{"id":10,"date":"2010-07-27T13:40:48","date_gmt":"2010-07-27T13:40:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/thai\/?p=10"},"modified":"2014-08-27T13:46:32","modified_gmt":"2014-08-27T13:46:32","slug":"language-protester-red-shirts-thailand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/thai\/language-protester-red-shirts-thailand\/","title":{"rendered":"Language of the Protester (Intermediate)"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

This is, obviously, my first post in what will be a fruitful blog for those interested in learning to speak Thai and how Thai culture relates to its language.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start by stating who I am and what makes me qualified to do this. I’ve been studying Thai for approximately six years now, about 1-2 hours a day, every day. I also travel to Thailand often and have lived there for over a year. I’m not a native speaker, nor can I speak like one. But my skills are at the level where I can have both philosophical and technical conversations without headache on the listener\u2019s part. I’ve also read dozens of Thai novels, albeit slowly.<\/p>\n

Objectively speaking, I scored a 2.5 a year ago on the DLPT (Defense Language Proficiency Test) V<\/a><\/strong>, which is the official language test for the US Department of Defense. A score of 3 is required to be a professional translator, and a score of 4 is considered to be the equivalent of a native speaker. If I do make a sporadic non-native error, please feel free to comment, correct, and expand, as I neither want to spread misinformation nor allow mistakes.<\/p>\n

Now for my writing style: I prefer to keep things fun. I don’t want this blog to feel like reading a dictionary and I don’t want to teach rarely used words or phrases. This won’t be a Thai 101 blog, but instead a Thai language companion and online manual. I’ll cover offer tips and hints that you won’t find anywhere else, and in order to cater to all variations, I’ll cover a difficulty level spread by jumping between beginner and intermediate levels. This way I can keep it educational for everyone. Post titles and categories will specify the difficulty level, and a printable vocabulary list will be presented at the end of each post.<\/p>\n

Full disclosure: I’ll typically not bother with karoake (spelling Thai using the English alphabet). I know, it\u2019s a pain for those who can’t read and write Thai yet, but trust me on this, it will be much better for you to learn the hard way. I’ll still include a karaoke spelling for the more tricky words, but we won\u2019t let it be a crutch! I use my own method for spelling karaoke, where a number after the word specifies the standard Thai tone number:<\/p>\n

1) Mid tone<\/p>\n

2) Low tone<\/p>\n

3) Falling tone<\/p>\n

4) High tone<\/p>\n

5) Rising tone<\/p>\n

In this instance, long vowels are specified by an extra vowel while words are spelled so that a native-English speaker will read it out correctly. I also spell out diphthongs such as bp and dt.<\/p>\n

Anyway, let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n

Language of the Protester (Intermediate)<\/strong><\/h1>\n

As I write this blog there about 100,000 protestors in the streets wearing red shirts protesting against the current government. At least 10,000 police (\u0e15\u0e33\u0e23\u0e27\u0e08<\/strong>) are out on duty, and probably 10,000 soldiers (\u0e17\u0e2b\u0e32\u0e23<\/strong>) on standby. Now I at least have a valid excuse not to go to the gym, as all these groups are literally blocking the area!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Let\u2019s begin with ‘red shirts’. It\u2019s a simple direct translation, \u0e40\u0e2a\u0e37\u0e49\u0e2d\u0e41\u0e14\u0e07<\/strong>. Or if you don’t particularly like them, you can refer to them as \u0e44\u0e2d\u0e49\u0e40\u0e2a\u0e37\u0e49\u0e2d\u0e41\u0e14\u0e07<\/strong>, where \u0e44\u0e2d\u0e49 <\/strong>denotes a slightly negative connotation. A more formal way of referring to this group is UDD, or in Thai, \u0e19\u0e1b\u0e0a <\/strong>(just say the sound each letter makes). It\u2019s an abbreviation for the full name, \u0e01\u0e25\u0e38\u0e48\u0e21\u0e41\u0e19\u0e27\u0e23\u0e48\u0e27\u0e21\u0e1b\u0e23\u0e30\u0e0a\u0e32\u0e18\u0e34\u0e1b\u0e44\u0e15\u0e22\u0e02\u0e31\u0e1a\u0e44\u0e25\u0e48\u0e40\u0e1c\u0e14\u0e47\u0e08\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e41\u0e2b\u0e48\u0e07\u0e0a\u0e32\u0e15\u0e34<\/strong>. I won\u2019t blame you if you don’t want to memorize that . . .<\/p>\n

The word for \u2018mob\u2019 is exactly the same in Thai as in English \u2013 \u0e21\u0e47\u0e2d\u0e1a<\/strong>. You know, mob rule and all. Remember the PAD, that group wearing the yellow shirts? In Thai they aren’t referred to as ‘yellow shirts’, but instead \u0e1e\u0e31\u0e19\u0e18\u0e21\u0e34\u0e15\u0e23\u0e2f<\/strong> (paan1-ta1-mit4). If you don’t like them, you can refer to them as \u0e21\u0e47\u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e1e\u0e31\u0e19\u0e18\u0e21\u0e34\u0e15\u0e23\u0e2f<\/strong>, or the PAD mob. Or for extra learning fun, you can use \u0e44\u0e2d\u0e49\u0e21\u0e47\u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e1e\u0e31\u0e19\u0e18\u0e21\u0e34\u0e15\u0e23\u0e2f<\/strong>. The Thai abbreviation for this group is \u0e1e\u0e18\u0e21<\/strong>, short for \u0e1e\u0e31\u0e19\u0e18\u0e21\u0e34\u0e15\u0e23\u0e1b\u0e23\u0e30\u0e0a\u0e32\u0e0a\u0e19\u0e40\u0e1e\u0e37\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e1b\u0e23\u0e30\u0e0a\u0e32\u0e18\u0e34\u0e1b\u0e44\u0e15\u0e22<\/strong>. Again, no need to remember that . . . When this group protests against the UDD, they wear a random mix of colors and refer to themselves as \u0e40\u0e2a\u0e37\u0e49\u0e2d\u0e2b\u0e25\u0e32\u0e01\u0e2a\u0e35<\/strong>, the ‘no color shirts,’ so they don’t sound hypocritical.<\/p>\n

As a note, you’ll often see the word \u0e21\u0e47\u0e2d\u0e1a<\/strong> mis-spelled as \u0e21\u0e47\u0e2d\u0e1b<\/strong>. The act of breaking up a mob is called \u0e2a\u0e25\u0e32\u0e22\u0e21\u0e47\u0e2d\u0e1a<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

So what do these protester groups really want? Well, they all want to take corruption \u2013 a word stolen from English \u2013 \u0e04\u0e2d\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1b\u0e0a\u0e31\u0e48\u0e19 <\/strong>\u2013 out of the government, \u0e23\u0e31\u0e10\u0e1a\u0e32\u0e25<\/strong>. They all want democracy, \u0e1b\u0e23\u0e30\u0e0a\u0e32\u0e18\u0e34\u0e1b\u0e44\u0e15\u0e22<\/strong>. What they disagree on is what corruption and democracy actually are . . .<\/p>\n

Useful nugget: All protesters typically yell this phrase out at rallies. \u201cGet out!\u201d \u0e2d\u0e2d\u0e01\u0e44\u0e1b<\/strong>! is a popular one. Although, now that people are getting tired of protest after protest, quite a few Thai citizens are yelling this same chant at the protesters . . .<\/p>\n

There are plenty more words and phrases, but I’ll save them for the next post. So stay tuned! For now, here is a list of words you can print out and study on your otherwise not as exciting commute to work.<\/p>\n

Thai vocabulary list 1: Language of the Protester<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0e15\u0e33\u0e23\u0e27\u0e08 <\/strong> police<\/p>\n

\u0e17\u0e2b\u0e32\u0e23 <\/strong> soldier\/army<\/p>\n

\u0e40\u0e2a\u0e37\u0e49\u0e2d\u0e41\u0e14\u0e07 <\/strong> red shirts<\/p>\n

\u0e44\u0e2d\u0e49 <\/strong> beginning particle to show slight disrespect<\/p>\n

\u0e19\u0e1b\u0e0a <\/strong> UDD<\/p>\n

\u0e21\u0e47\u0e2d\u0e1a <\/strong> mob<\/p>\n

\u0e1e\u0e31\u0e19\u0e18\u0e21\u0e34\u0e15\u0e23\u0e2f <\/strong> PAD<\/p>\n

\u0e1e\u0e18\u0e21 <\/strong> PAD<\/p>\n

\u0e2a\u0e25\u0e32\u0e22\u0e21\u0e47\u0e2d\u0e1a <\/strong> crackdown on a mob (riot)<\/p>\n

\u0e40\u0e2a\u0e37\u0e49\u0e2d\u0e2b\u0e25\u0e32\u0e01\u0e2a\u0e35 <\/strong> no color shirts<\/p>\n

\u0e04\u0e2d\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1b\u0e0a\u0e31\u0e48\u0e19 <\/strong> corruption<\/p>\n

\u0e23\u0e31\u0e10\u0e1a\u0e32\u0e25<\/strong> government<\/p>\n

\u0e2d\u0e2d\u0e01\u0e44\u0e1b! <\/strong> get out!<\/p>\n

\u0e1b\u0e23\u0e30\u0e0a\u0e32\u0e18\u0e34\u0e1b\u0e44\u0e15\u0e22 <\/strong> democracy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is, obviously, my first post in what will be a fruitful blog for those interested in learning to speak Thai and how Thai culture relates to its language. Let\u2019s start by stating who I am and what makes me qualified to do this. I’ve been studying Thai for approximately six years now, about…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,10341,10340],"tags":[378824,10339,8,7465,122,10338,10337,10177,10179],"class_list":["post-10","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-culture","category-intermediate","category-thailand-politics","tag-culture","tag-karaoke","tag-language","tag-learn","tag-politics","tag-protester","tag-red-shirts","tag-thai","tag-thailand"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t