Thai Expressions That Make Me Smile

[MrPlum]

I can't speak Thai and like it that way. No offence to Thais but in this extrovert world, where the senses are constantly being assaulted, not understanding the local language provides me an oasis of peace. I can withdraw to my inner world. Thai soaps can blare their emotional wringing on TV, the girlfriend's family can chatter at 300 decibels, the Karaoke bars can squawk away. I'm oblivious to it all.

On the other hand I know I miss a lot. Although I've travelled the world and managed to survive. Anyway. Such musings aside, you do pick up the odd word or two as time elapses and some of them are fantastically descriptive and make me smile...

On the golf course.. if I swing too quickly the caddie will say "Cha cha". Means slow.
If I need to putt straight, they say "Tong Tong".
'Bagwaan' still makes me smile. Means 'sweet mouth'.
What better word can there be for 'fat' then 'Pompooey'?!
I hear "Jing Jing" a lot. It means 'really?'

Purists will correct me but you get the idea. Anyone else have Thai expressions that amuse you?

[STEVE G]

I hear "Jing Jing" a lot. It means 'really?'

I haven't a clue if there is any truth in this but a Thai friend once told me that this comes from the sound that an old style cash register makes when your money is taken as genuine!

[PeteC]

There's a lot but one that's been making me laugh regularly lately is an English/Thai mix. Thais like to add on the word "na" at the end to make it sound like a question I guess, or just emphasis of some kind. Lately I've heard women saying in English things like "I want to go too, na", but it really sounds like tuna. Or "I'm going shopping too, na". Of course in turn I reply that we don't need tuna. It actually gives them a big laugh as well when they understand it. Pete

[Dahling]

^ Yes, but unfortunately I've picked up the habit myself, and it's not an easy one to get rid of.

[Korkenzieher]

Co-incidentally, considering the handle of the last commentator above, the one that always makes me smile is when the girls call out something along the lines of 'Where you go Darling', said with a slight gap between the Da bit and ling and losing the 'r' sound. Dah-Ling means 'Monkey's Ass'.

[GLCQuantum]

^ Yes, but unfortunately I've picked up the habit myself, and it's not an easy one to get rid of.

Unfortunately many farangs that come here do start whacking an ugly 'na' on the end of their sentence (in the English language) for some reason? Most of the time it is because it's the most simplistic form of the Thai language and they feel cool integrating it into their own language and blending in with the bar girls that use it with English also.

Funny stuff... it reallly is.

"I come with you na"

"Later I see you again na"

"You give me cheap bar fine today na"

If it wasn't for the difference in gender/race I really wouldn't be able to figue out who's speaking most the time.

[Dahling]

^ It must be nice to be so certain about everything, GLCQ!

Unfortunately many farangs that come here do start whacking an ugly 'na' on the end of their sentence (in the English language) for some reason? Most of the time it is because it's the most simplistic form of the Thai language and they feel cool integrating it into their own language and blending in with the bar girls that use it with English also.

Have you found some kind of survey that suggests this interesting linguistic trend, or do you just spend too much time in bars listening to farang who've not been here long?

[lomuamart]

Keekiet (sic) - cheap charlie.
Chai mai - isn't it?
Beer Chang nueng roi koort, kap". And then I pass out.

[dtaai-maai]

Keekiet (sic) - cheap charlie.

That's "lazy", Lomu! - you're thinking of Kee-niaow or Kee-nok, chai mai?

I like "mai tamgnan wan-nee - norn ik" = no work today, back to sleep...

[lomuamart]

Yup. Never a cheap charlie. I meant the meaning of it though.

[migrant]

Always liked the way nid noi (little) rolled off the tongue. As long as I didn't hear it in the bedroom!!

[Vital Spark]

Two of my favourite little noises that are said by Thais are:

'Ow!' - it's pronounced like 'wow' without the 'w'. This was often said at our old watering hole when the young lass hadn't noticed us arriving with our tongues hanging out. She'd then scurry off and get us a beer. It was always said with a smile and and element of surprise. I could only match it with the English equivalent of 'Oh, my gosh! I didn't see you arrive.' Haven't heard it up here, so may be just a Petchaburi thing.

'Ooouuuiiiii' - that lovely sound when someone says something surprising or amusing. Particularly nice when it's said in unison by about 30 students.

VS

[PeteC]

I'm starting to wonder if genetics comes into play with some of these speech oddities. Case in point is my 6 year old daughter. Always has spoken more English than Thai and is in an English inter school and actually speaks with a British accent. In fact, she is very much behind where she should be in Thai. None the less, she has a major problem now with TH words. Father comes out as Fader, The many times comes out da. If you notice many native Thai speaker have the same problem when speaking English Th. I sit there and she watches how I pronounce those words and the tongue movement, but she really has a difficult time replicating it. She seems ok with R's though, at least for now. Pete

[Big Boy]

I've just asked Mrs BB to say 'father' and you're right, it came out 'fader'. I suppose its another Ls are pronounced as Rs, and Rs are pronounced as Ls.

[barrys]

I'm starting to wonder if genetics comes into play with some of these speech oddities. Case in point is my 6 year old daughter. Always has spoken more English than Thai and is in an English inter school and actually speaks with a British accent. In fact, she is very much behind where she should be in Thai. None the less, she has a major problem now with TH words. Father comes out as Fader, The many times comes out da....

Dat's not unusual, in fact dat's the way I've pronounced dese words all my life ....