{"id":1189,"date":"2012-03-28T11:37:46","date_gmt":"2012-03-28T11:37:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/thai\/?p=1189"},"modified":"2012-03-28T11:37:46","modified_gmt":"2012-03-28T11:37:46","slug":"thai-vowel-lengths-affect-pronunciation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/thai\/thai-vowel-lengths-affect-pronunciation\/","title":{"rendered":"Thai Vowel Lengths Affect Pronunciation"},"content":{"rendered":"

In previous posts I have covered Thai tones, emphasizing the importance of learning them early and pronouncing them properly. In addition to the tones, one must also be aware of and properly pronounce the length of each vowel.<\/p>\n

For example, the spelling of a Thai word differentiates between \u2018ah!\u2019 and \u2018aahhhhhhh!!!\u2019 As all Thai words make this distinction, not accounting for it in an English alphabet transliteration (karaoke) can cause a miscommunication.<\/p>\n

For example, in my method, this is how I distinguish between a long and a short vowel when writing karaoke:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Thai spelling<\/td>\nThai transliteration (karaoke)<\/td>\nEnglish<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e14\u0e32\u0e1a<\/td>\ndaab<\/td>\nsword<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e14\u0e31\u0e1a<\/td>\ndab<\/td>\nextinguish, put out, vanquish<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e41\u0e01<\/td>\ngaee<\/td>\nhe, she, you<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e41\u0e01\u0e30<\/td>\ngae<\/td>\nto carve in, to engrave<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e14\u0e32<\/td>\ndaa<\/td>\nto go in force, advance in large numbers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e14\u0e30<\/td>\nda<\/td>\nrandomly, haphazardly<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Notice that \u2018aa\u2019 in the karaoke represents the long vowel, while \u2018a\u2019 represents the short vowel. And by long and short, I mean for how long you pronounce it temporally.<\/p>\n

Now, there is one vowel in Thai that sounds like the French \u2018eu\u2019. So if I were to do that as a temporally long vowel, it would be \u2018euu\u2019. Other authors might do it as \u2018eeu\u2019 or \u2018eeuu\u2019. Point being, it\u2019s a long vowel. Another short vowel makes the \u2018ae\u2019 sound, which sounds like the \u2018a\u2019 in the English word \u2018bad\u2019, while it\u2019s longer version would be spelled \u2018aee\u2019.<\/p>\n

Below is an example of why it\u2019s important to pay attention to vowel lengths. Both the consonants and the tones are pronounced exactly the same in both phrases. The only difference is the vowel length of both the first and third syllables, of which entirely change the meaning of what is being said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Thai spelling<\/td>\nThai transliteration (karaoke)<\/td>\nEnglish<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e21\u0e2b\u0e32\u0e25\u0e31\u0e22\u0e2f<\/td>\nmahaalai<\/td>\n[slang for] university<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e21\u0e32\u0e2b\u0e32\u0e25\u0e32\u0e22<\/td>\nmaa haa laai<\/td>\ncome look for lines\/patterns\/stains<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

note:<\/p>\n

In terms of spelling a word, the length of a vowel is one factor that determines which tone a word has. But, the rules of tone determination are quite complex for a beginner, so I won\u2019t go into any further details. It\u2019s just something to keep in mind for a future lesson.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In previous posts I have covered Thai tones, emphasizing the importance of learning them early and pronouncing them properly. In addition to the tones, one must also be aware of and properly pronounce the length of each vowel.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[10208],"tags":[192205,192206,10177,7278],"class_list":["post-1189","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-beginner","tag-length","tag-pronounciation","tag-thai","tag-vowel"],"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