Have you tried Smyth’s ‘Teach Yourself Thai’? This is the one that cracked tone for me. I’d failed to really get my head round it from a couple of previous attempts with other materials, but after putting in some concentrated study (not more than a couple of weeks) with Smyth, I never even think of the rule anymore; I just ‘see’ the tone automatically when I read the word.

(Of all the many things that I am bad at with Thai, the one that I feel good about is that, almost like a native, when I read I know the tone of a word without consciously knowing what class the consonant is and if you asked me I’d probably have to stop and think about it. that skill I attribute directly to Smyth, because before his book, I was hopeless at it and figured I always would be.)

Oh, I should add that just because I know the tone of a word when I read, it doesn’t mean when I try to speak that word that it sounds anything like what it should!!

I have a huge respect for David Smyth. I couldn’t sleep right away last night, so I cracked his book open again and listened to his lessons in my iPod to review. I like.

Thank you so much for sending my site to Boo. I’ve been a member of TV for awhile (5 years or so) but I mostly lurk. Boo and the other gals have made TV a sweeter place to visit, that’s for sure.

Wonderful interview, Cat. I was really curious about Smyth’s background and language approach. I’ve found his Teach Yourself Thai very rewarding and easy to work through. I just need to get farther into the book ;-) Hmmm, I think we talked about this before . . .

BTW, a Thaivisa mod recently asked about Thai language teacher in Khon Kaen. I chipped in with a link to your site and she called it a “brilliant link.” I’m not making this up.
Go here

Jeff – When he mentioned the ‘Elementary Handbook of the Siamese Language’, I was quite surprised to find it for free online. It is totally new to me (even if it is 100 years old). I haven’t made my way all the way through, but I plan to this weekend.

Another great interview in the series!