Mai * 6

[richard]

Anybody know the translation of the phrase where Mai is used several times and each word is dependent on the tone?

[pharvey]

Anybody know the translation of the phrase where Mai is used several times and each word is dependent on the tone?

Apparently it is "New wood doesn't burn does it?" - http://www.learningthai.com/tones/index.html


"Doesn't" and "Does" being so damn close certainly explains a few things

Always thought it was "The white man eats white rice" where the **** I got that from I'll never know

[richard]

Thanks PH

Somebody was telling me how difficult it is for a Thai to learn English which I'm sure it is

Her example was:

The bandage was wound around the wound.
He could lead if he would get the lead out.
The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the dessert.
When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

[HuntingTigers]

Anybody know the translation of the phrase where Mai is used several times and each word is dependent on the tone?

mai [mid tone] = mile
mai [low tone] = new
mai [falling tone] = no, to burn
mai [high tone] = ....., right?
mai [rising tone] = silk

Not quite an answer to your question richard but I got the above from 'Thai For Beginners' by Benjawan Poomsan Becker p.12. However, whilst there is no mention above of 'wood' as in the phrase, "New wood doesn't burn does it?", [source: pharvey's post], there is a reference in Jumbo Thai English Dictionary 4th Ed that "mai" [high tone with emphasis], means 'wood'.

It would thus appear, that it is not only the tone but in addition the duration of the word that provides the meaning. I wonder if context has anything to do with it? - I suspect it has.

Hope that helped.
HT

[PeteC]

I have a feeling the mai for mile is one of those borrowed and mispronounced English words as there may be no real Thai word for mile. Similar to iceateem for ice cream. Pete

[redzonerocker]

The bandage was wound around the wound.
He could lead if he would get the lead out.
The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the dessert.
When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

quite tough, though should have thought it through & been more thorough!!

[margaretcarnes]

I have a feeling the mai for mile is one of those borrowed and mispronounced English words as there may be no real Thai word for mile. Similar to iceateem for ice cream. Pete

That sounds feasible Pete - I'm guessing that before kilometres there was an original Thai measure used?
But why is it that Thais seem to have trouble pronouncing the 'i' in an English word? For example, for 'mince' - they say 'mine' Whereas when the 'i' is after a hard consonant there is no problem - eg 'Jit'.

[PeteC]

That sounds feasible Pete - I'm guessing that before kilometres there was an original Thai measure used?.....

Prepare to be totally confused. Pete

http://www.eppo.go.th/ref/UNIT-T-M.html

[pharvey]

Actuall that's useful Pete - Cheers

[bozzman101]

2 catty 1 chang would this equivlent in english 2 2 ladies with 1 chang beer large of course !!!!!!!!

[Roel]

From http://www.learningthai.com/

Does not give a translation but the order is:
wood - new - not - burn - correct?

The last mai is also the Thai word for silk but here it means, quote from the website:
"particle used to turn a statement into a question, similar to a question mark"

[Korkenzieher]

Roel,

BPB has that last syllable as มั้ย in my copy.

So are they talking about the same thing? I'd expect wood and silk to occupy the same position in the sentence, and that said, I'd expect the 'correct?' to be the last syllable but there is a clear difference, and maybe this is what has given rise to the confusion.

Kz

[margaretcarnes]

That sounds feasible Pete - I'm guessing that before kilometres there was an original Thai measure used?.....

Prepare to be totally confused. Pete

http://www.eppo.go.th/ref/UNIT-T-M.html

Oooooh boy - well at least they allowed a good few years for the transition from Thai to metric!

[Roel]

Korkenzieher,

Thai2English gives for ไหม silk and as second meaning, the "particle used to turn a statement into a question, similar to a question mark" whereas มั้ย only carries the last meaning.

So I asked our Guest Relations Manager who is pretty good at languages what is the difference and she says that the first spelling is correct and the second is not but for some unknown reason many Thais use both spellings.

So one would expect that governamental publications, newspapers, etcetera use the (correct) first spelling whereas others might use both. Don't know if that is the case though. Besides my Thai-Dutch dictionary does not mention มั้ย at all.

Found it. Thai-language.com seems to confirm the above:

[Bamboo Grove]

As it says in your attachment, Roel, มั้ย is colloquial and used in written language more in stories of different magazines. It's originals are probably in Bangkok accent, which has spread around. If I remember correctly, it's the same with he/she (sometimes used to mean "I" as well) เขา and เค้า [variation of เขา , a pronoun used for the 1st person or 3rd person when speaking of oneself or someone in an informal, cute way