lost in translation

[the juggler]

Hi, do you know any URLs on the Internet that help to translate english into thai?
I am also looking for a crash course to learn some thai before I go back to LOS in March.

THX

[dawsey]

Originally Posted by the juggler

Hi, do you know any URLs on the Internet that help to translate english into thai?
I am also looking for a crash course to learn some thai before I go back to LOS in March.

THX

This link should help you

[the juggler]

WOW, this is a good one!!! THX

[ATMwalking]

Problem is always the phonetics just confuses things more. Hate to say, but I really doubt anyone will understand what you are trying to say. Pronouncing Thai words correctly took me 6 months to a year of living hear and trying to really get a handle on it.

Better to just get a long hair dictionary when you return.

[Dodger]

Agree, as I knew but still got to think the phonetic was the correct spelling in english of the thai word. Then my Thai teacher brough the latest book I couldn't get some of the words, for example she had changed Ped to Pet, Khun to Koon, when I asked her why, she said because her swedish clients didn't get the previous spellings. At this point we almost gave up but am now learning the letters to be able to read and write Thai, at least then you just get the sound of the correctly spelt word.

[the juggler]

This sounds even more difficult then I thought!
And when it comes to writing, I think it gets even worse?
But I like the "long hair dictionary" idea maybe a good solution, as long as "it" translates what you want to say.

[viper]

Originally Posted by Dodger

A
for example she had changed Ped to Pet, Khun to Koon, when I asked her why, she said because her swedish clients didn't get the previous spellings. At this point we almost gave up but am now learning the letters to be able to read and write Thai, at least then you just get the sound of the correctly spelt word.

Dodge - forgive my naievity but seeing as you are taking lessons (to learn thai) could I enquire as to whether you are being taught English Thai or Sanskrist (probably not spelt that correctly) Thai?

Reason I ask is because, obviously when converting a Thai word to an English comprhension of a Thai word, the Romanised alphabet is used, whereas this is not effectivly real Thai ? yet it would seem that the average Thai will be able to understand it.

Simply curious as I too have been studying the lingo, though I respectfully doubt to your level, but in a Romanised version, and every time I pass on my new found conversation pieces to my TG she loves the fact I am learning her language via verbal correspondance, however when I sms her a message in my new found language, it often takes an extended period for her to decipher what I am trying to convey, before she replies - often with an exclamation mark....!

[Esco]

Check out Learning Thai the Easy Way
Great site and all for free

[snorter]

Originally Posted by dawsey

This link should help you

That's a really good site. Should be made a sticky or whatever it is.....you know, posted at the top of the board.

Even my Thai colleages are all adding it to their favourites.

[Pussy Whipped]

My Thai teacher read each letter out to me allowed and let me write my own phonetic, as soon as I started to learn the Thai alphabet we just stuck with that, didn't bother to try to write the Thai words with Englsih letters.

I find it a good way to learn

Once I started too get a bit better I started to realise the avarage BG might be able to read the words in a Newspaper but they don't have a clue what half of them mean.

[BusyBee123]

I learnt thai using Thai for beginners by Benjawan poomsan becker, it really pushes you to write thai as well as learn it and worked for me very well