Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
Re: Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
Every country I've been in they are always pleased when you take the time to learn and use common courtesies like hello, thank you, etc.
They also delight in teaching you new words if only to watch you struggle with them. The main difficulty for native English speakers is the sentence structure.
Thailand is no different.
They also delight in teaching you new words if only to watch you struggle with them. The main difficulty for native English speakers is the sentence structure.
Thailand is no different.
Re: Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
Our Sid is a movie star!
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Re: Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
Not your business why I'm too busy but I am. I do the best I can learning from interaction, if I wasn't too busy I would learn the conventional way!sidthesloth wrote:dtaai-maai wrote:Not everyone has the language ability you have presumably been gifted with.Really? You're too busy to learn the language of the host country you've spent decades in?JimmyGreaves wrote:Too bloody busy!!
Real question, what are you so busy doing? Have you actually considered how much time it would take?
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Re: Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
Quoted by Mrs Chazz on too many occasions:
"When you speak Thai I no understand - when you speak English it's OK."
It's lucky I've got the patience of a Saint - not!!
"When you speak Thai I no understand - when you speak English it's OK."
It's lucky I've got the patience of a Saint - not!!
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Re: Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
Pointless to discuss this seen as the sloth will not expand on the original meaningless post
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Re: Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
what needs expanding?StevePIraq wrote:Pointless to discuss this seen as the sloth will not expand on the original meaningless post
grown men can't read traffic signs. personally, I would find that humiliating.
but this thread show it's not beyond these same illiterates to rationalise it away by arguing that their brains just aren't good enough
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Re: Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
They are saying their brains are different and not that they are not good enough or is it that your brain is not good enough to understand that !!sidthesloth wrote:what needs expanding?StevePIraq wrote:Pointless to discuss this seen as the sloth will not expand on the original meaningless post
grown men can't read traffic signs. personally, I would find that humiliating.
but this thread show it's not beyond these same illiterates to rationalise it away by arguing that their brains just aren't good enough
The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.
Re: Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
Sidthesloth......
We are living in a society where people believe you can place a sticker on your car to convince imaginary guardian angels that your car is a different color; a society where people believe that dolls, bought at toy stores, can protect them from harm.
Now, if I could read, write, and speak fluent Thai, and I got into a conversation about such things, I have absolutely no doubt that it would end in a disaster.
For me, not being able to fully understand the Thai language is blissful; it allows me to live here without losing my sanity.
Anyway, my guess is that you are from the UK. A good sense of humor and a real wind-up merchant - love it.
We are living in a society where people believe you can place a sticker on your car to convince imaginary guardian angels that your car is a different color; a society where people believe that dolls, bought at toy stores, can protect them from harm.
Now, if I could read, write, and speak fluent Thai, and I got into a conversation about such things, I have absolutely no doubt that it would end in a disaster.
For me, not being able to fully understand the Thai language is blissful; it allows me to live here without losing my sanity.
Anyway, my guess is that you are from the UK. A good sense of humor and a real wind-up merchant - love it.
Don't try to impress me with your manner of dress cos a monkey himself is a monkey no less - cold fact
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Re: Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
Takiap wrote:Sidthesloth......
We are living in a society where people believe you can place a sticker on your car to convince imaginary guardian angels that your car is a different color; a society where people believe that dolls, bought at toy stores, can protect them from harm.
Now, if I could read, write, and speak fluent Thai, and I got into a conversation about such things, I have absolutely no doubt that it would end in a disaster.
For me, not being able to fully understand the Thai language is blissful; it allows me to live here without losing my sanity.
Anyway, my guess is that you are from the UK. A good sense of humor and a real wind-up merchant - love it.
Me too.
I think seeing a sticker on a black car saying "This Car is Green" would confuse the heck out of me but I guess Thai people are used to these strange 'superstitions'.
Re: Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
Yeah, same here - since I moved here, I started reading about their politics and I get pissed-off, when probably it would be better for me not knowing or thinking about it, but I'm not wired that way.Takiap wrote:Sidthesloth......
We are living in a society where people believe you can place a sticker on your car to convince imaginary guardian angels that your car is a different color; a society where people believe that dolls, bought at toy stores, can protect them from harm.
Now, if I could read, write, and speak fluent Thai, and I got into a conversation about such things, I have absolutely no doubt that it would end in a disaster.
For me, not being able to fully understand the Thai language is blissful; it allows me to live here without losing my sanity.
Anyway, my guess is that you are from the UK. A good sense of humor and a real wind-up merchant - love it.
Re: Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
I must admit it has never occurred to me to learn to read and write Thai, and no, Sidthetroll, I don't feel the least bit humiliated. Just as I didn't feel humiliated at not learning to read and write in Arabic script when I lived in Iran, or in Chinese hieroglyphics when I lived in Hong Kong. But hey, I can top that. You'll be stunned to learn that I was born and raised in Scotland, but I can neither read, write nor speak Gaelic. Oh, the mortification! What's more, by remaining such an ignoramus I've had to forgo the right to look down my nose at people who don't read Thai, and who drink Chang beer, and socialise with Thai women who hate them -- but I'll just have to live with that.
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Re: Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
why learn a dead language?
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Re: Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
I think you'll find you'll be dead long before the Thai languagehanddrummer wrote:why learn a dead language?
Re: Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
The perfect response to a wind-up merchant.jimk wrote:I must admit it has never occurred to me to learn to read and write Thai, and no, Sidthetroll, I don't feel the least bit humiliated. Just as I didn't feel humiliated at not learning to read and write in Arabic script when I lived in Iran, or in Chinese hieroglyphics when I lived in Hong Kong. But hey, I can top that. You'll be stunned to learn that I was born and raised in Scotland, but I can neither read, write nor speak Gaelic. Oh, the mortification! What's more, by remaining such an ignoramus I've had to forgo the right to look down my nose at people who don't read Thai, and who drink Chang beer, and socialise with Thai women who hate them -- but I'll just have to live with that.
Has Sid said if he speaks Thai and how he learnt? What his background is that enabled him to become so wise, or are we beginning to get to the end game?
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Re: Why do many expats not bother to learn to read?
This is an extract from one of his quotes abovecaller wrote:The perfect response to a wind-up merchant.jimk wrote:I must admit it has never occurred to me to learn to read and write Thai, and no, Sidthetroll, I don't feel the least bit humiliated. Just as I didn't feel humiliated at not learning to read and write in Arabic script when I lived in Iran, or in Chinese hieroglyphics when I lived in Hong Kong. But hey, I can top that. You'll be stunned to learn that I was born and raised in Scotland, but I can neither read, write nor speak Gaelic. Oh, the mortification! What's more, by remaining such an ignoramus I've had to forgo the right to look down my nose at people who don't read Thai, and who drink Chang beer, and socialise with Thai women who hate them -- but I'll just have to live with that.
Has Sid said if he speaks Thai and how he learnt? What his background is that enabled him to become so wise, or are we beginning to get to the end game?
"Now, if I could read, write, and speak fluent Thai, and I got into a conversation about such things, I have absolutely no doubt that it would end in a disaster." so he's clearly not fluent in Thai, although pretty good as a windup merchant