[Ch3] Bpoop Phaeh Saniwaat (Broadcast Thai) : Pope Thanawat / Bella Ranee

phatman

POPE's #1 MIA LUANG
I was rewatching BPS with its official translation( loving it by the way because its so complete) Now I understand some of the inside joke going on with its script that captured Thailand previously. The script writer is a master.

Anyway in the scene when Karakade was dying, there is this scene when she questioned why nothing was happening to P Phin. Well thats according to the fansub.

In the official sub, she was saying ‘I hope nothing happens to you’ which why P Phin cried harder and kind of show that Karaked was not as bad as people think and why her two servants kind of stick with her.
Official? Wait where?
 

Amata

sarNie Hatchling
@Rosi @June31sg @lamchieu @Rachfull

About Nickname


For the Thai nickname, it is really open for Thai parents to give their child’s a nickname. Some have no meaning, just short and easy to call but some do. Some come from things around like nature, name of the flowers, fruits, vegetables, animals and insects. Some come from the name/position of a famous person they like or admire. Some come from an event or special occasion at the time that their child was born. For example
Tum (ตุ้ม)........Tam (ตั้ม)…….Toi (ต้อย, ต๋อย)……Pum (ปุ้ม)…..Tum (ตุ้ม)……Tam (ตั้ม)……Nui (หนุ่ย)……Oy (อ๋อย)…….Tik (ติ๋ก)
Jiew (จิ๋ว)…………….........…= very small, tiny………………….Joi (จ้อย) ………………....…= very small, tiny
Noi (หน่อย น้อย) ……………= a little, small………………..…..Noon (หนุน) …………………= bolster, support
Noon (นุ่น) …………….……..= Kapok………………….…………...Ying (หญิง) ………………....= female
Som (ส้ม) ……………..……...= orange, orange colour…….….Fa (ฟ้า, สีฟ้า) ………….……..= sky, blue
Nam (น้ำ)..........................= water………………………………..Dao (ดาว) ……………….…...= star
Deaun (เดือน) ……………....= moon………………………………Dang (แดง ) …………….…...= red
Fai (ฝ้าย) ……………….…....= cotton………………………………Mali (มะลิ ) ……………...…..= Jasmine
Bua (บัว) ………………....…..= lotus………………………………..Glauy (กล้วย) ………………..= banana
Oy (อ้อย) ……………….……..= sugar cane……………………….TangGwa (แตงกวา)...………= cucumber
Kwang (กวาง)……..…….…..= deer…………………….…………..Moo (หมู) ………………..…...= pig
Nok (นก) ……………….…....= bird…………………………………Phung (ผึ้ง) ………….….…....= bee
Pla (ปลา) …………….…..…..= fish……..…………………………..Mot (มด) …………….…….….= ant
Jaggajan (จักจั่น) ……..…...= cicada………………………………Gaew (แก้ว)........................= precious stones
Ploy (พลอย) …………….…..= precious stones except diamond………Phet………….…....= diamond

Some nicknames come from their real name (First name). Two of my friends’ names are Ruttana, one her nickname is Na another one is Rut. One of my friend’s name is Sompong, nickname is Pong etc.

About 20 years ago nicknames from English words or words that sound like English were popular so now you can find nickname like Gartoon, Cherry, Tukky, Tle, Pinky, Mik, Tle, Joy, Jame, New, Biew, Miew, Alice, Tutor etc. And you can see these from nicknames of many Thai actors and actresses as well (do not count the ones with half - blood).

For Pope, when he was born his father gave him this name. Reading from the net it says Pope John Paul II visited Thailand the year Pope Tanawat was born. It was a big news then so his father gave him this nickname hoping he would have a good heart like Pope. But I’m not sure if it is correct because I just have checked it. I found Pope John Paul II visited Thailand in 2527 B.E. (1984) but Pope Tanawat was born in 2525 B.E. (1982). Anyway Pope John Paul became Pope in 1978.

There are some examples of the nicknames that come from an event or from the time that a child was born : The Cave, Liam Cochrane

“Titan (Chanin Wibunrungrueang) had a cheeky smile and a way of saying things that weren’t particularly funny and getting a laugh anyway. There was something naturally adorable about him. His nickname came not from the Greek god, as might be expected, considering his Thai name meant ‘great’. He was named after a car. His father was a salesman for Mitsubishi at the time of his birth and was promoting their new product – the 2.5-litre turbo-diesel compact pick-up truck built in Thailand, the Triton. And so when a nurse asked him what the newborn son’s nickname was to be, catching the father off-guard, he declared: Titan.

Somphiangchai), who earlier had turned down his dad’s offer of a lift in the car to the starting line, choosing to add an extra eighteen-kilometre workout before the race even started. (Night’s father had also had to come up with a nickname for his newborn son on the fly. Night’s older sister had been born during the Water Festival, so was known as Nam – ‘water’. This delivery happened after dark, so the boy became Night.)”

@Rosi Use “Pope Thanawat/Tanawat to find his pictures from google and if I have a daughter I won’t give her nickname Pan Cake. 555

Spelling Pope’s name

It is right that in the Thai alphabet there is no letter that pronounces like “V” in English. So the Thai letter that is used for both ‘W” and “V” is “ว (Wor)”. That is why we often find Pope’s name spelled with W or V by Thai people. I prefer W.

We have rules of Romanization but I think it doesn't work because when we use that rule, the pronunciation of many words are not similar to what the Thai people actually pronounce. For example

Pope’s name in Thai…….. = ธนวรรธน์ วรรธนะภูติ
Romanization –-----------= Thanawat Wattanaputi
Not Romanization --------= Tanawat Wattanaputi
Pronunciation ------------= Ta Na Wat Wattana Puti........(when paste his name with some spaces between syllables on google translator listening to the English pronunciation, this sounds closed to what .............................................Thai people pronounce)

Thai name-----------------= อภัสรา หงสกุล
Romanization-------------= Apasra Hongsakula
Pronunciation-------------= Apassara HoongSaGoun

Thai name-----------------= จันทร์วาด
Romanization-------------= Chanwat
Pronunciation-------------= Jaun Waad (using D makes the pronunciation better that T)

Thai name-----------------= การะเกด/เกด
Romanization-------------= Karakate/Kate
Pronunciation-------------= GaaRaGade/Gade

Pope’s Surname

In general when a Thai woman got married legally. She will change her surname to her Samee’s when they go to register a marriage certificate. Their children will use this surname too.
So Wattanaputi would be his father’s surname. I tried to find more about it but I didn’t find. Now there is a law that allows women to choose which surname she would like to use, her own surname or Samee’s.

About “Chan”(I)

There are some words that mean the same :
อิฉัน.............Ii Chan (Boran word)
อีฉัน.............Ee Chan (Boran word)
ฉัน………..Chan (speaking and writing language)
ดิฉัน............Dii Chan (writing language, more formal and polite than “Chan”, generally used in official letter like sick leaves..etc)
เดี๊ยน...........Dient…..( comes from Dii Chan,Speaking language. When anyone speaks “Dii Chan” very quickly, it becomes “Dient”.It make Dii Chan softer, informal and sound funny.

For Ii Chan, Ee Chan, Dii Chan, Dient, I just let you know there are more words meaning the same to Chan. If you watch Thai lakorn you may meet these words.

The people who use “Chan” as I know most of them are 50 up. There are young people use it too but they use with friends, with people who are in the same age. It is not used with people who are older, chief, boss and so on. “Chan” is used both by men and women

“Chan” is a word that generally used in a text book about writing and reading. When we read “Chan” in a book we pronounce “Chan (ฉัน) ” but when speaking most of the Thais don’t pronounce “ฉัน” but “ ชั้น”, the consonant and the tone change. That makes “Chan” softer and not too formal when speaking. If you speak “ฉัน”, it is like you are reading.

****The word “ชั้น” usually means shelves, classroom (elementary 1, 2, 3), floor (the first floor – ชั้น 1/ the second floor - =ชั้น 2), this building has 10 ชั้น (floors)

In English the first and the second person are “I” and “you” but in the Thai language there are so many. When “Chan” is not popular for speaking language, so why “Chan” is used for “I” when learning Thai. That is because it is easiest to explain for the beginner.

Why Thais have to use many pronouns and often use their nicknames

1. In the Thai family they call their child’s nicknames and it is cute for their child to call their own nicknames when speaking to their parents including other relatives. There are another words used instead of both “You” and “I”. It is “Noo”and “Loog (child)”. Noo and Loog can be used by boys and girls. It maybe หนู (mouse) is small and looks cute, then a little child is called “Noo” Parents call their child both his nickname and “Noo, so some children in some families use it when speaking to his parents too. Sometimes it sounds funny when seeing and hearing a big man or women who gets age but still called themselves “Noo” with their parents but it is cute for the family.

If there are 2 or more children in the family. The relationship of them is พี่ น้อง/Pii, Nong. Pii are older than Nong.
I’m using names “Date and Gade” for example.

Pii can calls “Nong”, “Gade” or Nong Gade while he calls himself “Pii “ and Nong calles Pii the same way. They use “Noo” also.
Date….. : Gade, Nong/Noo (=You) wait for Pii here. Pii will go to buy 2 bottles of water for us.
Gade….. : Oh no, Gade/Noo (=I) has one in the bag so Pii buy only one for yourself.

2. Among Thai family Thai people use the words from relative order as pronouns. These words will show the relationship of the speaker (I) and the listener (You)

ยาย----------------= Yai--------------= Grandma (Mom’s mother)
ตา-----------------= Ta---------------= Grandpa (Mom’s father)
ย่า-----------------= Ya---------------= Grandma (Dad’s mother)
ปู่------------------= Pu----------------= Grandpa (Dad’s father)
พ่อ-----------------= Por--------------= Father
แม่-----------------= Mae-------------= Mother
พี่------------------= Pii---------------= sister, brother
น้อง----------------= Nong------------= younger sister, younger brother
ป้า-----------------= Pa------- --------= Mother or Father’s older sister
ลุง-----------------= Lung----- -------= Mother or Father’s older brother
น้า-----------------= Na---------------= Mother’s younger sister
อา-----------------= Aa---------------= Father’s younger brother
ลูก-----------------= Loog------------= Child, baby
หลาน--------------=Laan-------------= Granchild
หลานสาว----------=Laan Sao---------= Niece
หลานชาย----------=Laan Chaai------= Nephew

When Thai people call their relatives they use these words (maybe + their nickname or their name).

“Na (You) have breakfast with us before going. Aa Gade (She) is coming to visit us soon. Would you like to meet Teur (=her)?”
= “Na, Na (You) have breakfast with us before going. Aa Gade (She) is coming to visit us soon. Would you like to meet Teur (=her)?”
= “Na Date, Na (You) have breakfast with us before going. Aa Gade (She) is coming to visit us soon. Would you like to meet Teur (=her)?”

4. For non-relatives, Thai people will use the relatives order to call people who are not their relatives by comparing status, age, intimacy, and relationship with their relatives and use words above.

Example 1

If I visit a Mom’s friend with her. And she is the same age as my mom so I will call her. “Na” If she looks much older I will call her “Pa”.
If I visit a Dad’s friend with him and he is the same age as my Dad. I will call him “Aa”. Also if he is look much older than my Dad, I will call him “ Lung”.

Example 2 When I visit my friend’s family, I call her parents “Mom” and “Dad” too.

Example 3

I have a friend who her relative used to be a permanent secretary of a ministry. He is old now but his personality still looks good. I don’t know what to call him, finally I call him “Khun Lung”.
However, Thais have to avoid calling a woman “Pa” and a man “Lung” because they might think they are not that old and they don’t like it. No one would like to be old.

5. And if the listener has a higher qualification, the speaker will use the words expressing humility instead of himself, like “Pom” (men use this word) and “Noo”, and call the listeners by using the words praising such as Taan (ท่าน), Khun (คุณ).

The speaker has to be careful also. Some people do not like us to use relative order with them. If we call them “Pii” or “Nong” they might think “Who are you? You are not my relatives to call me Pii, to call me Nong.

6. Thai people seldom call real name when speaking. Calling real name makes a distance between the speaker and the listener, while calling nickname lets them feel familiar. If it is necessary to call a name, they use “Khun” before name to make it polite and not too formal and Khun can be used with both men and women.

7. Thai people seldom call adults’ names, especially people who have positions like senior executive, police, soldier. And they seldom use relative order with those too. So it is safer not to use this with them. Thais use their position as pronouns.

Example

In my family I use my nickname with my parents. When I went to school, I call myself “Noo” When I spoke to a teacher. I called my teacher “Khun Kroo” . When I went to the university, I called myself “Noo” I called my teacher “Ajarn”. When I worked in the office, my chief called herself “Pii” when she talked to me so I feel free to call her “Pii” too and call myself nickname.

Director = ผู้อำนวยการ Abbriviation in Thai of Director = ผอ. (Por Or)

Our Por Or, my chief used to work with him before he became the Director. She used to call him “Khun(his first name)” When he was the director she still called him the same and called Por Or too because everyone call him Por Or even people outside the division. For Por Or he called my chief her nickname and called himself “Pom/ผม”

One day we got a new director. He was much younger than my chief including other 3 chiefs. In the meeting he heard everyone called all chiefs “Pii” so he call them “Pii” too to praise them and call himself “Pom”.

There are 3 others senior executive’s positions. They are

Director General -------------= อธิบดี--------------------AtibBodee
Permanent Secretary--------= ปลัดกระทรวง-------------Palad Grasaung
Minister-----------------------= รัฐมนตรี------------------Rat Ta MonTree

We call them “Taan AtibBodee = ท่านอธิบดี”, “Taan Palad = ท่านปลัด”, “Taan Rat Ta MonTree = ท่านรัฐมนตรี”

8. If you are walking in a street and have to talk or greet anyone who look older than you, it's safer to call him Pii or Khun Pii and if he look younger, you can call him "Nong".

Thai pronouns are complex. If translating Thai pronouns into English. We will translate it easily. Only knowing that who are the speaker and the listener because in English the pronoun I and You are mostly used. If there is the third person who they are talking about, just needs to know woman or man, one person or more.
But when translating I or You from English to Thai, the translators must find difficulty because they cannot find the translation immediately. The translator must first find the information about who the speaker is, his gender, age, who is the listener is, relationship between them, relative or just being known etc.

By the way, getting angry can change pronouns also, for example, from “ Nang Pin, Nang Yam” to “Ee Pin, Ee Yam.55
 
Last edited:

Rosi4

Wifey #42
@Rosi @June31sg @lamchieu @Rachfull

About Nickname


For the Thai nickname, it is really open for Thai parents to give their child’s a nickname. Some have no meaning, just short and easy to call but some do. Some come from things around like nature, name of the flowers, fruits, vegetables, animals and insects. Some come from the name/position of a famous person they like or admire. Some come from an event or special occasion at the time that their child was born. For example
Tum (ตุ้ม)........Tam (ตั้ม)…….Toi (ต้อย, ต๋อย)……Pum (ปุ้ม)…..Tum (ตุ้ม)……Tam (ตั้ม)……Nui (หนุ่ย)……Oy (อ๋อย)…….Tik (ติ๋ก)
Jiew (จิ๋ว)…………….........…= very small, tiny………………….Joi (จ้อย) ………………....…= very small, tiny
Noi (หน่อย น้อย) ……………= a little, small………………..…..Noon (หนุน) …………………= bolster, support
Noon (นุ่น) …………….……..= Kapok………………….…………...Ying (หญิง) ………………....= female
Som (ส้ม) ……………..……...= orange, orange colour…….….Fa (ฟ้า, สีฟ้า) ………….……..= sky, blue
Nam (น้ำ)..........................= water………………………………..Dao (ดาว) ……………….…...= star
Deaun (เดือน) ……………....= moon………………………………Dang (แดง ) …………….…...= red
Fai (ฝ้าย) ……………….…....= cotton………………………………Mali (มะลิ ) ……………...…..= Jasmine
Bua (บัว) ………………....…..= lotus………………………………..Glauy (กล้วย) ………………..= banana
Oy (อ้อย) ……………….……..= sugar cane……………………….TangGwa (แตงกวา)...………= cucumber
Kwang (กวาง)……..…….…..= deer…………………….…………..Moo (หมู) ………………..…...= pig
Nok (นก) ……………….…....= bird…………………………………Phung (ผึ้ง) ………….….…....= bee
Pla (ปลา) …………….…..…..= fish……..…………………………..Mot (มด) …………….…….….= ant
Jaggajan (จักจั่น) ……..…...= cicada………………………………Gaew (แก้ว)........................= precious stones
Ploy (พลอย) …………….…..= precious stones except diamond………Phet………….…....= diamond

Some nicknames come from their real name (First name). Two of my friends’ names are Ruttana, one her nickname is Na another one is Rut. One of my friend’s name is Sompong, nickname is Pong etc.

About 20 years ago nicknames from English words or words that sound like English were popular so now you can find nickname like Gartoon, Cherry, Tukky, Tle, Pinky, Mik, Tle, Joy, Jame, New, Biew, Miew, Alice, Tutor etc. And you can see these from nicknames of many Thai actors and actresses as well (do not count the ones with half - blood).

For Pope, when he was born his father gave him this name. Reading from the net it says Pope John Paul II visited Thailand the year Pope Tanawat was born. It was a big news then so his father gave him this nickname hoping he would have a good heart like Pope. But I’m not sure if it is correct because I just have checked it. I found Pope John Paul II visited Thailand in 2527 B.E. (1984) but Pope Tanawat was born in 2525 B.E. (1982). Anyway Pope John Paul became Pope in 1978.

There are some examples of the nicknames that come from an event or from the time that a child was born : The Cave, Liam Cochrane

“Titan (Chanin Wibunrungrueang) had a cheeky smile and a way of saying things that weren’t particularly funny and getting a laugh anyway. There was something naturally adorable about him. His nickname came not from the Greek god, as might be expected, considering his Thai name meant ‘great’. He was named after a car. His father was a salesman for Mitsubishi at the time of his birth and was promoting their new product – the 2.5-litre turbo-diesel compact pick-up truck built in Thailand, the Triton. And so when a nurse asked him what the newborn son’s nickname was to be, catching the father off-guard, he declared: Titan.

Somphiangchai), who earlier had turned down his dad’s offer of a lift in the car to the starting line, choosing to add an extra eighteen-kilometre workout before the race even started. (Night’s father had also had to come up with a nickname for his newborn son on the fly. Night’s older sister had been born during the Water Festival, so was known as Nam – ‘water’. This delivery happened after dark, so the boy became Night.)”

@Rosi Use “Pope Thanawat/Tanawat to find his pictures from google and if I have a daughter I won’t give her nickname Pan Cake. 555

Spelling Pope’s name

It is right that in the Thai alphabet there is no letter that pronounces like “V” in English. So the Thai letter that is used for both ‘W” and “V” is “ว (Wor)”. That is why we often find Pope’s name spelled with W or V by Thai people. I prefer W.

We have rules of Romanization but I think it doesn't work because when we use that rule, the pronunciation of many words are not similar to what the Thai people actually pronounce. For example

Pope’s name in Thai…….. = ธนวรรธน์ วรรธนะภูติ
Romanization –-----------= Thanawat Wattanaputi
Not Romanization --------= Tanawat Wattanaputi
Pronunciation ------------= Ta Na Wat Wattana Puti........(when paste his name with some spaces between syllables on google translator listening to the English pronunciation, this sounds closed to what .............................................Thai people pronounce)

Thai name-----------------= อภัสรา หงสกุล
Romanization-------------= Apasra Hongsakula
Pronunciation-------------= Apassara HoongSaGoun

Thai name-----------------= จันทร์วาด
Romanization-------------= Chanwat
Pronunciation-------------= Jaun Waad (using D makes the pronunciation better that T)

Thai name-----------------= การะเกด/เกด
Romanization-------------= Karakate/Kate
Pronunciation-------------= GaaRaGade/Gade

Pope’s Surname

In general when a Thai woman got married legally. She will change her surname to her Samee’s when they go to register a marriage certificate. Their children will use this surname too.
So Wattanaputi would be his father’s surname. I tried to find more about it but I didn’t find more. Now there is a law that allows women to choose which surname she would like to use, her own surname or Samee’s.

About “Chan”(I)

There are some words that mean the same :
อิฉัน.............Ii Chan (Boran word)
อีฉัน.............Ee Chan (Boran word)
ฉัน………..Chan (speaking and writing language)
ดิฉัน............Dii Chan (writing language, more formal and polite than “Chan”, generally used in official letter like sick leaves..etc)
เดี๊ยน...........Dient…..( comes from Dii Chan,Speaking language. When anyone speaks “Dii Chan” very quickly, it becomes “Dient”.It make Dii Chan softer, informal and sound funny.

For Ii Chan, Ee Chan, Dii Chan, Dient, I just let you know there are more words meaning the same to Chan. If you watch Thai lakorn you may meet these words.

The people who use “Chan” as I know most of them are 50 up. There are young people use it too but they use with friends, with people who are in the same age. It is not used with people who are older, chief, boss and so on. “Chan” is used both by men and women

“Chan” is a word that generally used in a text book about writing and reading. When we read “Chan” in a book we pronounce “Chan (ฉัน) ” but when speaking most of the Thais don’t pronounce “ฉัน” but “ ชั้น”, the consonant and the tone change. That makes “Chan” softer and not too formal when speaking. If you speak “ฉัน”, it is like you are reading.

****The word “ชั้น” usually means shelves, classroom (elementary 1, 2, 3), floor (the first floor – ชั้น 1/ the second floor - =ชั้น 2), this building has 10 ชั้น (floors)

In English the first and the second person are “I” and “you” but in the Thai language there are so many. When “Chan” is not popular for speaking language, so why “Chan” is used for “I” when learning Thai. That is because it is easiest to explain for the beginner.

Why Thais have to use many pronouns and often use their nicknames

1. In the Thai family they call their child’s nicknames and it is cute for their child to call their own nicknames when speaking to their parents including other relatives. There are another words used instead of both “You” and “I”. It is “Noo”and “Loog (child)”. Noo and Loog can be used by boys and girls. It maybe หนู (mouse) is small and looks cute, then a little child is called “Noo” Parents call their child both his nickname and “Noo, so some children in some families use it when speaking to his parents too. Sometimes it sounds funny when seeing and hearing a big man or women who gets age but still called themselves “Noo” with their parents but it is cute for the family.

If there are 2 or more children in the family. The relationship of them is พี่ น้อง/Pii, Nong. Pii are older than Nong.
I’m using names “Date and Gade” for example.

Pii can calls “Nong”, “Gade” or Nong Gade while he calls himself “Pii “ and Nong calles Pii the same way. They use “Noo” also.
Date….. : Gade, Nong/Noo (=You) wait for Pii here. Pii will go to buy 2 bottles of water for us.
Gade….. : Oh no, Gade/Noo (=I) has one in the bag so Pii buy only one for yourself.

2. Among Thai family Thai people use the words from relative order as pronouns. These words will show the relationship of the speaker (I) and the listener (You)

ยาย----------------= Yai--------------= Grandma (Mom’s mother)
ตา-----------------= Ta---------------= Grandpa (Mom’s father)
ย่า-----------------= Ya---------------= Grandma (Dad’s mother)
ปู่------------------= Pu----------------= Grandpa (Dad’s father)
พ่อ-----------------= Por--------------= Father
แม่-----------------= Mae-------------= Mother
พี่------------------= Pii---------------= sister, brother
น้อง----------------= Nong------------= younger sister, younger brother
ป้า-----------------= Pa------- --------= Mother or Father’s older sister
ลุง-----------------= Lung----- -------= Mother or Father’s older brother
น้า-----------------= Na---------------= Mother’s younger sister
อา-----------------= Aa---------------= Father’s younger brother
ลูก-----------------= Loog------------= Child, baby
หลาน--------------=Laan-------------= Granchild
หลานสาว----------=Laan Sao---------= Niece
หลานชาย----------=Laan Chaai------= Nephew

When Thai people call their relatives they use these words (maybe + their nickname or their name).

“Na (You) have breakfast with us before going. Aa Gade (She) is coming to visit us soon. Would you like to meet Teur (=her)?”
= “Na, Na (You) have breakfast with us before going. Aa Gade (She) is coming to visit us soon. Would you like to meet Teur (=her)?”
= “Na Date, Na (You) have breakfast with us before going. Aa Gade (She) is coming to visit us soon. Would you like to meet Teur (=her)?”

4. For non-relatives, Thai people will use the relatives order to call people who are not their relatives by comparing status, age, intimacy, and relationship with their relatives and use words above.

Example 1

If I visit a Mom’s friend with her. And she is the same age as my mom so I will call her. “Na” If she looks much older I will call her “Pa”.
If I visit a Dad’s friend with him and he is the same age as my Dad. I will call him “Aa”. Also if he is look much older than my Dad, I will call him “ Lung”.

Example 2 When I visit my friend’s family, I call her parents “Mom” and “Dad” too.

Example 3

I have a friend who her relative used to be a permanent secretary of a ministry. He is old now but his personality still looks good. I don’t know what to call him, finally I call him “Khun Lung”.
However, Thais have to avoid calling a woman “Pa” and a man “Lung” because they might think they are not that old and they don’t like it. No one would like to be old.

5. And if the listener has a higher qualification, the speaker will use the words expressing humility instead of himself, like “Pom” (men use this word) and “Noo”, and call the listeners by using the words praising such as Taan (ท่าน), Khun (คุณ).

The speaker has to be careful also. Some people do not like us to use relative order with them. If we call them “Pii” or “Nong” they might think “Who are you? You are not my relatives to call me Pii, to call me Nong.

6. Thai people seldom call real name when speaking. Calling real name makes a distance between the speaker and the listener, while calling nickname lets them feel familiar. If it is necessary to call a name, they use “Khun” before name to make it polite and not too formal and Khun can be used with both men and women.

7. Thai people seldom call adults’ names, especially people who have positions like senior executive, police, soldier. And they seldom use relative order with those too. So it is safer not to use this with them. Thais use their position as pronouns.

Example

In my family I use my nickname with my parents. When I went to school, I call myself “Noo” When I spoke to a teacher. I called my teacher “Khun Kroo” . When I went to the university, I called myself “Noo” I called my teacher “Ajarn”. When I worked in the office, my chief called herself “Pii” when she talked to me so I feel free to call her “Pii” too and call myself nickname.

Director = ผู้อำนวยการ Abbriviation in Thai of Director = ผอ. (Por Or)

Our Por Or, my chief used to work with him before he became the Director. She used to call him “Khun(his first name)” When he was the director she still called him the same and called Por Or too because everyone call him Por Or even people outside the division. For Por Or he called my chief her nickname and called himself “Pom/ผม”

One day we got a new director. He was much younger than my chief including other 3 chiefs. In the meeting he heard everyone called all chiefs “Pii” so he call them “Pii” too to praise them and call himself “Pom”.

There are 3 others senior executive’s positions. They are

Director General -------------= อธิบดี--------------------AtibBodee
Permanent Secretary--------= ปลัดกระทรวง-------------Palad Grasaung
Minister-----------------------= รัฐมนตรี------------------Rat Ta MonTree

We call them “Taan AtibBodee = ท่านอธิบดี”, “Taan Palad = ท่านปลัด”, “Taan Rat Ta MonTree = ท่านรัฐมนตรี”

Thai pronouns are complex. If translating Thai pronouns into English. We will translate easily. Only knowing that who are the speaker and the listener because in English the pronoun I and You are mostly used. If there is the third man who they are talking about, just needs to know woman or man, one person or more.
But when translating I or You from English to Thai, the translators must find difficulty because they cannot find the translation immediately. The translator must first find the information about who the speaker is, gender, age, who the listener is, relationship between them, relative or just being known etc.

By the way, getting angry can change pronouns also, for example, from “ Nang Pin, Nang Yam” to “Ee Pin, Ee Yam.55
Oh, wow @Amata thanks so much for this useful and detailed insight into the Thai names. It doesn't matter I think the exact year Pope John Paul visited Thailand, the thing was he did and Pope's Dad was moved to name his son by a historic visitor to the country. So now we know! You even taught us how to stress the pronounciation of his Thanawat Wattanaputti - the different ways of it, thanks.

Of its translated meanings, floral theme or other items such as precious stones or the moon are pretty to follow; I feel sorry though for animal's names (though cicada or grasshoppers people would say cute). You really took the time to answer our most common questions and this greatly helps. THANK YOU!!
 

lamchieu

sarNie Adult
@Rosi @June31sg @lamchieu @Rachfull

About Nickname


For the Thai nickname, it is really open for Thai parents to give their child’s a nickname. Some have no meaning, just short and easy to call but some do. Some come from things around like nature, name of the flowers, fruits, vegetables, animals and insects. Some come from the name/position of a famous person they like or admire. Some come from an event or special occasion at the time that their child was born. For example
Tum (ตุ้ม)........Tam (ตั้ม)…….Toi (ต้อย, ต๋อย)……Pum (ปุ้ม)…..Tum (ตุ้ม)……Tam (ตั้ม)……Nui (หนุ่ย)……Oy (อ๋อย)…….Tik (ติ๋ก)
Jiew (จิ๋ว)…………….........…= very small, tiny………………….Joi (จ้อย) ………………....…= very small, tiny
Noi (หน่อย น้อย) ……………= a little, small………………..…..Noon (หนุน) …………………= bolster, support
Noon (นุ่น) …………….……..= Kapok………………….…………...Ying (หญิง) ………………....= female
Som (ส้ม) ……………..……...= orange, orange colour…….….Fa (ฟ้า, สีฟ้า) ………….……..= sky, blue
Nam (น้ำ)..........................= water………………………………..Dao (ดาว) ……………….…...= star
Deaun (เดือน) ……………....= moon………………………………Dang (แดง ) …………….…...= red
Fai (ฝ้าย) ……………….…....= cotton………………………………Mali (มะลิ ) ……………...…..= Jasmine
Bua (บัว) ………………....…..= lotus………………………………..Glauy (กล้วย) ………………..= banana
Oy (อ้อย) ……………….……..= sugar cane……………………….TangGwa (แตงกวา)...………= cucumber
Kwang (กวาง)……..…….…..= deer…………………….…………..Moo (หมู) ………………..…...= pig
Nok (นก) ……………….…....= bird…………………………………Phung (ผึ้ง) ………….….…....= bee
Pla (ปลา) …………….…..…..= fish……..…………………………..Mot (มด) …………….…….….= ant
Jaggajan (จักจั่น) ……..…...= cicada………………………………Gaew (แก้ว)........................= precious stones
Ploy (พลอย) …………….…..= precious stones except diamond………Phet………….…....= diamond

Some nicknames come from their real name (First name). Two of my friends’ names are Ruttana, one her nickname is Na another one is Rut. One of my friend’s name is Sompong, nickname is Pong etc.

About 20 years ago nicknames from English words or words that sound like English were popular so now you can find nickname like Gartoon, Cherry, Tukky, Tle, Pinky, Mik, Tle, Joy, Jame, New, Biew, Miew, Alice, Tutor etc. And you can see these from nicknames of many Thai actors and actresses as well (do not count the ones with half - blood).

For Pope, when he was born his father gave him this name. Reading from the net it says Pope John Paul II visited Thailand the year Pope Tanawat was born. It was a big news then so his father gave him this nickname hoping he would have a good heart like Pope. But I’m not sure if it is correct because I just have checked it. I found Pope John Paul II visited Thailand in 2527 B.E. (1984) but Pope Tanawat was born in 2525 B.E. (1982). Anyway Pope John Paul became Pope in 1978.

There are some examples of the nicknames that come from an event or from the time that a child was born : The Cave, Liam Cochrane

“Titan (Chanin Wibunrungrueang) had a cheeky smile and a way of saying things that weren’t particularly funny and getting a laugh anyway. There was something naturally adorable about him. His nickname came not from the Greek god, as might be expected, considering his Thai name meant ‘great’. He was named after a car. His father was a salesman for Mitsubishi at the time of his birth and was promoting their new product – the 2.5-litre turbo-diesel compact pick-up truck built in Thailand, the Triton. And so when a nurse asked him what the newborn son’s nickname was to be, catching the father off-guard, he declared: Titan.

Somphiangchai), who earlier had turned down his dad’s offer of a lift in the car to the starting line, choosing to add an extra eighteen-kilometre workout before the race even started. (Night’s father had also had to come up with a nickname for his newborn son on the fly. Night’s older sister had been born during the Water Festival, so was known as Nam – ‘water’. This delivery happened after dark, so the boy became Night.)”

@Rosi Use “Pope Thanawat/Tanawat to find his pictures from google and if I have a daughter I won’t give her nickname Pan Cake. 555

Spelling Pope’s name

It is right that in the Thai alphabet there is no letter that pronounces like “V” in English. So the Thai letter that is used for both ‘W” and “V” is “ว (Wor)”. That is why we often find Pope’s name spelled with W or V by Thai people. I prefer W.

We have rules of Romanization but I think it doesn't work because when we use that rule, the pronunciation of many words are not similar to what the Thai people actually pronounce. For example

Pope’s name in Thai…….. = ธนวรรธน์ วรรธนะภูติ
Romanization –-----------= Thanawat Wattanaputi
Not Romanization --------= Tanawat Wattanaputi
Pronunciation ------------= Ta Na Wat Wattana Puti........(when paste his name with some spaces between syllables on google translator listening to the English pronunciation, this sounds closed to what .............................................Thai people pronounce)

Thai name-----------------= อภัสรา หงสกุล
Romanization-------------= Apasra Hongsakula
Pronunciation-------------= Apassara HoongSaGoun

Thai name-----------------= จันทร์วาด
Romanization-------------= Chanwat
Pronunciation-------------= Jaun Waad (using D makes the pronunciation better that T)

Thai name-----------------= การะเกด/เกด
Romanization-------------= Karakate/Kate
Pronunciation-------------= GaaRaGade/Gade

Pope’s Surname

In general when a Thai woman got married legally. She will change her surname to her Samee’s when they go to register a marriage certificate. Their children will use this surname too.
So Wattanaputi would be his father’s surname. I tried to find more about it but I didn’t find more. Now there is a law that allows women to choose which surname she would like to use, her own surname or Samee’s.

About “Chan”(I)

There are some words that mean the same :
อิฉัน.............Ii Chan (Boran word)
อีฉัน.............Ee Chan (Boran word)
ฉัน………..Chan (speaking and writing language)
ดิฉัน............Dii Chan (writing language, more formal and polite than “Chan”, generally used in official letter like sick leaves..etc)
เดี๊ยน...........Dient…..( comes from Dii Chan,Speaking language. When anyone speaks “Dii Chan” very quickly, it becomes “Dient”.It make Dii Chan softer, informal and sound funny.

For Ii Chan, Ee Chan, Dii Chan, Dient, I just let you know there are more words meaning the same to Chan. If you watch Thai lakorn you may meet these words.

The people who use “Chan” as I know most of them are 50 up. There are young people use it too but they use with friends, with people who are in the same age. It is not used with people who are older, chief, boss and so on. “Chan” is used both by men and women

“Chan” is a word that generally used in a text book about writing and reading. When we read “Chan” in a book we pronounce “Chan (ฉัน) ” but when speaking most of the Thais don’t pronounce “ฉัน” but “ ชั้น”, the consonant and the tone change. That makes “Chan” softer and not too formal when speaking. If you speak “ฉัน”, it is like you are reading.

****The word “ชั้น” usually means shelves, classroom (elementary 1, 2, 3), floor (the first floor – ชั้น 1/ the second floor - =ชั้น 2), this building has 10 ชั้น (floors)

In English the first and the second person are “I” and “you” but in the Thai language there are so many. When “Chan” is not popular for speaking language, so why “Chan” is used for “I” when learning Thai. That is because it is easiest to explain for the beginner.

Why Thais have to use many pronouns and often use their nicknames

1. In the Thai family they call their child’s nicknames and it is cute for their child to call their own nicknames when speaking to their parents including other relatives. There are another words used instead of both “You” and “I”. It is “Noo”and “Loog (child)”. Noo and Loog can be used by boys and girls. It maybe หนู (mouse) is small and looks cute, then a little child is called “Noo” Parents call their child both his nickname and “Noo, so some children in some families use it when speaking to his parents too. Sometimes it sounds funny when seeing and hearing a big man or women who gets age but still called themselves “Noo” with their parents but it is cute for the family.

If there are 2 or more children in the family. The relationship of them is พี่ น้อง/Pii, Nong. Pii are older than Nong.
I’m using names “Date and Gade” for example.

Pii can calls “Nong”, “Gade” or Nong Gade while he calls himself “Pii “ and Nong calles Pii the same way. They use “Noo” also.
Date….. : Gade, Nong/Noo (=You) wait for Pii here. Pii will go to buy 2 bottles of water for us.
Gade….. : Oh no, Gade/Noo (=I) has one in the bag so Pii buy only one for yourself.

2. Among Thai family Thai people use the words from relative order as pronouns. These words will show the relationship of the speaker (I) and the listener (You)

ยาย----------------= Yai--------------= Grandma (Mom’s mother)
ตา-----------------= Ta---------------= Grandpa (Mom’s father)
ย่า-----------------= Ya---------------= Grandma (Dad’s mother)
ปู่------------------= Pu----------------= Grandpa (Dad’s father)
พ่อ-----------------= Por--------------= Father
แม่-----------------= Mae-------------= Mother
พี่------------------= Pii---------------= sister, brother
น้อง----------------= Nong------------= younger sister, younger brother
ป้า-----------------= Pa------- --------= Mother or Father’s older sister
ลุง-----------------= Lung----- -------= Mother or Father’s older brother
น้า-----------------= Na---------------= Mother’s younger sister
อา-----------------= Aa---------------= Father’s younger brother
ลูก-----------------= Loog------------= Child, baby
หลาน--------------=Laan-------------= Granchild
หลานสาว----------=Laan Sao---------= Niece
หลานชาย----------=Laan Chaai------= Nephew

When Thai people call their relatives they use these words (maybe + their nickname or their name).

“Na (You) have breakfast with us before going. Aa Gade (She) is coming to visit us soon. Would you like to meet Teur (=her)?”
= “Na, Na (You) have breakfast with us before going. Aa Gade (She) is coming to visit us soon. Would you like to meet Teur (=her)?”
= “Na Date, Na (You) have breakfast with us before going. Aa Gade (She) is coming to visit us soon. Would you like to meet Teur (=her)?”

4. For non-relatives, Thai people will use the relatives order to call people who are not their relatives by comparing status, age, intimacy, and relationship with their relatives and use words above.

Example 1

If I visit a Mom’s friend with her. And she is the same age as my mom so I will call her. “Na” If she looks much older I will call her “Pa”.
If I visit a Dad’s friend with him and he is the same age as my Dad. I will call him “Aa”. Also if he is look much older than my Dad, I will call him “ Lung”.

Example 2 When I visit my friend’s family, I call her parents “Mom” and “Dad” too.

Example 3

I have a friend who her relative used to be a permanent secretary of a ministry. He is old now but his personality still looks good. I don’t know what to call him, finally I call him “Khun Lung”.
However, Thais have to avoid calling a woman “Pa” and a man “Lung” because they might think they are not that old and they don’t like it. No one would like to be old.

5. And if the listener has a higher qualification, the speaker will use the words expressing humility instead of himself, like “Pom” (men use this word) and “Noo”, and call the listeners by using the words praising such as Taan (ท่าน), Khun (คุณ).

The speaker has to be careful also. Some people do not like us to use relative order with them. If we call them “Pii” or “Nong” they might think “Who are you? You are not my relatives to call me Pii, to call me Nong.

6. Thai people seldom call real name when speaking. Calling real name makes a distance between the speaker and the listener, while calling nickname lets them feel familiar. If it is necessary to call a name, they use “Khun” before name to make it polite and not too formal and Khun can be used with both men and women.

7. Thai people seldom call adults’ names, especially people who have positions like senior executive, police, soldier. And they seldom use relative order with those too. So it is safer not to use this with them. Thais use their position as pronouns.

Example

In my family I use my nickname with my parents. When I went to school, I call myself “Noo” When I spoke to a teacher. I called my teacher “Khun Kroo” . When I went to the university, I called myself “Noo” I called my teacher “Ajarn”. When I worked in the office, my chief called herself “Pii” when she talked to me so I feel free to call her “Pii” too and call myself nickname.

Director = ผู้อำนวยการ Abbriviation in Thai of Director = ผอ. (Por Or)

Our Por Or, my chief used to work with him before he became the Director. She used to call him “Khun(his first name)” When he was the director she still called him the same and called Por Or too because everyone call him Por Or even people outside the division. For Por Or he called my chief her nickname and called himself “Pom/ผม”

One day we got a new director. He was much younger than my chief including other 3 chiefs. In the meeting he heard everyone called all chiefs “Pii” so he call them “Pii” too to praise them and call himself “Pom”.

There are 3 others senior executive’s positions. They are

Director General -------------= อธิบดี--------------------AtibBodee
Permanent Secretary--------= ปลัดกระทรวง-------------Palad Grasaung
Minister-----------------------= รัฐมนตรี------------------Rat Ta MonTree

We call them “Taan AtibBodee = ท่านอธิบดี”, “Taan Palad = ท่านปลัด”, “Taan Rat Ta MonTree = ท่านรัฐมนตรี”

Thai pronouns are complex. If translating Thai pronouns into English. We will translate easily. Only knowing that who are the speaker and the listener because in English the pronoun I and You are mostly used. If there is the third man who they are talking about, just needs to know woman or man, one person or more.
But when translating I or You from English to Thai, the translators must find difficulty because they cannot find the translation immediately. The translator must first find the information about who the speaker is, gender, age, who the listener is, relationship between them, relative or just being known etc.

By the way, getting angry can change pronouns also, for example, from “ Nang Pin, Nang Yam” to “Ee Pin, Ee Yam.55
OKAY, I got a dizzy now lol, even more complicated than Vietnamese :nut::nut::nut: (and I thought Vietnamese pronouns are the most complex :facepalm::facepalm:). But this is really useful. Thank you so much for your explanation, really detailed :thumbup::thumbup:. I'm going to save it to learn slowly later, can't absorb all at once.
 

June31sg

sarNie Hatchling
@Rosi @June31sg @lamchieu @Rachfull

About Nickname


For the Thai nickname, it is really open for Thai parents to give their child’s a nickname. Some have no meaning, just short and easy to call but some do. Some come from things around like nature, name of the flowers, fruits, vegetables, animals and insects. Some come from the name/position of a famous person they like or admire. Some come from an event or special occasion at the time that their child was born. For example
Tum (ตุ้ม)........Tam (ตั้ม)…….Toi (ต้อย, ต๋อย)……Pum (ปุ้ม)…..Tum (ตุ้ม)……Tam (ตั้ม)……Nui (หนุ่ย)……Oy (อ๋อย)…….Tik (ติ๋ก)
Jiew (จิ๋ว)…………….........…= very small, tiny………………….Joi (จ้อย) ………………....…= very small, tiny
Noi (หน่อย น้อย) ……………= a little, small………………..…..Noon (หนุน) …………………= bolster, support
Noon (นุ่น) …………….……..= Kapok………………….…………...Ying (หญิง) ………………....= female
Som (ส้ม) ……………..……...= orange, orange colour…….….Fa (ฟ้า, สีฟ้า) ………….……..= sky, blue
Nam (น้ำ)..........................= water………………………………..Dao (ดาว) ……………….…...= star
Deaun (เดือน) ……………....= moon………………………………Dang (แดง ) …………….…...= red
Fai (ฝ้าย) ……………….…....= cotton………………………………Mali (มะลิ ) ……………...…..= Jasmine
Bua (บัว) ………………....…..= lotus………………………………..Glauy (กล้วย) ………………..= banana
Oy (อ้อย) ……………….……..= sugar cane……………………….TangGwa (แตงกวา)...………= cucumber
Kwang (กวาง)……..…….…..= deer…………………….…………..Moo (หมู) ………………..…...= pig
Nok (นก) ……………….…....= bird…………………………………Phung (ผึ้ง) ………….….…....= bee
Pla (ปลา) …………….…..…..= fish……..…………………………..Mot (มด) …………….…….….= ant
Jaggajan (จักจั่น) ……..…...= cicada………………………………Gaew (แก้ว)........................= precious stones
Ploy (พลอย) …………….…..= precious stones except diamond………Phet………….…....= diamond

Some nicknames come from their real name (First name). Two of my friends’ names are Ruttana, one her nickname is Na another one is Rut. One of my friend’s name is Sompong, nickname is Pong etc.

About 20 years ago nicknames from English words or words that sound like English were popular so now you can find nickname like Gartoon, Cherry, Tukky, Tle, Pinky, Mik, Tle, Joy, Jame, New, Biew, Miew, Alice, Tutor etc. And you can see these from nicknames of many Thai actors and actresses as well (do not count the ones with half - blood).

For Pope, when he was born his father gave him this name. Reading from the net it says Pope John Paul II visited Thailand the year Pope Tanawat was born. It was a big news then so his father gave him this nickname hoping he would have a good heart like Pope. But I’m not sure if it is correct because I just have checked it. I found Pope John Paul II visited Thailand in 2527 B.E. (1984) but Pope Tanawat was born in 2525 B.E. (1982). Anyway Pope John Paul became Pope in 1978.

There are some examples of the nicknames that come from an event or from the time that a child was born : The Cave, Liam Cochrane

“Titan (Chanin Wibunrungrueang) had a cheeky smile and a way of saying things that weren’t particularly funny and getting a laugh anyway. There was something naturally adorable about him. His nickname came not from the Greek god, as might be expected, considering his Thai name meant ‘great’. He was named after a car. His father was a salesman for Mitsubishi at the time of his birth and was promoting their new product – the 2.5-litre turbo-diesel compact pick-up truck built in Thailand, the Triton. And so when a nurse asked him what the newborn son’s nickname was to be, catching the father off-guard, he declared: Titan.

Somphiangchai), who earlier had turned down his dad’s offer of a lift in the car to the starting line, choosing to add an extra eighteen-kilometre workout before the race even started. (Night’s father had also had to come up with a nickname for his newborn son on the fly. Night’s older sister had been born during the Water Festival, so was known as Nam – ‘water’. This delivery happened after dark, so the boy became Night.)”

@Rosi Use “Pope Thanawat/Tanawat to find his pictures from google and if I have a daughter I won’t give her nickname Pan Cake. 555

Spelling Pope’s name

It is right that in the Thai alphabet there is no letter that pronounces like “V” in English. So the Thai letter that is used for both ‘W” and “V” is “ว (Wor)”. That is why we often find Pope’s name spelled with W or V by Thai people. I prefer W.

We have rules of Romanization but I think it doesn't work because when we use that rule, the pronunciation of many words are not similar to what the Thai people actually pronounce. For example

Pope’s name in Thai…….. = ธนวรรธน์ วรรธนะภูติ
Romanization –-----------= Thanawat Wattanaputi
Not Romanization --------= Tanawat Wattanaputi
Pronunciation ------------= Ta Na Wat Wattana Puti........(when paste his name with some spaces between syllables on google translator listening to the English pronunciation, this sounds closed to what .............................................Thai people pronounce)

Thai name-----------------= อภัสรา หงสกุล
Romanization-------------= Apasra Hongsakula
Pronunciation-------------= Apassara HoongSaGoun

Thai name-----------------= จันทร์วาด
Romanization-------------= Chanwat
Pronunciation-------------= Jaun Waad (using D makes the pronunciation better that T)

Thai name-----------------= การะเกด/เกด
Romanization-------------= Karakate/Kate
Pronunciation-------------= GaaRaGade/Gade

Pope’s Surname

In general when a Thai woman got married legally. She will change her surname to her Samee’s when they go to register a marriage certificate. Their children will use this surname too.
So Wattanaputi would be his father’s surname. I tried to find more about it but I didn’t find more. Now there is a law that allows women to choose which surname she would like to use, her own surname or Samee’s.

About “Chan”(I)

There are some words that mean the same :
อิฉัน.............Ii Chan (Boran word)
อีฉัน.............Ee Chan (Boran word)
ฉัน………..Chan (speaking and writing language)
ดิฉัน............Dii Chan (writing language, more formal and polite than “Chan”, generally used in official letter like sick leaves..etc)
เดี๊ยน...........Dient…..( comes from Dii Chan,Speaking language. When anyone speaks “Dii Chan” very quickly, it becomes “Dient”.It make Dii Chan softer, informal and sound funny.

For Ii Chan, Ee Chan, Dii Chan, Dient, I just let you know there are more words meaning the same to Chan. If you watch Thai lakorn you may meet these words.

The people who use “Chan” as I know most of them are 50 up. There are young people use it too but they use with friends, with people who are in the same age. It is not used with people who are older, chief, boss and so on. “Chan” is used both by men and women

“Chan” is a word that generally used in a text book about writing and reading. When we read “Chan” in a book we pronounce “Chan (ฉัน) ” but when speaking most of the Thais don’t pronounce “ฉัน” but “ ชั้น”, the consonant and the tone change. That makes “Chan” softer and not too formal when speaking. If you speak “ฉัน”, it is like you are reading.

****The word “ชั้น” usually means shelves, classroom (elementary 1, 2, 3), floor (the first floor – ชั้น 1/ the second floor - =ชั้น 2), this building has 10 ชั้น (floors)

In English the first and the second person are “I” and “you” but in the Thai language there are so many. When “Chan” is not popular for speaking language, so why “Chan” is used for “I” when learning Thai. That is because it is easiest to explain for the beginner.

Why Thais have to use many pronouns and often use their nicknames

1. In the Thai family they call their child’s nicknames and it is cute for their child to call their own nicknames when speaking to their parents including other relatives. There are another words used instead of both “You” and “I”. It is “Noo”and “Loog (child)”. Noo and Loog can be used by boys and girls. It maybe หนู (mouse) is small and looks cute, then a little child is called “Noo” Parents call their child both his nickname and “Noo, so some children in some families use it when speaking to his parents too. Sometimes it sounds funny when seeing and hearing a big man or women who gets age but still called themselves “Noo” with their parents but it is cute for the family.

If there are 2 or more children in the family. The relationship of them is พี่ น้อง/Pii, Nong. Pii are older than Nong.
I’m using names “Date and Gade” for example.

Pii can calls “Nong”, “Gade” or Nong Gade while he calls himself “Pii “ and Nong calles Pii the same way. They use “Noo” also.
Date….. : Gade, Nong/Noo (=You) wait for Pii here. Pii will go to buy 2 bottles of water for us.
Gade….. : Oh no, Gade/Noo (=I) has one in the bag so Pii buy only one for yourself.

2. Among Thai family Thai people use the words from relative order as pronouns. These words will show the relationship of the speaker (I) and the listener (You)

ยาย----------------= Yai--------------= Grandma (Mom’s mother)
ตา-----------------= Ta---------------= Grandpa (Mom’s father)
ย่า-----------------= Ya---------------= Grandma (Dad’s mother)
ปู่------------------= Pu----------------= Grandpa (Dad’s father)
พ่อ-----------------= Por--------------= Father
แม่-----------------= Mae-------------= Mother
พี่------------------= Pii---------------= sister, brother
น้อง----------------= Nong------------= younger sister, younger brother
ป้า-----------------= Pa------- --------= Mother or Father’s older sister
ลุง-----------------= Lung----- -------= Mother or Father’s older brother
น้า-----------------= Na---------------= Mother’s younger sister
อา-----------------= Aa---------------= Father’s younger brother
ลูก-----------------= Loog------------= Child, baby
หลาน--------------=Laan-------------= Granchild
หลานสาว----------=Laan Sao---------= Niece
หลานชาย----------=Laan Chaai------= Nephew

When Thai people call their relatives they use these words (maybe + their nickname or their name).

“Na (You) have breakfast with us before going. Aa Gade (She) is coming to visit us soon. Would you like to meet Teur (=her)?”
= “Na, Na (You) have breakfast with us before going. Aa Gade (She) is coming to visit us soon. Would you like to meet Teur (=her)?”
= “Na Date, Na (You) have breakfast with us before going. Aa Gade (She) is coming to visit us soon. Would you like to meet Teur (=her)?”

4. For non-relatives, Thai people will use the relatives order to call people who are not their relatives by comparing status, age, intimacy, and relationship with their relatives and use words above.

Example 1

If I visit a Mom’s friend with her. And she is the same age as my mom so I will call her. “Na” If she looks much older I will call her “Pa”.
If I visit a Dad’s friend with him and he is the same age as my Dad. I will call him “Aa”. Also if he is look much older than my Dad, I will call him “ Lung”.

Example 2 When I visit my friend’s family, I call her parents “Mom” and “Dad” too.

Example 3

I have a friend who her relative used to be a permanent secretary of a ministry. He is old now but his personality still looks good. I don’t know what to call him, finally I call him “Khun Lung”.
However, Thais have to avoid calling a woman “Pa” and a man “Lung” because they might think they are not that old and they don’t like it. No one would like to be old.

5. And if the listener has a higher qualification, the speaker will use the words expressing humility instead of himself, like “Pom” (men use this word) and “Noo”, and call the listeners by using the words praising such as Taan (ท่าน), Khun (คุณ).

The speaker has to be careful also. Some people do not like us to use relative order with them. If we call them “Pii” or “Nong” they might think “Who are you? You are not my relatives to call me Pii, to call me Nong.

6. Thai people seldom call real name when speaking. Calling real name makes a distance between the speaker and the listener, while calling nickname lets them feel familiar. If it is necessary to call a name, they use “Khun” before name to make it polite and not too formal and Khun can be used with both men and women.

7. Thai people seldom call adults’ names, especially people who have positions like senior executive, police, soldier. And they seldom use relative order with those too. So it is safer not to use this with them. Thais use their position as pronouns.

Example

In my family I use my nickname with my parents. When I went to school, I call myself “Noo” When I spoke to a teacher. I called my teacher “Khun Kroo” . When I went to the university, I called myself “Noo” I called my teacher “Ajarn”. When I worked in the office, my chief called herself “Pii” when she talked to me so I feel free to call her “Pii” too and call myself nickname.

Director = ผู้อำนวยการ Abbriviation in Thai of Director = ผอ. (Por Or)

Our Por Or, my chief used to work with him before he became the Director. She used to call him “Khun(his first name)” When he was the director she still called him the same and called Por Or too because everyone call him Por Or even people outside the division. For Por Or he called my chief her nickname and called himself “Pom/ผม”

One day we got a new director. He was much younger than my chief including other 3 chiefs. In the meeting he heard everyone called all chiefs “Pii” so he call them “Pii” too to praise them and call himself “Pom”.

There are 3 others senior executive’s positions. They are

Director General -------------= อธิบดี--------------------AtibBodee
Permanent Secretary--------= ปลัดกระทรวง-------------Palad Grasaung
Minister-----------------------= รัฐมนตรี------------------Rat Ta MonTree

We call them “Taan AtibBodee = ท่านอธิบดี”, “Taan Palad = ท่านปลัด”, “Taan Rat Ta MonTree = ท่านรัฐมนตรี”

Thai pronouns are complex. If translating Thai pronouns into English. We will translate easily. Only knowing that who are the speaker and the listener because in English the pronoun I and You are mostly used. If there is the third man who they are talking about, just needs to know woman or man, one person or more.
But when translating I or You from English to Thai, the translators must find difficulty because they cannot find the translation immediately. The translator must first find the information about who the speaker is, gender, age, who the listener is, relationship between them, relative or just being known etc.

By the way, getting angry can change pronouns also, for example, from “ Nang Pin, Nang Yam” to “Ee Pin, Ee Yam.55
My dear @Amata, thank you very much for the very detailed explanation.... I am still trying to digest everything....

Am happy to know Pope got his nick name from the visit of Pope John Paul.... it is a nick name that is so true to his nature.... Pope Tanawat has shown he has a big heart like what his father had wished
 

Rachfull

sarNie Oldmaid
Chance upon this BTS.... wonder what's so funny towards the end? Did Pope accidentally kissed Bella when it is not meant to be? Or he accidentally hit her lips? Cos she was covering her mouth, complaining :confused12:
Looks like Pope had her pinned for a little longer than was strictly necessary. She was probably mad at him for teasing her :naughty2:
 
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