There are plenty more punctuation marks in the Thai language. In part 2 we continue with more.
ๆ ไม้ยมก mai4 ya4 mok4
This is called the repetition character. When you see it, it means to repeat the word before it one more time. When used for verbs, it changes the meaning. When used for nouns, it makes it plural. When used for adjectives, it strengthens the meaning.
Examples:
ไปๆมาๆ bpai1 bpai1 maa1 maa1 eventually
เด็กๆ dek1 dek1 children
ร้อนๆ rawn4 rawn4 very hot
Sometimes you need to repeat the last two words, not just the last word. There is no rule I’m aware of, just sometimes it only makes sense if you repeat both. For example:
ไปแล้วๆ bpai1 laew4 bpai1 laew4 Let’s go!
In informal situations, you can also use it to playfully emphasize something. In this case you aren’t expected to say the same word 20 times, for example:
หิวๆๆๆๆๆๆๆๆๆๆๆๆๆ hewwwwwww5 I’m really freakin’ hungry!
ฯ ไปยาลน้อย bpai1 yaan1 noi4
This is called the abbreviation character. In English, you’d simply use a ‘.’ to abbrev. a word. In Thai, you use this only for certain abbreviations, when the first syllable or two is already spelled out. A perfect example would be the name of Bangkok:
กรุงเทพฯ
You should not use it for abbreviations that only involve one or two letters, for example the names of the months or of organizations. In those cases you’d use the ‘.’.
ฯลฯ ไปยาลใหญ่ bpai1 yaan1 yai2
The previous abbreviation mark was called the ‘small bpaiyaan’. This one is called the ‘big bpaiyaan’. You would use it just like you’d use ‘etc.’ in English. For example, a list of fruits can be written as:
กล้วย แอปเปิ้ล ส้ม ฯลฯ banana, apple, orange, etc.
? ปรัศนี brat2 sa2 nee1 optional: เครื่องหมายคำถาม krueng3maai5 kam1 taam5
The question mark is used in Thai just like it is in English.
. มหัพภาค ma4hap2paak3 optional: จุด jud2
This is a period, but should only be used for abbreviations or as a decimal such as in English.
