Resources for learning Thai language

[Tomás Ó hÉilidhe-2]

Anyone know any good CD / DVD / book for learning the Thai language?

I want to learn as colloquial Thai as I can -- I specifically don't want
to learn "proper" Thai. To give you an idea of what I mean, take the
following "proper" English sentence:

   [I would have] thought it was [because] of the money

in contrast to a more colloquial form:

   [I'd a] thought it was [coz] of the money

I want to speak it just like the natives do.



   

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[Vic Fraenckel]

Tomás Ó hÉilidhe wrote:
> Anyone know any good CD / DVD / book for learning the Thai language?
>  
Try www,RosettaStone.com

Vic

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*Victor Fraenckel
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windswaytoo ATSIGN gmail DOT com**

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[Alan B. Pearce]

>
>in contrast to a more colloquial form:
>
>   [I'd a] thought it was [coz] of the money
>
>I want to speak it just like the natives do.

The only way to learn the native way of speaking is 'immersion learning'
where you go and live with them.

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[Lindy Mayfield-2]

I know from learning Finnish that really the only way to get to the colloquial language is through the standard language.  Finnish, for example, has the standard spoken language, official written language (newspapers, TV, etc), and something like 7 or more major dialects.

German, on the other hand, if I understand from my 5 years living there, doesn't deviate too much from the standard grammar.  Different regions, however, have different pronunciations and accents.  (Is that right?)

Are you sure that there is a big difference in Thai from "proper" to "colloquial"?

I have a book on Thai language that I bought there, but I haven't read it, and I've not idea whether it is good or not.  I'll have a look and if it mentions dialects or colloquial language I'll let you know.

-----Original Message-----
From: piclist-bounces@... [mailto:piclist-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Tomás Ó hÉilidhe
Sent: 30. kesäkuuta 2008 0:56
To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
Subject: [OT] Resources for learning Thai language


Anyone know any good CD / DVD / book for learning the Thai language?

I want to learn as colloquial Thai as I can -- I specifically don't want
to learn "proper" Thai. To give you an idea of what I mean, take the
following "proper" English sentence:

   [I would have] thought it was [because] of the money

in contrast to a more colloquial form:

   [I'd a] thought it was [coz] of the money

I want to speak it just like the natives do.

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[Lindy Mayfield-2]

Yes, you'll need to spend as much time as possible on "the beach". (-:

-----Original Message-----
From: piclist-bounces@... [mailto:piclist-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Alan B. Pearce
Sent: 30. kesäkuuta 2008 12:36
To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
Subject: Re: [OT] Resources for learning Thai language

>
>in contrast to a more colloquial form:
>
>   [I'd a] thought it was [coz] of the money
>
>I want to speak it just like the natives do.

The only way to learn the native way of speaking is 'immersion learning'
where you go and live with them.

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[Jinx-4]

> >I want to speak it just like the natives do.
>
> The only way to learn the native way of speaking is 'immersion
> learning' where you go and live with them

Get a room in Killarney's famous Little Bangkok ?

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[Tamas Rudnai]

> German, on the other hand, if I understand from my 5 years living there,
doesn't deviate too much from the standard grammar.  Different > regions,
however, have different pronunciations and accents.  (Is that right?)

As far as I know Swiss German is closer to Platt Deutsch while the one
spoken in Germany is Hoch Deutsch. Anyway, I think they can pretty much
understand each other, at least my father did not have a problem in Swiss
:-) And of course each region has it's own use of phrases and words that
other doe not know or use different, but it's pretty much like the same in
every language I guess.

Anyway, I know a 10 years old girl who learned English in a practical way -
she came here in Ireland and went to the school without knowing a word, one
year later she spoken like a native, expect she could not understand if you
say "I would like to go...", but "I'd like to go" - which is weird to me.

Tamas



On Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 11:16 AM, Lindy Mayfield <lindy.mayfield@...>
wrote:

> I know from learning Finnish that really the only way to get to the
> colloquial language is through the standard language.  Finnish, for example,
> has the standard spoken language, official written language (newspapers, TV,
> etc), and something like 7 or more major dialects.
>
> German, on the other hand, if I understand from my 5 years living there,
> doesn't deviate too much from the standard grammar.  Different regions,
> however, have different pronunciations and accents.  (Is that right?)
>
> Are you sure that there is a big difference in Thai from "proper" to
> "colloquial"?
>
> I have a book on Thai language that I bought there, but I haven't read it,
> and I've not idea whether it is good or not.  I'll have a look and if it
> mentions dialects or colloquial language I'll let you know.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: piclist-bounces@... [mailto:piclist-bounces@...] On Behalf
> Of Tomás Ó hÉilidhe
> Sent: 30. kesäkuuta 2008 0:56
> To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
> Subject: [OT] Resources for learning Thai language
>
>
> Anyone know any good CD / DVD / book for learning the Thai language?
>
> I want to learn as colloquial Thai as I can -- I specifically don't want
> to learn "proper" Thai. To give you an idea of what I mean, take the
> following "proper" English sentence:
>
>   [I would have] thought it was [because] of the money
>
> in contrast to a more colloquial form:
>
>   [I'd a] thought it was [coz] of the money
>
> I want to speak it just like the natives do.
>
> --
> http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
> View/change your membership options at
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
>

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http://www.rudonix.com
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[Tomás Ó hÉilidhe-2]

Alan B. Pearce wrote:
>> in contrast to a more colloquial form:
>>
>>   [I'd a] thought it was [coz] of the money
>>
>> I want to speak it just like the natives do.
>>    
>
> The only way to learn the native way of speaking is 'immersion learning'
> where you go and live with them.


I'm going to Thailand in September but I want to learn as much as I can
before I go.

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[Roger, in Bangkok]

I can send you some links to commercial CD courses after the coming
weekend.  However there is really little to be gained from any of them.

A)  You must have face to face tutoring unless you only want to learn to
read and write.
B)  You have normal Thai and Royal Thai, no in between to speak of.  Normal
Thai in Bangkok does not equal normal Thai in the south ... or in the
northeast ... or anywhere else.
C)  Learning the language without learning the culture is virtually useless
... far more useful to learn the culture and the mindset first, then the
language if necessary.
D)  Look first where you live for a nearby Chinatown, then the Thai
community within, then the Buddhist Wat (temple) within that.  There you can
no doubt book lessons.  You want to learn ONLY from the normal Thai school
curriculum because that is the only source of vocabulary you will find that
is based on Thai culture and customs ... most everything else cowboy Thai
suitable only for the bars and brothels.  Academics and missionaries spend
one year in full time language training to prepare for the Thai government
6th grade literacy exam ... when they pass that, they are somewhat qualified
to begin learning :-))

Regards/Roger, in Bangkok

Exercise 1, literal translation of popular Thao colloquialism ... "speak go,
speak come, no fall down".  What does it mean?

Regards/Roger, in Bangkok

On Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 4:56 AM, Tomás Ó hÉilidhe <toe@...> wrote:

>
> Anyone know any good CD / DVD / book for learning the Thai language?
>
> I want to learn as colloquial Thai as I can -- I specifically don't want
> to learn "proper" Thai. To give you an idea of what I mean, take the
> following "proper" English sentence:
>
>   [I would have] thought it was [because] of the money
>
> in contrast to a more colloquial form:
>
>   [I'd a] thought it was [coz] of the money
>
> I want to speak it just like the natives do.
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
> View/change your membership options at
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
>

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[Lindy Mayfield-2]

look left and right before crossing the street?



-----Original Message-----
From: piclist-bounces@... [mailto:piclist-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Roger, in Bangkok
Sent: 30. kesäkuuta 2008 17:45
To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
Subject: Re: [OT] Resources for learning Thai language


Exercise 1, literal translation of popular Thao colloquialism ... "speak go,
speak come, no fall down".  What does it mean?

Regards/Roger, in Bangkok

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[Stephen D. Barnes-2]

Lindy Mayfield wrote:

> look left and right before crossing the street?
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: piclist-bounces@... [mailto:piclist-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Roger, in Bangkok
> Sent: 30. kesäkuuta 2008 17:45
> To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
> Subject: Re: [OT] Resources for learning Thai language
>
>
> Exercise 1, literal translation of popular Thao colloquialism ... "speak go,
> speak come, no fall down".  What does it mean?
>
> Regards/Roger, in Bangkok
>
>  

Walk and chew gum without killing oneself?

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[Rolf-4]

Stephen D. Barnes wrote:

> Lindy Mayfield wrote:
>  
>> look left and right before crossing the street?
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: piclist-bounces@... [mailto:piclist-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Roger, in Bangkok
>> Sent: 30. kesäkuuta 2008 17:45
>> To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
>> Subject: Re: [OT] Resources for learning Thai language
>>
>>
>> Exercise 1, literal translation of popular Thao colloquialism ... "speak go,
>> speak come, no fall down".  What does it mean?
>>
>> Regards/Roger, in Bangkok
>>
>>  
>>    
> Walk and chew gum without killing oneself?
>
>  

Say nice things because what you say may come back to haunt you?

In Haiku ....

Say bad thing
Hear bad thing
Sh.t happens.

Rolf

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[Richard-177]

If you are single. you will see some incredibly beautiful ladies there.  If
you are married they will still be there but you may not notice them.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Tomás Ó hÉilidhe" <toe@...>
To: "Microcontroller discussion list - Public." <piclist@...>
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 8:28 AM
Subject: Re: [OT] Resources for learning Thai language

>
>
> Alan B. Pearce wrote:
>>> in contrast to a more colloquial form:
>>>
>>>   [I'd a] thought it was [coz] of the money
>>>
>>> I want to speak it just like the natives do.
>>>
>>
>> The only way to learn the native way of speaking is 'immersion learning'
>> where you go and live with them.
>
>
> I'm going to Thailand in September but I want to learn as much as I can
> before I go.
>
> --
> http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
> View/change your membership options at
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist 

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[Roger, in Bangkok]

You're the closest Rolf.  It's actually a very common English (US at least)
as well.

"All talk and no action"!  I use it fairly often, especially when dealing
with NGOs:-)  Once you understand it, it does make quite good sense ... or
at least it does to me.  Life here is rich with such expressions and ancient
as well as modern proverbs.  I'm not very traveled but it seems to be the
norm in southeast Asia anyway.  And locals have great fun playing word games
with foreigners (farang, or literally guava!), especially when there is a
perceived degree of arrogance or impoliteness on the part of their target.
All good natured fun for the most part though:-)

RiB

On Tue, Jul 1, 2008 at 12:23 AM, Rolf <learr@...> wrote:

> Stephen D. Barnes wrote:
> > Lindy Mayfield wrote:
> >
> >> look left and right before crossing the street?
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: piclist-bounces@... [mailto:piclist-bounces@...] On
> Behalf Of Roger, in Bangkok
> >> Sent: 30. kesäkuuta 2008 17:45
> >> To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
> >> Subject: Re: [OT] Resources for learning Thai language
> >>
> >>
> >> Exercise 1, literal translation of popular Thao colloquialism ... "speak
> go,
> >> speak come, no fall down".  What does it mean?
> >>
> >> Regards/Roger, in Bangkok
> >>
> >>
> >>
> > Walk and chew gum without killing oneself?
> >
> >
> Say nice things because what you say may come back to haunt you?
>
> In Haiku ....
>
> Say bad thing
> Hear bad thing
> Sh.t happens.
>
> Rolf
>
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