pol·y·glot [pol-ee-glot] –adjective- able to speak or write several languages; multilingual.

Lately I’ve noticed a trend in language blogs and articles pertaining to learning languages where the emphasis in learning is placed on time more so than skill sets or fundamentals. This trend seems to have started among the polyglot set but has been steadily moving out to more conventional language learning venues little by little. Normally I wouldn’t notice such things but lately a few of these self proclaimed polyglots have tackled the Thai language and that’s something I’m deeply interested in.

Some of the more typical blogs in this new niche of language learning are drawing people in by claiming they will learn a specific language in 3, 6 or 12 months, fluently. I’m not going to point out any specific blogs but a quick Google search will head you in the right direction.

I’m all for people challenging themselves and finding new and unique ways to learn languages, we all seem to tackle language learning in our own ways. I am more of a visual learner who really excels when submersed in the natural habitat of native speakers where others find it much easier to learn through auditory repetition or by learning to read  the language before speaking it.

No matter what type of learner you are you will always be interested in different ideas and methods which might help you learn more or even learn faster. It was with this interest in mind that I stumbled upon more than a few of these new language blogs. Call it arrogance, positive thinking or just plain hubris, these authors really believe they will be fluent in the chosen languages they set out to learn in very little time.

The one consistent theme throughout these blogs and articles by polyglots is the word Fluent. They challenge themselves to become fluent in a given language under time constraints that just don’t seem feasible and it would seem that their definition of the word “fluent” is often very fluid and changeable. While, to most of us, fluency is still perceived as a very rigid word, not one used lightly when talking about learning any language much less Thai.

flu·ent [floo-uhnt] –adjective-1.spoken or written with ease: fluent French.2.able to speak or write smoothly, easily, or readily: a fluent speaker; fluent in six languages.3.easy; graceful: fluent motion; fluent curves.4.flowing, as a stream.5.capable of flowing; fluid, as liquids or gases.6.easily changed or adapted; pliant

If you go to one of the many Thai language resources online such as Catherine Wentworth’s Women Learning Thai… and some men too you’ll see the differences in how she and the language learners she interviews perceive word fluency. On Catherine’s blog she has interviewed over 20 Thai language learners/speakers who come from very diverse backgrounds and have studied the Thai language anywhere from a few years to a few decades. Some of these people are polyglots in their own right. But, as you read each interview the same themes take shape time and time again with an emphasis on the fundamentals. Although some of these people have lived in Thailand and have spoken Thai for decades, none of them profess to be fluent in the Thai language.

As most travelers to the Kingdom will tell you, whether they spent 2 weeks or 2 months in Thailand, they came back with a healthy vocabulary of Thai words and phrases and a retention rate that is better than average. I have a theory as to why this is, being in a relaxed environment, exploring your surroundings and generally enjoying yourself is very conducive to not only learning a new language but to retaining what you have learned as well.

To that extent some of these new type language blogs are getting it partly right as in they all subscribe to learning in a native speaking environment to some extent by submersing yourself into the native culture.

I’m not downing these polyglots, I think it’s great that they are challenging themselves and their readers  to learn Thai and other languages. Generally I think they share a great attitude towards learning, but on the other hand I think they are doing a disservice to their readers who are looking to them for more information on learning a language and are being given some tricks and hints that they can supposedly use to become fluent in their chosen language in 3. 6 or 12 months. The readers and supporters of these blogs are doing themselves a disservice as well in many cases because they are looking for the quick fix when there are none when it comes to learning a language fluently.

I myself am not fluent in Thai and am just beginning my journey towards hopefully one day being proficient in the Thai language and I share that goal with many other Thai bloggers who have taken up a second language later in life. While I don’t write specifically about the language it definitely comes up from time to time  as it does on other Thai blogs that I recommend such as My Thai Friend, Beyond the Mango Juice, Behind the Noodle Curtain and quite a few more that can be found on the links page. We share a common thread in that learning the Thai language will enhance a love we already have for the country and it’s culture.

The one thing I think many of us have realized in learning Thai is that it’s not a sprint but a marathon. Slow and steady may not have us fluent in the language in a few months but I think it will give us a deeper appreciation and better understanding of the language and hopefully that will translate well to the Thai’s we communicate with.

I’ve also come to suspect that a lot of these self proclaimed polyglots are just that, “self proclaimed”. Being able to memorize sets of words and a handful of phrases is much different than being fluent and holding a conversation with a native speaker. If this were the case I would definitely be considered a polyglot because I am able to curse people out in at least 6 languages and I am always up to the task of learning even more, but that does not a polyglot make…although, it is good fun in the right situations.

I guess what I am trying to say is, take everything you hear or read regarding language learning with a grain of salt and don’t impose any limits upon yourself or your learning. Find the methods that best suit you and the right atmosphere to learn in and you will be infinitely more happy with your progress and your goals will become more clear.

I have to confess that besides learning the Thai language I have personally taken it upon myself to teach Thai’s what little Spanish I know. While not as rewarding as one might think there is nothing more priceless than hearing a Thai girl sing La Cucaracha for the first time

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I guess I should qualify such a bold statement before Catherine from Women Learning Thai or Rikker from Thai 101, who are much more knowledgable on the subject,  come along and call me out. I do speak fluent Thai but it’s a dialect of the Thai language that most Thai language speakers, teachers, and learners are unfamiliar with.

To begin with there are quite a few possibilities when speaking Thai. There is colloquial Thai, street Thai and then the further you get into rural Thailand you will have Thai mixed with Lao or Khmer,  better known as Issan Thai. In Mukdahan and Nakhon Phanom it’s always a mix of Thai and Lao in the same sentence which can make it hard when learning Thai.  But, I have finally hit on a little known and used dialect of the Thai language used by a certain tribe that numbers in the Thousands. Not only do they understand me completely when I speak this Thai…they have accepted me as one of their own!

I have to give credit where credit is due and to that end I must confess I have been tutored by a private teacher for months. Her name is Fa Thongon and she happens to have a PHD in the subject language. The particular Thai dialect she is an expert in is High Gibberish Thai . It may be important to note at this point that Fa is only 3 years old but don’t let that put you off as she will be four soon enough.

While Fa knows a little Thai and a few words in English, her prefered linguistic approach is always in High Gibberish Thai. We had a very long phone conversation about this particular dialect of the language last night, and while I could clue you in to the subtle nuances of the language I’m afraid most of you just wouldn’t understand and would be at a loss to figure it out. In Fa’s short time studying the language she has truly mastered it,  and helped me to master it as well.

In this particular dialect of the Thai language the speaker isn’t forced to rely on tones or pronunciations, they actually tend to complicate the process. No, this Thai language is more of a free form flow of thoughts and ideas punctuated with giggles and hand gestures. Often times short screeches can be substituted for actual words and oddly enough every conversation starts off in English with Hello, hello, hello.

The language itself is mostly used in informal settings but can be used at any time. Unfortunately the language is limited to Thai children which makes it unuseable in most day to day situations, unless you are a baby sitter.

For now though I am content that I can communicate with my little Thai friend because it is something I enjoy immensely. I have my work cut out for me though because eventually she will be a fluent Thai speaker and I don’t want to miss our little talks.

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I’ve been slowly working at learning the Thai language for a while now. I’ve been using a mixture of books, online resources, and Rosetta Stone software. Whereas I’ve learned quite a few words and phrases I’m not getting the complete picture from any of the resources I’ve been using.

Thai is a tonal language and it’s important to get the tones right or you will be saying something completely different than you mean. The books have helped to a certain extent but if you aren’t getting the tones right you’re fighting the process.

Rosetta Stone software lays it out well by showing you pictures and having a native voice say the words which helps immensely with the learning process. Unfortunately they aren’t helping to build sentences and join words together like I had hoped.

A few months ago Jo & Jay from Learning Thai Podcast contacted me about an Emergency Thai podcast and Emergency Thai PDF they had created that might help my readers. They were just starting out with their learning Thai site and what they sent me was a well thought out and very easy to learn selection of Thai phrases and words to use in an emergency. So I wrote a post about it linking to their podcast and put a link in to download the Emergency Thai PDF.The link and post have both been downloaded quite a few times.

Since then they have greatly expanded their site adding lessons in vocabulary, pronunciation, conversational lessons and much more. The big plus is the fact that they are giving you the lessons as a video, a downloadable MP3 file, and as a printable pdf. The lessons are given in a very easy format with Jay giving you the English and Jo providing the Thai. Each word or phrase is repeated several times with time for you to speak it as well. There is already enough on Learn Thai Podcast to keep you busy for a long time and they add new lessons daily.

Learn Thai Podcast is a membership site but at the price of $19.95 a month it’s a bargain for what you get. The complete Rosetta Stone course in Thai will cost you well over $400 and  even though there are a lot of books out there they aren’t going to give you the tones as you need to hear them from a Thai person. Sure, there are other online resources for learning Thai but they aren’t as well thought out or put together as Learn Thai Podcast in my opinion.

I know this looks like it’s a paid advertisement or affiliate link but it’s not. I’ve decided to join their site and give them advertising on Land of Smiles because from what I’ve seen so far it’s that good…I’m not being paid to say this. Check out their site including the free lessons and judge for yourself. As well as the lessons they also have forums where you can ask questions and get answers from the creators of the site and other members. And most importantly they are backing their lessons with a 30 day 100% money back Guarantee if you aren’t satisfied.

I’ll be giving regular updates on my progress using their system and I’ll let you know just how it’s going for me honestly.

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Jo & Jay over at Learning Thai Podcast have put together a very helpful podcast teaching you the Thai you need to know during an emergency. They have also included a very handy PDF that you can download which contains the words and sentences in English, Thai, and phonetically. Also included in the PDF is a very good list of emergency numbers that any traveler to Thailand should have in case of an emergency.

This is a great resource to have if you are going on your first trip to Thailand or if you’ve been before but are still unsure of the language. If you wander outside of the normal tourist areas this could be a lifesaver.

Jo and Jay work together at Learning Thai podcast to bring you Thai lessons that are very well thought out. Each lesson is based on one subject or theme which helps the listener focus more. Each word or phrase is spoken in English and then spoken in Thai after a short pause for you to say the word or phrase it is then repeated three times which helps to reinforce the correct pronunciation.

I’ve used Pimsleur and Rosetta stone with a moderate degree of success and of course learning while in Thailand but I really like Jo and Jay’s approach to the lessons and I can get a better feel for the pronunciation when Jo speaks in Thai.

They have many free podcast lessons and have just launched a premium course. They also provide a translation service. If you are interested in learning Thai you should definitely check out their site.

I’ll include a copy of the PDF here ltp_emergencies.pdf

You can also check out Useful Thai Phrases Part 1 and Useful Thai Phrases Part 2 for more Thai words that will help you out when traveling around Thailand.

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Thai numbers 1-20:

• Neung – 1
• Song – 2
• Saam – 3
• Si – 4
• Haa – 5
• Hok – 6
• chet – 7
• bahrt – 8
• gau – 9
• Sip – 10
• Sip et – 11
• Sip song – 12
• Sip saam – 13
• Sip si – 14
• Sip haa – 15
• Sip hok – 16
• Sip chet – 17
• Sip bahrt – 18
• Sip gau – 19
• Yee sip – 20

Days of the week:

Wan chat – Monday
Wan ang-kan – Tuesday
Wan phut – Wednesday
Wan pha-rue-has – Thursday
Wan sook – Friday
Wan sao – Saturday
Wan a-thit – Sunday

Directions:

Kwar- Right
Sai – Left
Doen trong pai – Go straight ahead
Yoo sai/kwar mue – It’s on the left/right
Thanon – Street
Dern – Walk
Pharn – After
Korn – Before
Sai thale – Seaside
Reua – Boat
Tua – Ticket

Places:

Hat – Beach
Koh – Island
Moo Koh – Group of Island
Wat – Temple
Soi – Alley/street
Bang – City
Doi, Phu, and Khao – Mountain

How are you? – Sabai dee mai?

Do you have? – Mee-mai?

It doesn’t matter – Mai ben rai

I don’t understand – Mai kow jai

I would like to go – Yaak ja pai

Hotel – Rong raem

Post office – Praisaani

Restaurant – Raan ahaarn

Hospital – Rong phayabaan

Airport – Sanaam bin

Today – Wan nii

Tomorrow – Phrung nii

Yesterday – Meua waan

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• Do You Know Enough Thai in Case of an Emergency?
• Useful Thai Phrases Part 1
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Thai can be a difficult language to learn mainly because it is a tonal language. One word can have several different meanings depending on the tone used when speaking. Take, for instance, the word mai…depending on the tone when said it can mean: Not, new, burn, silk, and wood. In all there are five tones used in the Thai language and they are: Low tone, mid tone, high tone, rising tone, and falling tone.

If you are going to Thailand on your first trip, having a basic knowledge of the language and using some Thai words and or sentences will give a smile to the locals and can save you some baht when shopping at the markets. You’ll also find it easy to pick up on words when around the native speakers and you’ll hear the correct pronunciation. Don’t be afraid to speak the Thai that you learn because you may say something the wrong way and inadvertently offend someone… the Thai people know their language is hard to learn for foreigners and can usually figure out what you were trying to say.

I’ve added some useful Thai phrases before and will do so again but when doing so I do it phonetically in english which is usually close to the correct sound but it’s not easy to convey the proper tone.

A few resources I’ve come across and have found to be really useful while learning the Thai language rely on sound and or images and sound to reinforce the proper sounds and tones of the words spoken:

The Rosetta Stone software uses images and interactivity to teach you in a natural way. By using pictures and words you learn the association much faster than just repeating what you hear. This reinforces the learning and really helps you to remember words much easier. The link above tells you more about the program and shows you a demonstration of how it works. I bought a copy of Rosetta Stone Thai while I was in Thailand last May and while I like it a lot and it has increased my vocabulary it never really works to teach me what I want to know specifically but teaches me the words and phrases it wants me to know. Very helpful and a great tool for the beginner.

Pimsleur Thai is another program using recorded Thai by native speakers to reinforce learning by repetition but they do it a little better than most by giving you complete sentences to memorize but then they use the sentence in conversations switching up the male and female attributes and structure which helps you to retain what you’ve heard and been repeating along with the recording. Pimsleur lessons can be bought online through various outlets but the majority if not all of the program has been leaked to torrent sites and can be found very easily for free on the web.

Learning Thai.com is one of the best resources out there and best of all it’s free. They cover the gambit of Thai language from learning to speak Thai to learning how to read and write Thai. Recordings of words and phrases by native speakers to help you with pronunciation and tone as well as a English/Thai -Thai/English online dictionary. Absolutely the best online resource for the Thai language.

Whether you are going to Thailand for a two week vacation or have more in mind, learning some of the language before you go can be fun and a rewarding experience when you use what you’ve learned while enjoying your trip in Thailand.

Mai mai mai,mai.

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To be polite you will use Krup at the end of a sentence if you are male and Ka at the end of sentence if you are female.

Sa wat dee = Used for both Hello and Goodbye

Yoo tee nai = Where is

Hongnam = Bathroom

Khop koon = Thank you

Gee baht = How much

Mai ow = I don’t want

Khor toat =Sorry

Mai ben rai = It’s ok or Nevermind

Mai chop = I don’t like this

Chop maak = I like this very much

Chai = Yes

Mai chai = No

Arai = What

Tum mai = Why

Gai mai = Is it far

Sabai dee mai = How are you

Sabai dee = I am fine

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• Do You Know Enough Thai in Case of an Emergency?
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