Proofing before publishing

[buksida]

It has always baffled me why Thais dont get their English proof read before publishing it. I mean theres no way I would write anything in Thai without getting a native speaker to read over it and correct if necessary.

You see so many stupid spelling mistakes here that make the Thai owners look like idiots themselves. Why do you think they dont get it proof read?

There's not exactly a shortage of foreigners around, maybe they're too tight to pay to correct their poor English, maybe they resent giving money to foreigners, maybe they dont want to lose face by admiting they've got something wrong. Who knows.

Last week while visiting Bangsaphan we saw signs with the word Bungalow written four different ways:

Bankalow
Bunkalow
Bangalow
Bunk alo

Would you stay there?
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[Michael]

I am not a english native speaker and for me it is more difficult to understand what it means.
The reason i think is, they dont wont lose there faces and ask not for help.
Do you ever read a menu in a restaurant with german translated words?
It`s funny.

[Jim]

maybe for many of the same reasons that we always mispronounce Thai words in English. The word for island, for example, is not the "Koh" that is always used, but "Go" with a short o, as in "gosh". It would be a dull world if we all did the same thing.
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[buksida]

True, but thats the way they write it in phonetic, with a "K". There is no kor-kwai in the word for island so, as you say, it should be pronounced with a "G".

My point was solely regarding printed items such as signs, menus, posters etc in English. Surely its worth checking it before it goes to print and you waste your money and make yourself look stupid at the same time.
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[Guess]

I too have had the some bafflement as Busi. Sometimes it is obvoius what is trying to be written, sometimes amuzing but sometimes misleading and occasionally not understandable with any stretch of the imagination.

I had great fun pointing out to aan English speaking (but not very good spelling) that "fried crap in Indian Curry sauce" actullay meant something completely different in English than what she was actually selling. If anybody goes to Bangkok to the large outdoor fish restaurant in Surkumwit Soi 5 in Nana it would be interesting to find out if she has changed the spelling.

Other menu items need further description although there are many consistent mistakes that I have now come to understand.

As for the prroofing bit. I have a friend here who has two restaurants. His spoken and written English is very good to local standards. I offered many times that I would prrof any menus first and help with the formatting for presentation purpose. However he went ahead alone and the inecitable mistakes were made. He has tow sons that are both being educated in the West so maybe they gave some assistance. All I can assume from this is that one of Buksi's suggestions is correct and thaty loss of face may occur if Thai people are corrected by a foreigneer regarding anything connected with their business.

Having a few mistakes can be baffling but amuzing but having a menu (or indeed any oublication) written in English or any other Roman script and it not being understandable is just downright stupity.
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G

[Jim]

But isn't that part of being Thai? Thais wouldn't be so wonderfully infuriating if they did things like getting their English checked.

And great speed typing, Guess.
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[Bamboo Grove]

There is actually no "g" sound in Thai language. The difference between koo kai and khoo khai is that the latter is an aspirant. This means that the air comes out from the mouth in a different way. A bit like having a very short "h" there after the "k". Koo kai doesn't have this one. "G" itself (if I remember correctly is 'gluttural' sound coming partly from the throat.
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[buksida]

So the question should be what letter is it closest to in English, a K or a G?

Personally I pronounce with a G if I want to be understood by Thais and a K for westerners.
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[Jim]

I know that I am a novice, but surely there is a "g" sound in thai? It is shorter and harsher than we tend to use in English, but the number 9 for example is pronounced with a noticeable "g" and not a variety of "k", as I understand?

I think the difference is between text book and spoken Thai. Same same as the pronunciation of r and l, as in farang/falang, Thipurai/Thipulai etc.
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[Burger]

I would have though there was a 'g' too, again bit of a novice on the subject I admit.

How about:
kow pat gai ?
or
tom yam goong ?
or
gland market nek to gland hotel ?


Burger

[Michael]

Dont compare the tahi letters with the roman letters. Sometimes there is no way to write a letter for the exact pronouncing a word.
There are many differnt k`s in thai, a soft "k" a harder "k" or a "kh" but we have only 27 letters to write it on.

[Jim]

That's very true of course. But the question we're trying to answer is how to pronounce the first letter of the Thai alphabet when it is used as the first letter of a word and there appears to be a difference of opinion between those of us who are being taught the language and those who commonly speak it. It is, to me at least, an interesting question. If I get to take an exam over here, I want to get it right, and I want to get it right when I'm talking when I'm in LOS.
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[Guess]

[Farang]

[Guess]