Learning Thai

[Bulgakov]

Hi,

How long does it takes to learn to speak Thai? I like learning languages. I know French, English and Spanish. However, Thai is a very different language and it seems hard. Do you have some books with CD to suggest?

Thanks,

Bulgakov

[sean_bkk]

Thai is different and you can't really learn from CD. It's more effective if you actually learn from a Thai person. There's a Thai language school located somewhere around Asoke area. If you're interested, I can find that out for you. Sean

[singto]

Originally Posted by Bulgakov

Hi,

How long does it takes to learn to speak Thai? I like learning languages. I know French, English and Spanish. However, Thai is a very different language and it seems hard. Do you have some books with CD to suggest?

Thanks,

Bulgakov

Yes, Thai is very different and is a language many think is quite difficult. I speak some Spanish and think Spanish is much more difficult however.

It took me a solid year to learn the basics and fourteen years later, I'm still learning although now I speak it fairly fluently and can read it too. Writing is tough and although possible, my writing skill lags behind the other two facets of the language.

[tamsin]

Originally Posted by Bulgakov

Hi,

How long does it takes to learn to speak Thai? I like learning languages. I know French, English and Spanish. However, Thai is a very different language and it seems hard. Do you have some books with CD to suggest?

Thanks,

Bulgakov

Unless you need to learn Thai to, hopefully, get across what you want/need in business - don't bother. They all talk **** anyway.

[witfalait]

Originally Posted by Bulgakov

Hi,

How long does it takes to learn to speak Thai? I like learning languages. I know French, English and Spanish. However, Thai is a very different language and it seems hard. Do you have some books with CD to suggest?

Thanks,

Bulgakov

Hi Bulgakov, here's my 2 cents worth. Try not to go to sleep now. These are original thoughts (I was the first to steal them).

1. Master the tones of the language before you leave Ottawa. Different tones can give an entirely new meaning to what appears to be the same word. As you apparently know already, you will definitely need a book with a pronunciation CD.

2. Learn the right words, that is, just the words for basic communciation. You can expand your vocabulary later. Sounds obvious? Well, about 20 or more years ago I bought a pack of 2 tapes in Bangkok that were laughable. Example: "Look out, jellyfish!" We were supposed to learn that?? What a waste of time and money.

3. Learn the right way. (a) Read your book for visual memory and read it well. (b) Write the words in notes to refer to later, for visual and kinesthetic memory. (c) Say them loudly (auditory memory) so you are not so self-conscious when you say them for real. (d) Get a mental image or feelling of the meaning of the word as you use it.

4. Practice, persist and don't give up. This has been the key for me in business and life, and has become my current mo****r. (I will share a secret with you. Promise not to tell anyone? witfalait = whatever it takes, for as long as it takes.)

5. Make the task fun. Especially don't stress over it, because you won't learn anything when stressed.

Recommendations? Unfortunately I have wasted a lot of time and money on books, tapes, phrasebooks and dictionaries. Basically I am a cheapskate, still working and trying to earn a living. Now I don't buy anything unless it is real value.
Dictionary: the one by Benjawan Becker. I think she lives in California so should be very easy for you to get hold of. Very few mistakes and only one I believe could be called critical.
Book + CD: "Let's Talk Thai", try Amazon in Canada. I know you can get it shipped quickly from Bay Books UK. There is also a Let's Talk Thai website.

Lastly, don't ever look down on the Thai language or on Thais. We can learn so much from them, I certainly have. I like to pause occasionally and reflect that Asians had structured societies when my European ancestors were virtually still living in caves and grunting at each other (and some of us still can't manage much better than this).

[KhwaamLap]

Yes, I would go along with Benjawan Poomsan Becker too - Thai for beginners is your first stop. Dictionary, Thai-English/English-Thai by the same author. The books come with (or are extra - not sure) tapes or probably CD now.
A good grammar book is Thai Reference Grammar The Structure Of Spoken Thai by James Higbie and Snea Thinsan.

Getting the alphabet and learning to read (even without understanding what the words mean) is a real boon as every book you pick up will have a diferent transliteration method - and due to accents (and the fact they are all loosley based on the original 1900's Dutch system) very hard to use to get good word formation or pronounciation. As sai above, you can't beat a Thai listener to correct you (and help with those not-so-well-described parts of the book/language).

One ay if you are lacking a Thai friend hat will do this for you, is to go along to your local Thai Buddhist temple. They nearly always run classes for free or close on and are its also a good place to practice (with the monks and visitors) - you don't have to convert!

Word of caution. Remember Thai women speak diferently to Thai men. They use different words (pronouns for example) - Thai often laugh at farangs adding 'Ka' to their sentances, it gives the impression they learnt their Thai from brothels (apparantly).

As to 'how long does it take?' - this depends on your submersion in the language, how much you practice, how much you study and what you call 'to learn'. To be fluent completely would take many years. As above I can read some, but do not understand all I read and can not write much without help. This is a great web site for free lessons and a very good translation tool: http://www.thai-language.com/lessons/

Lastly, don't ever look down on the Thai language or on Thais.

Yes, they have a habbit of jumping up and bopping you in the nose

Chok Dee.

[witfalait]

Ah Kwaamlap, sorry but I am completely underwhelmed by that particular website. If you have ever tried to teach someone basic Thai, you would know to avoid this stuff, and indeed anything where Thai script is present. You can see their eyes glaze over as their confidence evaporates through feelings of inadequacy. The student's ego must always be nurtured, certainly as much as their desire to learn.
Also, I'm afraid, forget Higbie. His unusual tone marks and persistence with outdated transliterations just complicates matters too much for a student of the basics. I suspect he put a lot of work into his dictionary and phrasebook. Pity he didn't employ a good editor and listen to him or her well. (I would have done it cheap, just to help.)

And let us not gush excessively about Benjawan Becker. I recommend the dictionary, yet it would also have benefitted from careful and objective scrutiny before publication. You see, once something is in print, or even published on the internet, people believe it implicitly.
Look at Becker's dictionary for example, and turn to the page with waa (falling tone). What about that? Even Higbie gets that one perfectly correct. There is no mention of "that" and a novice would assume it was ok to use waa as a stand alone word. Still, I continue to recommend that dictionary since it is probably the best small dictionary around (at the moment), but really, let us keep a balance outlook.

And I certainly stand by my recommendation that Let's Talk Thai is best by far for novices, and I would be happy to argue the case, but it would be better to wait until after you have actually seen the product.

[KhwaamLap]

The Higbie book I mentioned wasn't a phrase book or a dictionary, it was the grammar book. I have several, and I still think the Higbie is the best on grammar ( This One). Granted its probably a bit beyond a beginner, but its a reference book rather than a teaching-Thai book.

The point I was trying to get aross was that if someone wants to learn to speak fluent Thai (not just holiday phases), then learning the Thai characters is the best way to go (yes, of course that is subjective). Every book has a different method of transliteration - and the semi-oficial Royal one is based on te Dutch system (Gor Gai is listed as 'K' for example - which can land people in trouble if they try and say things like banana with a 'K'!). Its harder, yes, but once mastered makes learning so much easier.

It all depends on his determination and staying power (and lets face it if he hasn't got the staying power he will not get far anyway) and what he wants out of it. Holiday phrases, conversational, business, fluency???

As to 'learning books' I think they all have their pros and cons - followers and critics, its down to personal taste. I have tried several over the years and found none of them very good, but I stand by Becker as being the easiest to get into. I also liked this one early on Thai (Teach Yourself) both have accompanying tapes (extra).

Still best to take a course with a Thai speaker, but as far as boks go this is my choice - other people will have other choices we all learn in different ways and for different reasons, so you'll have to find one that suits. No one's advice is better or worse than anyone else, just more or less suitable for you - and only you can make that decision.

Again, Good luck.

[Marine]

Learn with Thai colleagues is the best

[KhwaamLap]

Originally Posted by Marine

Learn with Thai colleagues is the best

Absolutely, small classes and natural speaker teaching - regular lessons - hard to get unless you're in Thailand though. That's why I suggested a Thai temple if you are at home as they usually run Thai lessons for little or no charge.