Please vote!

Once again I have been humbly nominated for the LexioPhiles favorite language learning blog. It’s a great honor to be listed among the world’s best online language learning resources. That being said, it would be wonderful if LTMS could be among the winners.

What does it take?

About five seconds of your time. All you have to do is go to the voting page, find my blog (it’s listed under “Learning Thai”), select the radio button next to my blog, and submit the form. That’s it!

I would also ask that you please check out my good friend Catherine’s Thai blog – Women Learn Thai. If you feel that her blog deserves a vote, please consider voting for hers, even at the risk of not voting for mine. Ours is a small community and we try to stick together as much as possible.

Please take a moment to vote.

Thanks!

It’s Votin’ Time! comment(s) is an original post from Learning Thai (My Story) at blog.joshsager.com. If you are not reading this post on that site, it's been lifted. Please visit blog.joshsager.com to view the real site.

Run, run away!

One of the most confusing issues for beginning Thai language students is how to conjugate/create “-ing” words; running, walking, eating… 

Before we dive into the Thai-specific concepts, it would be helpful to first make sure these concepts are understood in English.

What we are really talking about is the difference between a verb and a gerund; do you know the difference?

Present Participle

Verbs are easy; let’s be honest. A verb in an action word. For example: วิ่ง /wîng/ means “to run.” When you want to take a verb and make it into an -ing word (called a “present participle” in grammatical terms) you simply prefix the verb with กำลัง /gam-lang/.

So, if you want to use the word “running” in a sentence, you put กำลัง in front of วิ่ง and get กำลังวิ่ง — running! Here is a very simple sentence as an example:

ผมกำลังวิ่งกลับบ้าน
/pǒm gam-lang-wîng glàp bâan/
(I [male speaker] running return home)
I am running home.

Gerunds

A gerund, simply put, is when a verb is used as a noun. There are many cases when you use a verb to indicate the act of doing something as a subject rather than as a verb. In these cases, use precede the verb with การ /gaan/ to create the gerund. Here is an example:

การวิ่งการออกกำลังกายดีมาก
/gaan-wîng gaan-ɔ̀ɔk-gam-lang-gaai dii mâak/
(running exercise good very/much)
Running is very good exercise.

I apologize if that last one messed with your head a little bit, but I think it’s a very good example. This sentence actually contains one of each in it — กำลังวิ่ง (running) and การออกกำลังกาย (exercise). The first is a present participle, and the second a gerund.

If you can wrap your head around when a verb should be treated as a verb (present participle) or as a noun (a gerund) it will make your life a lot easier. We take these concepts for granted in English by just saying “running” and the context being inherently understood. We don’t really get that luxury in Thai, however; but with practice it will become easy and apparent.

Good luck!

Utility Words: กำลัง vs. การ comment(s) is an original post from Learning Thai (My Story) at blog.joshsager.com. If you are not reading this post on that site, it's been lifted. Please visit blog.joshsager.com to view the real site.

Not *that* kind of meat!

I’m having a lot of fun working on these Grammar Wars posts. Not only am I learning a lot, but I’m also finding that the most reader interaction is taking place on these discussions as well.

I recently wrote another Grammar Wars post comparing verbs that mean “to see.” One of those verbs — เจอ /jəə/ — has a few other meanings, however, and can be a bit tricky when trying to use it with its other meanings.

Let’s “dig in” (that one will hit you on the way out) and talk about a few more verbs that can, and may, confuse us farang and make us just a tad bit loopy.

The word เจอ means “to see,” as evidenced in my Grammar Wars post about “see” verbs. เจอ can also mean “to meet” or “to find/come across,” which is actually its more commonly associated meaning. However, the verb หา /hǎa/ is actually more common and used more frequently when talking about meeting someone at a location. For example:

Grammar Wars: เจอ vs. หา comment(s) is an original post from Learning Thai (My Story) at blog.joshsager.com. If you are not reading this post on that site, it's been lifted. Please visit blog.joshsager.com to view the real site.

I always feel like, somebody's watching me...

เห็น already got some treatment when we put it up against เจอ /jəə/ in a Thai language death match. Though there is never a clear winner, it’s interesting to see how subtleties we take for granted in English are quite often overlooked as we’re trying to learn Thai. Is it a failing of our language-learning? Perhaps. But I think it’s more of a lack of effective resources than anything else. That’s one of the reasons why I have these Grammar Wars posts and encourage discussion on the finer points of Thai. But I digress…

A recent conversation with my Thai teacher, and a comment on the aforementioned post, brought up some more interesting points and made me realize that it’s probably time to revisit this and introduce two more; yes, we get a triple threat match today…

ดู /duu/ is a verb that means “to watch.” This verb is used when we are actively watching something, such as TV:

เห็น /hěn/ on the other hand, infers a more observational concept, such as:

(Don’t get too caught up with การกิน if you aren’t familiar with the use of การ. For now, just realize that it means “eat” as a noun and not a verb.)

So, whereas in English we more or less use “watch” and “see” interchangeably, Thai doesn’t. I’m sure there are probably some exceptions that I’m not aware of yet – there always are – but if you keep the idea of watching vs. observing in mind you should be okay for the majority of situations.

There is also the word มอง /mɔɔng/ which, by all accounts, basically means to stare or look at something very closely.

เจอ /jəə/ also still has a place in the conversation, but since we discussed it in more detail previously I’m leaving it out for now. I felt the distinction between ดู and เห็น, however, was important enough to revisit its use.

Grammar Wars: ดู vs. เห็น vs. มอง comment(s) is an original post from Learning Thai (My Story) at blog.joshsager.com. If you are not reading this post on that site, it's been lifted. Please visit blog.joshsager.com to view the real site.

Who Can Read More Better?

Today I thought it would be a good idea to exercise our reading brains; stop thinking about grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, and all of that jazz. Let’s just see how well we can all read Thai, tones included.

We’re going for accuracy and speed, but that doesn’t mean you should just try and read as fast as you can. See how quickly you can read without messing up. I also suggest you record yourself so you can listen back and see where your hiccups occurred. This will allow you to find patterns; perhaps you always get caught up on reading middle class consonants with tone marks, or you can never remember how a certain vowel is supposed to sound, etc.

It would be helpful to all of us if you posted how well you did.

Here you go. Good luck!

Reading Exercise comment(s) is an original post from Learning Thai (My Story) at blog.joshsager.com. If you are not reading this post on that site, it's been lifted. Please visit blog.joshsager.com to view the real site.

Resistance is futile!

A recent news item coming out of the Washington campus of Microsoft suggests the mega-company is developing software that can translate what you say into 26 different languages. In a version of your own voice, mind you.

Just picture it; you’re traveling in Thailand. You say something into your phone and then instantly get to talk to an entire population of people whom you previously would never have been able to communicate with previously. The ability to do this opens so many doors, the possibilities are exponentially amazing.

Such a technology then begs the question: If technology can be created to allow us to instantly communicate from one language into another, what’s the point of learning a new language? 

Could such a product eliminate the need for spending countless hours learning tones, memorizing vowel charts, and studying kids books?

In a word? No.

The Reality of Artificial Intelligence

Let’s be serious. Technology is cool, iPhones are the bee’s knees, and it would be great if every home had a transporter room. All of that is great, but the reality is that no level of AI is going to replace actual interaction. Software can’t detect emotion, software can’t interpret body language and, most importantly, who the hell wants to have a computer chip build personal relationships for them?

I will concede that software such as what Microsoft is developing — assuming it actually works well — could be a huge help to tourists who are traveling to a region one time for vacation. But, if you are serious about prolonged exposure to another culture, there is no substitute for being able to communicate on a deep level with the native people. I’m sorry, but having a phone talk on your behalf is actually rather insulting, in my opinion. I cannot for one second imagine trying to have a conversation with my wife where I first have to talk into a phone and then hold it up to her ear.

Stop the Intellectual Laziness

Though I am by no means a technology hater, I believe we are way too wrapped up in how many G’s our phones have, how many apps we have on our smart phones/tablets, and I think technology is making us exponentially dumber with every new product release. Language is about relationships, not about getting out what you have to say quickly. You will reap so many more “life rewards” by learning another language the old-fashioned way. You will gain infinitely more life experience (and actual friends) by royally screwing up what you’re trying to say because you’re trying so hard but just not getting it.

It’s not just about the words.

In essence, I think this software has potential, just not for learning a language. Perhaps that’s not the intent, anyway; who knows? Just remember that technology is a learning aid, not a crutch. Use your gadgets to help you learn Thai just as you would a dictionary or flash cards; but please don’t try to use it as a communication proxy or learning substitute. While there is room to get excited when Star Trek edges closer to our reality, don’t let it distract you from your mission. Don’t allow it to cause your books to collect dust and your brain to stop being exercised.

Okay, you can stop reading now. You have a language to learn. Get to work! There’s plenty of studying and practicing to be done.

Learn a New Language? What’s the Point? comment(s) is an original post from Learning Thai (My Story) at blog.joshsager.com. If you are not reading this post on that site, it's been lifted. Please visit blog.joshsager.com to view the real site.

Do Want!

Perhaps the best conversation we’ve had thus far on LTMS is the discussion of “want” verbs. I thought we had done a rather good job going through the meaning of each word, and overall we made some interesting discoveries. However, at my recent Thai language class at temple, my teacher and I got into a discussion of these verbs and their meanings. He articulated to me a few alternative ideas on the differences between each word, so I figured I would share them with you.

To reiterate, the verbs in question are:

• อยาก /yàak/
• อยากได้ /yàak dâi/
• ต้องการ /dtɔ̂ng gaan/
• เอา /ao/

You can read the post and all of the comments (which I suggest you do to get the full story) here.

So, as it was explained to me this time around, อยาก suggests an activity, and อยากได้ suggests wanting an actual object. For example:

ต้องการ can be thought of as simply a more polite way of saying อยาก or อยากได้. That seems easy enough!

เอา is a little bit of a special case in that it actually means “to take” and not “to want.” It is used, informally, as more of a way to accept or decline something that is offered to you. In other words, you wouldn’t want to sit down at a restaurant and order an item off the menu by saying ผมเอา… but you can use it in response to someone offering you something, especially when they use เอา to you! 

I’m not entirely sure if I just gave more clarity or confusion to the subject, but assuming what we discussed in class is true then it does help me to understand when the usage is appropriate.

Revisiting Your “Wants” comment(s) is an original post from Learning Thai (My Story) at blog.joshsager.com. If you are not reading this post on that site, it's been lifted. Please visit blog.joshsager.com to view the real site.

Manee

As promised, I’m picking up momentum on the Manee translation. Everyone’s comments/corrections and added input is starting to turn this into something of a community project. That’s very encouraging, so I thank you all for staying tuned!

In this episode, there is a lot of actual quoted conversation going on, which is something we haven’t done much of yet (if at all).

Even if there is not a lot of new material being discussed in every section we go over, if nothing else it’s all about practice, practice, practice! I know that I am definitely reaping the benefits of this project, even to the point of improving my Thai typing ability.

Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Let’s start with the entire Thai text first…

แม่พูดว่า “ร้านทำของอร่อย จึงมีคนมากินกันมาก” มานีพูดกับแม่ว่า “เขาคงได้เงินมากนะคะแม่” “ถ้าขายดีก็ได้เงินมากลูก” แม่ตอบ “คนขายของต้องได้มากทุกคนหรือคะแม่” มานีถาม “บางคนก็ได้มาก บางคนก็ได้น้อย ถ้าใครได้น้อย ก็ต้องพยายามทำของให้ดี ๆ จึงจะมีคนซื้อ” แม่ตอบ “มานีอยากขายของบ้าง เราจะได้มีเงินมาก ๆ” มานีบอกแม่ แม่ยิ้มด้วยความพอใจ แล้วบอกกับมานีว่า “ดีแล้วลูก”

There are a few nuggets in here, so let’s digest this one paragraph at a time:

Okay, so I have to admit, กินกัน was something of a pain in the butt. All of the online definitions I saw translated it as “to get along with someone.” That very well may be the case, but then Mary Haas’ dictionary gave me another definition: to eat together. Now, when you see it on its face you say, “of course!” If nothing else it’s a warning to not become overly reliant on what the Internet sites tell you. Then again, “to eat together” is a bit misleading as well. Are there really a lot of people coming to the store to eat together, or are there just a lot of people going there to eat? I do believe that the latter is the case, and กินกัน should be treated separately, with /gan/ representing the fact that a lot of people go there to eat, not necessarily together. (Consequently, if anyone else has insight into this, I would love some clarification.)

 In this case, the use of ลูก does not mean “child” so much as something equivalent to “dear,” “sweetie,” or as a replacement for the child’s name. Though is does, literally, mean “child,” contextually it’s a term of endearment.

Yeah… so I think this is probably the most “English” I’ve made a sentence thus far. It goes to show you how hard it can be to directly translate from one language to another. But, until we get to the point where we’re all thinking and speaking in Thai without having to switch mental gears, we’re stuck with this primitive method of language learning.

Of interested is the grammatical structure in the beginning of the sentence: “บางคนก็ได้มาก บางคนก็ได้น้อย

The repetition of /gɔ̂ɔ dâi/ is, in Thai, one way that comparisons/contrasts are done between two or more objects. Here is another (unrelated example) using just ก็:

And that brings us to the last sentence:

Translating Manee: Part 4 comment(s) is an original post from Learning Thai (My Story) at blog.joshsager.com. If you are not reading this post on that site, it's been lifted. Please visit blog.joshsager.com to view the real site.

Paiboon Publishing Thai-English iPhone Dictionary

I’ve reviewed Paiboon Publishing’s amazing Thai-English dictionary app for the iPhone in the past. You can read that review here.

The great news is that Paiboon Publishing has just released a new version, including thousands and thousands of new entries, and compatibility with Android devices.

The fantastic Thai blog, Thailand – Land of Smiles, is giving away three copies for free! All you have to do is visit the site, read the post, and follow the rules!

Good luck!

Thailand, Land of Smiles Dictionary Giveaway comment(s) is an original post from Learning Thai (My Story) at blog.joshsager.com. If you are not reading this post on that site, it's been lifted. Please visit blog.joshsager.com to view the real site.

Manee

I think Manee missed us. It’s been a while since we followed the harrowing adventures of our little friend.

When we last left Manee, she and her mom were in the market shopping. I can’t imagine much has changed since the last translation, but let’s try and see if I can accurately piece together what’s going on; not only based on the translation I come up with, but also based on some of the wonderful comments and help I’ve been receiving from the readers in Part 1 and Part 2, many of whom are way better at Thai than I am.

I think I’ve hit upon a good formula for these posts, but if you have suggestions on how to improve their format by all means let me know!

Okay, enough delaying… let’s continue and see what craziness she gets herself into this time!

Here are the next two paragraphs:

สายแล้วแม่ยังซื้อของไม่เสร็จมานีเดินตามแม่อยู่นานจนหิว   มองเห็นร้านหนึ่งมีของกินน่าอร่อยและราคาไม่แพงเพราะมีป้ายบอกไว้มานีจึงชวนแม่เข้าไป   แม่เห็นว่าบ้านอยู่ไกลตลาดจึงพามานีเข้าไปซื้อกิน   ในร้านมีคนมาก

And so we don’t cause any hemorrhaging, let’s break things down one paragraph and sentence at a time.

สายแล้วแม่ยังซื้อของไม่เสร็จมานีเดินตามแม่อยู่นานจนหิว
/sǎai lɛ́ɛo mɛ̂ɛ yang sʉ́ʉ kɔ̌ɔng mâi sèt maa-nii dəən dtaam mɛ̂ɛ yùu naan jon hǐu/
(late already Mom still buy thing not “to finish” Manee walk follow Mom “to be/located” long time until hungry)
It was late already, and Mom was not finished buying things. Manee followed her Mom for a long time until she got hungry. 

There really doesn’t seem to be much to analyze here; it’s all pretty straightforward with no crazy curveballs. Let’s move on. The next sentence is very long, so I’m going to break it up to make it more readable. Breaking the sentence up this way is not indicative of any pauses in speech or empahsis

มองเห็นร้านหนึ่งมีของกิน
/mɔɔng-hěn ráan nʉ̀ng mii kɔ̌ɔng-gin/
(“to notice” store one have “foodstuff”)

น่าอร่อยและราคาไม่แพง
/nâa à rɔ̀ɔi lɛ́ raa-kaa mâi-pɛɛng/
(delectable and price inexpensive)

เพราะมีป้ายบอกไว้
/prɔ́ mii bpâai bɔ̀ɔk wái/
(because have poster/sign tell [subjective predicate])

มานีจึงชวนแม่เข้าไป
/maa-nii jʉng chuan mɛ̂ɛ kâo-bpai/
(Manee therefore persuade Mom “to enter”)

First, let’s put it all together into “real” English:

She noticed a store that has food. The food looks tasty, and also inexpensive because she saw a sign with the price. Therefore, she persuaded Mom to go in. 

Now, I’m taking a few liberties here in the translation because, as we all know, Thai often uses way less words than we do in Engilsh. The first thing I want to point out is the use of น่า which is like adding “-able” to a word. In Thai it’s a prefix to the word it modifies, similar to กำลัง, ความ, and การ. “Delectable” is the closest comparable English word if you want to be literal in the use of น่า, but this can also take on the meaning of “very” or “extreme,” so I think if you wanted to be more liberal in your translation you could also say that the food looked yummy, delicious, or simply “very good.”

The next quirk is the application of ไว้. I have to be honest, I have no idea what the hell a “subjective complement” really is; that’s what the dictionary said. But, two additional sources helped me understand this better.

In David Smyth’s book Thai – An Essential Grammar he says that when a verb is followed by ไว้ it conveys an idea that the action is being done for reference.

In the book Thai Reference Grammar, it is explained that ไว้ is “included to show that an object is being kept or left in place.” 

Stated in those ways make perfect sense, as I can only assume a sign is for reference and being left in place. Admittedly, however, that one will probably take me a long time to remember and fully wrap my head around.

We’re almost done, so I’m going to keep the last two sentences intact:

แม่เห็นว่าบ้านอยู่ไกลตลาดจึงพามานีเข้าไปซื้อกิน
/mɛ̂ɛ hěn wâa bâan yùu glai dtà-làat jʉng paa maa-nii kâo-bpai sʉ́ʉ gin/
(Mom “to discern” that house “to be located” far market therefore “to take along” Manee “to enter” “to buy” “to eat”)
Mom sees that the house is far from the market, so she took Manee inside to buy something to eat.

I think it’s becoming ever more apparent to me that in most cases (but certainly not all) you really have to take some liberties with the translation to get the true meaning. Until I was working on this lesson I didn’t know that เห็น actually also meant “to discern,” but in working through a proper English translation it was very close to the word I wanted to use instead of “to see” anyway. The problem, I suspect, lies in determining when you should be precise, and when you shouldn’t. It’s going to take me a long time to identify if the subject meant “to see” or “to discern” on the fly.

And that brings us to the last sentence of this lesson:

ในร้านมีคนมาก
/nai ráan mii kon mâak/
(inside store have people much)
Inside the store were a lot of people.

I don’t think we really need to dissect that last sentence, do we? At the very least it’s nice to know that Manee let us off the hook at the very end.

That’s it for now; I promise we will be joining Manee again very soon. 

Translating Manee: Part 3 comment(s) is an original post from Learning Thai (My Story) at blog.joshsager.com. If you are not reading this post on that site, it's been lifted. Please visit blog.joshsager.com to view the real site.