reds is the not answerQuote:
Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon
oops.Quote:
Originally Posted by slimboyfat
sorry
I accidentally popped over to thaivisa
how can that not be an argument?Quote:
Originally Posted by Butterfly
"if you live in thailand it is more useful to learn Japanese??"
WTF.
I'll red you again as soon as I can.
:wales:
but we do not live here, we are only temporary guests,Quote:
Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon
I hope you are not planning to spend the rest of your life here ?
Oh dear, I find myself agreeing with the wise Welsh one, something must be wrong.
Thai is very easy to read and write, listening is pretty simple, but speaking is difficult for most people, including me. I have the distinct advantage of being able to say krap at the end of my sentences instead of boyo, which is off-putting to some of the natives.
silly argument.Quote:
Originally Posted by Butterfly
I have been here pushing 7 years.
if I didn't speak thai by now I would be horribly ashamed.
i would also find stuff like calling the electricians a bit difficult.
you are a buffoon
a large French one.
I will red you as often as the software allows.
i have just stuck a reminder on my monitor.
Interesting that technical books written in Thai have important words set in English inside brackets, next to the Thai equivalent.
The reason for this is that the Thai language invariably does not have an appropriate word of its own - the de facto standard is English - the Thai lecturer often has to synthesise a Thai equivalent that will hopefully convey some kind of primitive constructive meaning to the locals.
So, the easiest way to read a Thai technical book is to skim read through the bracketed English key words, look at the pictures & equations. This is how I studied at CU when the main text book was in Thai.
Isn't that what the wife's for?Quote:
Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon
I wouldn't even consider making a phone call in Thai.
she's shy.Quote:
Originally Posted by NickA
It's always me that has to do that stuff.
anyway, not everyone has a wife.
she might leave me tomorrow and i like living here regardless.
^I hide behind the wife a lot, when she's not around I get forced to speak Thai and I can get by, but I make her do all the talking when she's there. Probably my own shyness rather than a language barrier.
I even make her answer the phone to my parents now, I really can't stand fucking phones.
you silly petite Gaelic, you are a proud little puppy, aren't you ? :)Quote:
Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon
:kma:
I made a decision to live in Thailand. I came here with a plan to live here a very long time. Within weeks of arriving I started taking Thai language lessons -- 3x a week for 2 hours a shot. I studied for eight months until I moved into the jungle.
Nobody here speaks English save my precious wife. Funnily (or not so) they don't speak much Thai either, they speak Issan wich is nothing more than a Thai/Lao mix. Eight months won't get you far, but I have the fundamentals down. I can read and write at a basic level. I'd be screwed without being able to communicate.
If you live in Bangkok or Phuket maybe the need to speak Thai isn't as pressing. For me it is, and I think it a bit haughty that some don't concede they might be better for it, regarless of where they live.
Brilliant!Quote:
Originally Posted by Butterfly
^****:)
Language is simply a means of communication (even body language:)). For those in areas of Thailand where non Thai speakers are fortunate enough to find English speaking Thais or have English speaking Thai wives or GFs, learning Thai is really not worth the effort. In the area I chose to live (Isaan) without some Thai and Lao language skill it would be impossible to communicate the most basic of things even to my wife. I could try to teach all the villagers to speak English or learn enough Lao to get by. I chose the latter.
IMO, Thai is a useless language anywhere outside Thailand. Thais, especially in the business community, would be better off if they were taught to speak English and/or Mandarin.