Chiang Mai Thai

Ever wanted to learn Thai, in Chiang Mai? I did just that from November 2010, returning home in October 2011. If you don't want a headache, start HERE, it will explain the preceding posts. I'm Snap, Stray's other half. COOEE is our (other) travel blog.

Monday, October 25, 2010

PleaSe explain

I've only been here for a few days and find myself actually listening to what the locals are saying and trying to read Thai signs. Sure, I haven't got a clue about either, but I did find one thing odd. On the modern signs written in untraditional script (can they make it any harder for me?) I find the letter 'S' on quite a few of them.
I went back to the Thai alphabet to see if one of the letters could possibly be contorted, mutated into an English 'S'...not that I can make out. A possible theory! Are they simply adding an English 'S' to turn a Thai word into a plural?

Is it a symbol I haven't come across yet?

I give up. In the infamous words of Pauline Hanson, and I know I'm going to feel like a right idiot when someone does, but...PLEASE EXPLAIN????

See what else we're up to at Cooee!

7 comments:

  1. When I started writing in Thai my hands would get cramped. Thai teachers will start you out with kinter script that to me is too small, with too many uncomfortable angles. Frustrated, I searched around.

    'Reading Thai is Fun', by James Neal is great. A classic.

    James teaches you how to simplify the Thai. And when you do, the R turns into what looks like an S, the G(K) is an upside down U, the B is a U, etc.

    If you get a chance, have your Thai friends write a paragraph in Thai script. It will not be kinter Thai (the equivalent to our printing). They will use more of a longhand.

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  2. Thanks Catherine...I still feel like crying ;) but at least now I know I'm not going mad...not yet anyway.

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  3. I guarantee that you won't go mad.

    But it's a good bet that your head will threaten to explode.

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  4. I'm sat in bar, and asked a Thai person sat next to me.

    Then had to ask a second one, as it all got a little confusing....

    I am told that is is the Thai letter for SAILBOAT.

    See th chart at
    http://www.thailandquickguide.com/2010/03/11/learning-thai-language-thai-alphabet/

    Start in the bottom left box, go two right, two up. Sailboat!

    What it's called, it's class, it's sound - I know nothing further.

    The person I asked is 100% convinced it is the same letter. My certainty is a few percent lower than that - it looks like a stretch to go from S to sailboat. But then, I know nothing of the Thai alphabet, so I provisionally accept what she says.

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  5. Hi Fred, if it's the R - ร {ร เรือ ro ruea (boat)} this reinforces what Catherine has said. I agree, it is certainly a stretch to me also...that's why it was doing my head in!

    Thanks for doing some investigating on my behalf :)

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  6. It's just the difference between printing the letters and writing them in cursive script or using a different word processor font. Like the difference between using Arial and a Gothic font for English.

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  7. Hi Anon? I understand what you're saying, but for a newbie like me...it's (nearly) like learning two different languages. I hope once I get started, it'll be a bit easier, in the mean time, I'll just stay confused:)

    Catherine's Women Learn Thai site posted about dictionary software (direct site http://word-in-the-hand.com/) which shows examples of different fonts. I should and will invest in the full version, it's a fantastic program. Have you tried it?

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