Phuket Thailand

easyrider_au · #1 16-03-2006, 20:30

I understand that this forum has many members contributing from various countries & typos from bm's are commonplace.....Myself included.

For my knowledge & the benefit of other newbies, could someone tell me the correct spelling & pronunciations for the words below thanks.

TEERAK/TEELAK
FALANG/FARANG

PS...When I read these words in postings...I know what the bm is referring to.
Just wanna clear this up....

dizbuster · #2 16-03-2006, 20:38

...and don't forget the BAHT/BATH one as well !! 55555

LivinLOS · #3 16-03-2006, 20:38

Its an either or basically for transliteration the rules are not enough to conver all things accurately from Thai to Roman.

Technically its pronounced Teelak and spelt according to the transliteration 'rules' Teerak..

Thats my understanding anyway.

steve@thaib · #4 16-03-2006, 20:41

We've had this question before and the answer seems to be that there is no answer. One or two will have a very firm opinion about what is correct, so this is only my opinion.

I asked the tame one I keep at home if it was 'farang' or 'falang'. It took us gazillions of repetitions to conclude that it's probably 'falang', but only because they (Thais) have such trouble with the 'r' sound.

For me it's 'farang'.

Hobbsy · #5 16-03-2006, 21:14

this is correct - if you watch thai tv (news etc) they pronounce the rolling 'R' much more clearly.

So Falang is how the average thai will say it but it really should be Farang. But we are all lazy in our pronunciation even in our native tongues.

whuakito · #6 16-03-2006, 22:14

the right words are <farang/ teerak >

easyrider_au · #7 17-03-2006, 15:37

Thanks guys, for clearing that up for me.

Crunch · #8 17-03-2006, 17:38

Just want to clear something up.. regardless of actual spelling, the pronounciation is from a farang point of view;

tee-lak, what she calls you

tee-rak, what you call her

???

butterflyblonde · #9 17-03-2006, 18:29

Don't forget guys that spelling thai words in romanised form can often be a waste of time. You will find many differing spellings in different language books.

I have been learning some myself and I can also read a little thai too, recognise a fair few of the thai vowels and consonants.

Farang in thai script is spelt with and 'R' and not 'L'

It is just a simple case of thai's (usually lover down the class system) who drop 'R''s and replace with 'L'

Aroi mai ? Tasty is it ? is another example, often spoken by those same thai's as Aloi instead or Aroi.

As said already, when you hear TV presenters, you hear the R and the ability to roll the R's.
The Issan mob in particular with always pronounce with an L

fun2have · #10 17-03-2006, 18:58

thats what i thought BBlonde, its just lazy talking with r in farang.
as you said with learning to read thai, it starts to become just a bit clearer on the differences between the formal way and casual informal.

Crunch · #11 17-03-2006, 21:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulUK

Just want to clear something up.. regardless of actual spelling, the pronounciation is from a farang point of view;

tee-lak, what she calls you

tee-rak, what you call her

???

anyone help?
cause all this swopping of L's and R's and rolling R's and phonetics and stuff has caused my brain to hurt.

fun2have · #12 18-03-2006, 06:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulUK

anyone help?
cause all this swopping of L's and R's and rolling R's and phonetics and stuff has caused my brain to hurt.

tee rak the rising part of the consonant, is the letter "a". i would use the r its basically better standard speech.

a long term expat told me about making a appointment years ago to see a bank manager about a loan.
the bank managers secretary would not even allow him to the organised appointment on his arrival. the reason was his thai was so street based and coarse. he then went to formal classes so he could forget most of what his wife taught him and learn to speak correctly

GB got me on the "yick" can you post it in thai script then perhaps it maybe clearer, and if it is mid, level, rising, high or falling tone.
only thinking its not the "iik" for more is it?

LivinLOS · #13 18-03-2006, 13:27

Like man keow then

geespot · #14 21-03-2006, 01:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hobbsy

this is correct - if you watch thai tv (news etc) they pronounce the rolling 'R' much more clearly.

So Falang is how the average thai will say it but it really should be Farang. But we are all lazy in our pronunciation even in our native tongues.

Depends where you come from in Thailand

I find BKK thai alot easier to understand than an isaan accent or even a southern one. There is a big difference for sure

In my opinion there is no correct spelling from converting thai to roman, its phonetic so best as it sounds

simpe example krap, kurp, kap, whatevers suits

Quite funny about the teerak thing, iv only ever heard thai women talking to farangs and vice versa saying teerak, another 1 to keep the farang happy

Yip and without even knowing it, ive got a khon kaen accent when i speak thai

G

Heywood · #15 21-03-2006, 02:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by geespot

Depends where you come from in Thailand

I find BKK thai alot easier to understand than an isaan accent or even a southern one. There is a big difference for sure

In my opinion there is no correct spelling from converting thai to roman, its phonetic so best as it sounds

simpe example krap, kurp, kap, whatevers suits

Quite funny about the teerak thing, iv only ever heard thai women talking to farangs and vice versa saying teerak, another 1 to keep the farang happy

Yip and without even knowing it, ive got a khon kaen accent when i speak thai

G

Sabaidee Baw G

...Southern thai talk way to fast for me...bkk nice and easy on the ears...issan's twang and mixure of lao is a handful, one day I shall be better at speaking...my hearing is getting better though...just picking out the little changes has been tough for me.

No right or wrong ..its like the whole you say tomato..I say tomahto bit.

whuakito · #16 21-03-2006, 05:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garybar

I think you would have a lot of disagreement on that one-it's written down as that but everybody that I have heard in Isaan says, Faa-Lang and Tee-lak,
but ask those who know how to speak English how it would be spelled and they will say with an "r".So who the hell knows?

hi gary ! first of all,what I meant was/is that it is written farang ,teerak.but as they are not english words,I don't know how to spell'em,right.what do you mean when you say <ask those <out of me and you of course>who know how to speak english,how it would be spelt> do they know?5555