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Edward B

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Posts posted by Edward B

  1. Some examples that don't include any of your two choices above:

    คอบคุณที่ไม่สูบบุรี: Thank you for not smoking.

    เขตปลอดบุรี: No smoking zone.

    ห้ามจอดรถซ้อนคัน: No double-parking allowed.

    Those examples aren't requests, though. They are imperatives (commands).

    Yeah, but how many Thais actually follow "request" signs? :o

    In fact, I would also add "ผู้ฝ่าฝ้นจะถูกปรับ 1000 บาท" or "ผู้ฝ่าฝ้นจะถูกล็อกล้อ" to the end of my "imperative", just for good measure. :D

  2. If I want to write a casual request note, should I prefix it with '(Dai) Proht' (ได้)โปรด or 'Khor kwahm garoona' ขอความกรูฌา ? I guess one is more formal or sycophantic. Thanks.

    ขอความกรูฌา: I've never seen that one before.

    I think you better post the full request and specify who will be reading it.

    Some examples that don't include any of your two choices above:

    คอบคุณที่ไม่สูบบุรี: Thank you for not smoking.

    เขตปลอดบุรี: No smoking zone.

    ห้ามจอดรถซ้อนคัน: No double-parking allowed.

    ผู้ใช้ห้องท่านสุดท้าย กรุณาล็อกประตูด้วย: Please lock the door at the end of the day (creative translation) :o

    This one includes both of your choices above:

    กรุณาอย่าเหยี่ยบบนโถส้วม และโปรดรักษาความสะอาดก่อนออกจากห้องน้ำ: Please don't step on the toilet seat and ensure the toilet is clean before leaving.

  3. บ้างไหม (bâang măi).

    บ้าง at the end is used when you ask for and expect a list of answers.

    For example,

    คุณทำอะไรบ้างวันนี้ - What did you do today?

    มีบ้างไหม - Do you have any?

    รู้บ้างไหมว่า... - Do you have any idea...

    อยากจะฟังบ้างไหม - Do you want to listen to anything I have to say?

    เคยเป็นอย่างนี้บ้างไหม - Have [you] ever been like this before? / Has it ever been something like this before?

    Compare this with

    เคยเป็นอย่างนี้ไหม - Has it ever been [exactly] like this before?

  4. I'm practising my typing and trying to translate something. Any feedback or corrections appreciated.

    Another to come another day.

    เพื่อวันนี้ ฉันจะมีชีวิตยู่เพื่อวันเดียวเท่านั้นและจะ?ไม่กำหนดปัญหาชีวิตทั้งหมดนครั้งเดี

    ฉันสามารถที่จะทำบางสิ่งน 12 ชั่วโมง ซึ่งอาจทำห้ฉันหวาดกลัว ถ้าฉันรู้สึกเช่นนั้นฉันจะต้องรักษามันไว้เพื่อชีวิตทั้งชีวิตของฉัน

    I will try to live through this day only and not tackle my whole life problem at once. I can do something for twelve hours that appals me for I do not have to keep it up for a lifetime.

    OK, really very picky, but I deleted the space after ฉันสามารถ on line 2 and inserted one after หวาดกลัว. (You said any)

  5. I've used kwaam puk pan before for a kind of 'bind' in a relationship but understand that this isn't always a positive thing. For example two people who had an unwanted child would have a bind in their relationship but may not be commited to each other.

    Perhaps ข้อผูกมัด would be a better description for that particular example. Anyway, try this one for a wedding vow:

    :o

    Eternal love

    and

    devotion

    ความผูกพัน

    และ

    รักนิรันดร

  6. For 'commit oneself (to)' my dictionary (Oxford-River books) suggests 'uuthit ton (samrab)'.

    Meadish,

    I think you're close to the money with "uuthit"

    อุทิศ = dedicate (a book to your late wife), devote (your time to help the poor).

    It's not a common everyday word. I think its mainly used for ทำบุญ.

    Commitment could also be similar to responsibility (ความรับผิดชอบ), particularly for marriages.

  7. Referring to someone as "Nong" on its own can be construed as impolite (they may think you consider them as a servant or something) - unless you add their name afterwards. I would never use Nong for a younger male, preferring their name alone - except for the children (<16 years) of my friends. For a younger female acquaintance I prefer the word "Nu" (หนู). This is much more common than "Nong" for referring to oneself speaking to someone older.

  8. ๋Just curious about this. A male physician is called นายแำำพทย์... but a female one is called แำำพทย์หญิง...

    I mean, shouldn't males be called แำำพทย์ชาย... or females นางแำำพทย์ or นางสาวแำำพทย์.

    Thanks...Ed

  9. (อย่า)ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน - (don't) ride an elephant to catch a grasshopper. = (don't) use a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

    Meaning 1: Don't make something easy difficult.

    Meaning 2: Use the correct tool for the correct job.

    This is a common one I hear often.

  10. The question word ไหม is a clear exception and always takes the high tone in spoken Thai, never the rising tone.

    Really? Just curious because I'm sure I've heard Thais use the rising tone on many occasions. For example, person A asks person B: "j' bpai tiaow hua hin mai" (rising tone on mai - OK...I accept this).

    Person B replies "อะไรนะ"

    Person A asks again "จะไปเที่วยหัวหินไหม" (now the 'mai' is emphasized and drawn out with a definite rising tone).

    Perhaps this is an exception to the exception :o

  11. A little off the point but How would you say "He is wasting his life"? Would you add อยู่..............เสียชีวิตอยู่.....to make it obvious that life is still going on, or would you use a different word altogether?

    I think a different word altogether, but I haven't got the foggiest idea which one :o

    เขาใชัชีวิตของเขา <insert here> อยู่

    but I don't think the word to insert can be เสีย. Perhaps something more along the lines of...

    เขาใชัชีวิตไปเป็นวัน ๆ - He is living his life day to day. Or;

    เขาใชัชีวิตอย่างไร้ค่า - He is living his life like it has no value/meaning.

    Just my 2 cents...

  12. I disagree a little. I would say "sara eua" rather that spelling out the 3 written components.

    In addition when Thais spell words they rarely say the full consonants just the sound plus อ so "nor noo" becomes "nor" etc.

    Actually I disagree regarding "rarely". I think it depends on the consonant. Eg. ส ษ ศ would definitely need the tiger, ascetic and gazebo thingy said, respectively. Otherwise it is unclear which letter it would be. is unique and so adding the mouse is not necessary. However, I still hear many Thais say it anyway when spelling words with in them.

  13. It's completely normal to pronounce ปก-กะ-ติ for ปรกติ.

    Not sure what this means. Normal as in common/accepted (even if it is technically incorrect) or as in technically correct? According to RID the correct pronunciation is ปฺรก-กะ-ติ, and nothing else.

    How about January (มกราคม): มะ-กะ-รา-คม or มก-กะ-รา-คม and communication (คมนาคม): คะ-มะ-นา-คม or คม-มะ-นา-คม? RID lists both as correct, but every Thai I ask says only one version (the first) is technically correct. :o

    The month 'February' in English may be a good analogy, where the first r is commonly dropped, and nobody really gives a hoot in any case.

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