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Today I am proud of myself! It is the first day I have really sat down and studied Thai. I have shown an interest ever since I arrived here, have heart heartedly picked up a book on occasion, and yes can understand words here and there simply from being immersed in a non-English speaking society most of the time.
I do still think that I was kinda taking it for granted that by buying the books and wanting to learn, I would, magically become bilingual. Today, I have got over this hope, and have begun my journey of hard graft to reach my goal!
Today I have focussed on simple sentence formation a little. Tomorrow I think I will go back over all the bits and pieces I have picked up to date, as well as what I have learnt today. I don't want to try to pick up too much too quickly, or I'll end up retaining none of it.
I am also now the owner of a wall covered in brightly decorated sheets of paper, displaying my colours, feelings, animals and days of the week. As well as the new vocab I have begun to learn today, and at the bottom my first two Thai alaphabet letters are on show too! I've put all this right by my bed in the hope of some divine intervention while I sleep, ha ha!!
OK, so today's words........
Kao - jai mai - (do you) understand?
(also learnt that mai spoken with a rising tone is used to turn any sentence into a question).
kao-jai - (I) understand.
(also learnt that pronouns aren't used unless the context makes it confusing who is being spoken/referred to).
Mai kao-jai - (I) don't understand.
(also learnt mai, without a rising tone, at the beginning of a statement turns it negative.)
nii - this
nan - that
nii______________ chai mai           Is this a ________?
chai, nii__________.                     Yes, this is a __________.
mai chai, nan chai ____________.    No, that isn't a ________.
nii a-rai -Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â What is this?
nii_______ ruu ______Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Is this a _______ or a ________?
Oh, and I've started a notebook to scribble down any confusions/questions I have as I go along so that I don't forget them and then can ask at work on Monday. Bets on word getting out and me being avoided in the office in fear I want to wreak someones break with lingustic questions??!
And, if (when!!) I suceed in my Thai learning quest, I'm falling in love, marrying one and never leaving!!
:o)
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Posted by deepintought on 2008-07-19 08:06:21 | Rating: | Views: 28
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hi there...
that's quite a project you've got going but moving ahead with it should be very satisfying for you!
i've heard of thai that it's very difficult for english speakers because of that tonal quality it has...the tone rises or falls or stays the same and the meaning changes...that's complex!
good luck!
:)
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Posted by badlydrawnstickman
on 2008-07-19 12:28:24
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Thanks a lot stick!
It is really weird, as when I read the books and practice that way, I get bogged down in all the tones, as they are mentioned continually.
However, when I am just picking words up around and about, from the kids and such, I simply compy what they say, and how they say it, using them as my guide for error correction.
No one ever tells me if the tone is low or high, rising, falling or middle, so I don't worry about it and learn accurately. But as soon as I'm back to the books they drive me mad again!
Thanks for stopping by :o)
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Posted by deepintought
on 2008-07-19 21:46:47
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