Comments on: Thai Language Thai Culture: Telling Tails – Thai Ending Particles

By: tommer

tommer — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:42:42 +0000

ครับผม. That has to be one of the most wrongly used words by people, good explanation here though.

I think it’s because falangs just have it in there minds that you have to constantly say ผม or ครับ constantly otherwise you’re not polite. To me, overuse just sounds cringe-worthy and embarrassing sometimes especially when used with people that you’re close with.

only thing i would add to the article is that โว้ย isn’t as harsh as ว่ะ, you can use it jokingly after hearing something with friends to exaggerate your reaction somewhat

By: Patrick

Patrick — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:50:40 +0000

Yes, ครับผม is insanely overused by foreigners. I’m told it sounds a bit absurd coming from a farang, partly for some uncomfortable class hierarchy reasons — i.e., Thais have a hard time imagining a farang sounding so subservient to a Thai. In any case, I’ve pretty much deleted it from my speech.

I’d like to add, however, that I’ve heard it many times from (non-ทอม) women as well. (ค่ะท่าน is totally new to me.) I think the intent is to be playful and just a tad sarcastic, but I was quite confused when I heard it for the first time.

By: Talen

Talen — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 01:24:26 +0000

Excellent post Hugh. I have known about and used na & ja but I didn’t realize all the other possibilities. Definitely a list to print out and keep handy as I learn.
.-= Talen´s last blog ..Bringing Thailand Into Focus =-.

By: Martyn

Martyn — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:50:30 +0000

Hugh & Catherine – I have heard krap pom spoken to me many times by my girlfriend’s uncle but until now I didn’t realize the reasoning behind it. I have repeated it back to him many times. Whoops.

Thai really does seem a complex language because it involves so many class rules. By that I mean there seems another language within the main language depending on whom you are talking to. Confusing but I’m sure with time it rolls off the tongue naturally.
.-= Martyn´s last blog ..Thailand – A Brit of What You Like =-.

By: sua noy

sua noy — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:13:19 +0000

yes yes yes, thai ending particles carry a lot of meanings, it is a wonderful way to nuance your utterance. And it’s very tricky to give one definition for one ending particle in a “western grammar” style. Maybe it’s too subtle for “western grammar”. The particularly stupid claim that asian languages have no grammar is made by people who lack this subtelty.
But this obsession with ครับ/คะ sounds sometimes unnatural. And this นะครับ/คะ, it’s like a verbal tic that everyone uses every 20 sec in a speach ! As if in english everybody had the verbal tic “isn’t it”.
No such verbal tics in lao where they do use ending particles.
Is there any distinguished linguist around to trace back the origin of this difference between the 2 languages ?

By: Josh Sager

Josh Sager — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:56:21 +0000

Fantastic article, Hugh. Thanks for writing it. Sometimes it’s very frustrating with words like ด้วย, when I’m constantly thinking it means “also, too” all of the time.

I’m printing this out and studying it this week!
.-= Josh Sager´s last blog ..Paiboon Publishing Thai-English English-Thai Software Dictionary =-.