Guest thaiworthy Posted January 31, 2013 Posted January 31, 2013 I have been considering learning Thai, but an opportunity arose to share a private tutor with another individual. I decided on learning the language in a classroom situation. I need the discipline of a classroom schedule and the immersion technique a school would most likely employ. A private tutor would also be much more expensive. The classroom version would work out to just 100 baht an hour. I'm afraid with a tutor I would not have either immersion or discipline. So I think I'm going to rise to the challenge and see what develops at a good school. Why does anyone want to learn a language? Well, since I live here now, I want to communicate with the people I see every day. Getting tired of one-word sentences, hand signals and pantomime. Here is a short video about the Rosetta Stone and its Thai language course. This may represent why a lot of farang may want to learn Thai. Or it may not. Judge for yourself. If you have any aspirations for learning Thai, or even if you don't you really need to see this video. This is an eye-opener and reveals some startling facts you may not have ever considered about why people want to learn to speak Thai. It has very little to do with Rosetta at all. Watch it and see. You'll be glad you did! http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XaT8H3j0GtE Quote
kokopelli Posted January 31, 2013 Posted January 31, 2013 My only experience with learning and speaking other languages is that the native speaker invariably says "please speak English". williewillie 1 Quote
Rogie Posted January 31, 2013 Posted January 31, 2013 I have no plans to learn to speak Thai, other than learning a few phrases, numbers etc. Rather as Koko is implying, many Thais don't particularly want or need you to speak their language. The ones I have known speak passable English and my current inamorata speaks it very well. Having said that, TW makes a good point, you may get on just fine in the company of your circle of Thai friends and lover(s), but out in the wide blue yonder a working knowledge of Thai must be a great asset. I am the sort of person who enjoys making small-talk with strangers, shopkeepers, etc so if I lived in Thailand I'd wish I could do that, but it probably wouldn't be enough of a kick up the derriere to make me do it. I think it's a great idea to go to the Thai language class TW. williewillie 1 Quote
Guest anonone Posted January 31, 2013 Posted January 31, 2013 I have been studying Thai for a year or so now. Once a week over skype with a private teacher. Some random thoughts.... RosettaStone was pretty useless with Thai. The language is too tonal for RS to really handle. I tried it for awhile and got very frustrated. I have pretty much reached a wall with my current Thai learning. The once a week, hour long session allows me to keep fresh with what I already know, but isn't enough to really add much to my skills. I either need to step up the classes to multiple times a week, or hold off any further until I can really be immersed in the language. Knowing how to speak some Thai is useful, and if I ever get to live in Thailand it will be a certainty that I will devote significant time to learning more. Going on an early morning stroll in Isan while the BF sleeps in....meandering around the market....you won't find a lot of English being spoken. Quote
Guest thaiworthy Posted January 31, 2013 Posted January 31, 2013 RosettaStone was pretty useless with Thai. The language is too tonal for RS to really handle. I tried it for awhile and got very frustrated. While I was sincere in my discussion, the video apparently was neglected since it is quite funny and no one has remarked about it. It is not a commercial. I can't seem to make a comment about anything unless there's humor. Maybe the humor was misplaced, so sorry about that. That does not detract from my sincerity in wanting to learn Thai, but the video is related even if it is crude. It is a parody on Rosetta Stone by Saturday Night Live, which I should have mentioned. I just thought it was humorous. It's probably been on these boards before, but I just saw it for the first time and wanted to share. Gave me an excuse to start this thread. Seriously though, my school of choice at the moment is UTL (Unity Thai Language School). it has been suggested that I go there for 4 modules, 1 module for each of 4 consecutive months at a cost of 6000 baht for each month. It is very close to home and several people I know who went there have recommended it. Unfortunately i have been told that the failure rate for people over age 60 is high. I am 62. http://www.utl-school.com Thanks for the encouragement. Quote
Bob Posted January 31, 2013 Posted January 31, 2013 The absolute bitch about being middle-aged or over is the inability to retain new information or the extreme difficulty in permanently parking some new bit of information in your brain.. I can look at a new Thai word, understand what it means, know what tone to pronounce, and even be able to spell it (in Thai). Two hours later, typically I can't remember it. Damn funny that I can remember some minor event in detail that occurred 30 or 40 years ago but it's rather difficult for me to remember what the hell I had for lunch yesterday. To really retain something for any appreciable length of time takes me hours/days (it took 5 minutes when I was 10!). I and a good Swedish friend, amongst all the falang we know up here in the boonies, are the only two that persist with the Thai language lessons/learning. And we often joke (quite similar to the comment anonone made above) that we're just trying to "stay even" and/or to put as much new data into our heads as is leaking out every day. To me, there are a lot of benefits to learning Thai. Thais generally appreciate you making the effort. And sometimes you need to speak Thai to make yourself understood. I get a kick out of trying to read signs and things (and sometimes it's actually helpful to know where the exit or bathroom is or that your'e not allowed to turn left unless the light is green!). [One enduring dilemma is that Thais, when seeing some goofy ass falang trying to talk to them, are generally "listening" in English. They really are. For Thais (who don't know you) you need to somehow signal that you're going to be speaking Thai. I do that by either starting out with a "krap" (it's "kap" up here in the boonies!) or perhaps always starting out with a "sawatdee krap" and that kickstarts their brain back to Thai. But, to be honest, I somewhat do the same thing as there are times when I'm "listening" for Thai when a Thai starts to speak to me and it takes me a moment or two for the lightbulb to go off that he/she is actually speaking to me in English!] Quote
Rogie Posted January 31, 2013 Posted January 31, 2013 But, to be honest, I somewhat do the same thing as there are times when I'm "listening" for Thai when a Thai starts to speak to me and it takes me a moment or two for the lightbulb to go off that he/she is actually speaking to me in English!] A bit like the lightbulb function when making a post on GT. Off = plain text On = rich text Quote
Guest Posted January 31, 2013 Posted January 31, 2013 From my experiences at trying to learn another Asian Language: 1 Once a week is not enough. The brain needs to be challenged on a more frequent basis, with at least 2 lessons per week, preferably more. 2 You need a good teacher who will engage with you & challenge the brain. 3 Probably a small class, no more than 3~4 students. 4 Try to use the language, which then aids memory. As a tourist, I have no intention of learning Thai. When I have time to live in Thailand for 6~ 12 months per year, I shall definitely book some lessons. Quote
Guest timmberty Posted January 31, 2013 Posted January 31, 2013 when i finally live in thailand i shall learn to speak thai as fast as i can. i belive living in country where the language is not your own, and not leaning it is down right rude. and also pig ignorant. as a brit i think the english have the total wrong attitude as do the americans, we expect the rest of the world to understand us!! why ? because we are to damn lazy to learn another tongue. as for the video ... very funny. Quote
Rogie Posted January 31, 2013 Posted January 31, 2013 we are to damn lazy to learn another tongue. Guilty as charged! Yes I am guilty, but let's not forget we aren't the only ones. Many immigrants to countries where English is the national tongue have no interest in learning English, or if I can be non-PC they take advantage of the host country's failure to insist they make sufficient efforts to integrate. Spanish-speakers in the US and immigrants from India and Pakistan to Britain come to mind. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted February 1, 2013 Posted February 1, 2013 In all my travels, I never had much problem with only speaking a few phrases in the local language until my long trip to South America. The lack of more than a few words of Spanish made it quite frustrating sometimes. Here in Thailand, I am also guilty. I will learn Thai and hope it will be some time this year. I agree with timmberty. It's rude to your hosts not to speak at least some of their language. It betrays a degree of arrogance, I feel. Why should we expect everyone else speak English when we make no attempt to master their languages? Quote
Guest thaiworthy Posted February 1, 2013 Posted February 1, 2013 What is really irritating to me especially is getting the message completely wrong. Sometimes it is 180 degrees in the other direction. If you take someone's response to mean "yes" it can really mean "no" and vice-versa. I would also buy some of the Thai products I see advertised to improve memory, but they taste really bad and it's expensive. Don't even know if it would work on me. I'm afraid my synapses might have has lost their spark if the flint's all gone. Still, I am going to try. I want to at least get through Module I: This module teaches the student to recognize and pronounce the vowel sounds, the consonant sounds, and five tones of the Thai language. Students learn a phonetic writing system that is used to write Thai words. Students also learn basic vocabulary and practice basic conversations about topics ranging from introducing yourself, ordering food, and asking directions, to expressing preferences and comparing things. Quote
Guest timmberty Posted February 1, 2013 Posted February 1, 2013 Pig ignorant? Oink, Oink. you also spend 6000 baht a week on food koko !! oink oink oink i do so belive. Quote
Guest timmberty Posted February 1, 2013 Posted February 1, 2013 Guilty as charged! Yes I am guilty, but let's not forget we aren't the only ones. Many immigrants to countries where English is the national tongue have no interest in learning English, or if I can be non-PC they take advantage of the host country's failure to insist they make sufficient efforts to integrate. Spanish-speakers in the US and immigrants from India and Pakistan to Britain come to mind. indeed rogie .. and that is exactly the reason i said what i did!! when a indian/ paki/whome ever from where ever talks to me in their own language in england i say *what* then walk off as i have no idea what they are saying .. and i think to myself how ignorant are they to expect me to understand what they are saying. but the boot fits both feet! Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted February 2, 2013 Posted February 2, 2013 That's why I said we English are arrogant. We travel abroad and expect others to speak our language. Sometimes we get quite upset when they don't. Yet if a Thai travels to England and books into a hotel in, say, Manchester, how many of the staff there will be able to say anything in Thai? The Japanese were the first Asians to travel extensively, thanks to their high ¥. In the 80s and 90s, how often would you see welcome signs in Japanese and Japanese-speaking staff in English hotels? Rarely! Those who latched on to what was happening made gazillions. One was Duty Free Shoppers, a series of duty free outlets. They located themselves specifically in parts of the world where the Japanese were most likely to travel - Honolulu, Hong Kong, Sydney, Singapore etc. They studied Japanese shopping patterns, noticed the desire for high-end brand names, realised that most then travelled in groups - and tailored the shopping experience to that market. They opened up in-tiown stores with purchases being picked up at the airport on departure. The fact that their prices were generally higher than other duty free outlets didn't matter. The Japanese were in their comfort zone and spent vast amounts. WIth the Chinese outbound tourism market set to explode, how many Manchester hotels now have Mandarin-speaking staff on site, I wonder? Quote
kokopelli Posted February 2, 2013 Posted February 2, 2013 you also spend 6000 baht a week on food koko !! oink oink oink i do so belive. I don't believe that not being able to speak Thai makes one pig ignorant! I have studied four languages, Latin, German, Spanish and French and know the difficulties , frustrations and effort involved. For the most part have not come close to being able to converse other than at a very basic level. The thought of trying to learn Thai does overwhelm me to the point of not wanting to even try. Unless you or anyone else has made the effort then please don't be judgemental. As far as the 6000TB/week for food, does that make me a glutton and a fat cat? I most often go to dinner with my bf which might cost 350 TB/person plus a glass of wine each = 1000 TB; big deal. Quote
Guest timmberty Posted February 2, 2013 Posted February 2, 2013 upto you of course but for me to learn the lingo of the country you live in is most important. of course its hard, but one of the most important things you can do to fit in. i take it your bf is thai ? he speaks english? two assumtions there so far, but if both are true lets say if he had your attitude of, i cant be bothered then how enjoyable would your time together be ? as for the 6000 baht, no idea if you are fat or not .. but i took your oink oink to be a joke and added a joke oink to it .. sorry if it offended you. Quote
kokopelli Posted February 2, 2013 Posted February 2, 2013 Again you are being judgemental. Until you take the time and effort to learn Thai then don't tell others what they should do. Also, unless you have a Thai bf don't presume to know about my relationship with my bf and the joy we share regardless of my lack of Thai or his proficiency in English. A fat cat refers, not to a fat person, but to someone who is wealthy or influential. Example Donald Trump. Quote
Guest timmberty Posted February 2, 2013 Posted February 2, 2013 im not being judgemental im expression my view, which is if you speak the language of the country you live in it makes life easier. you live in thailand and i dont .. so maybe you are right and im wrong .. mabye it is better not to speak thai in thailand !! i would have thought not. i know what a fat cat is we have a million fat cat bankers in england.. no need to explain, tho if you want me to explain what a bad joke is, do ask. Quote
Rogie Posted February 2, 2013 Posted February 2, 2013 I hope you're all set for a litter of catty puns! Ok, just joking, I'm not going to inflict that upon you. Yes we are a nation of cat lovers in Britain. If I recall correctly one of the of the breed called Cedric Brown who was the boss at a company called British Gas disgraced himself by his greed. He and his ilk spawned often ribald reference to fat cats. Quote
Rogie Posted February 2, 2013 Posted February 2, 2013 WIth the Chinese outbound tourism market set to explode, how many Manchester hotels now have Mandarin-speaking staff on site, I wonder? We have a China town in Manchester and I would assume it's been there for a long time. Whether they speak Mandarin or Cantonese I have no idea but if I was a local politician or businessman I'd go and chat to the Chinese community and ask for their help and advice. Quote
kokopelli Posted February 2, 2013 Posted February 2, 2013 tho if you want me to explain what a bad joke is, do ask. Timmberty, no need to explain a bad joke it is quite evident to me. Quote
Guest timmberty Posted February 2, 2013 Posted February 2, 2013 it should be koko i tell enought of em Quote
TotallyOz Posted February 3, 2013 Posted February 3, 2013 If I thought for one moment that I would be able to do it, I would spend a few months doing it. I know of several friends who went to the school in Bangkok mentioned and enjoyed it. Months later, it was all forgotten. I think I would be a failure in learning the language as some of us are just not good with our own language and it would be harder for us to learn another one. Quote
