ศาลาชุมนุม

[David and Bui]

Friends,

This video has nothing to do with Thai, but you might be interested in dialects and vowel sounds in English. I would very much like to hear the opinions of Thais and other non-native English speakers regarding this video.

http://www.vox.com/2015/2/27/8119829/ho ... ern-accent

[Rick Bradford]

Very interesting video. (Hahvahd Yahd, and all that).

One of the features of British English is that within a few seconds of talking to a stranger, we can tell where they are from to within 50 miles or so and, inexplicably to non-British, make a judgment (deep-rooted though very possibly incorrect) about their social class and hence intelligence.

In similar vein, surveys have shown that certain British Isles accents are liked and trusted (Geordie, southern Irish) more than others (Cockney, Mancunian) while a third set are ridiculed and put down (Scouse, Brummie). Others carry definite labels such as Cornish (bumpkin), Welsh (crafty), Yorkshire (stubborn), and RP (arrogant).

A central Thai-speaking friend of mine revealed that she had problems with understanding Thai dialects no further south than Chumpon, but also said that the sound of farangs speaking Isaan was generally liked very much (perhaps for the humorous aspect?)

There are obviously clear and early markers in Thai to the origin and status of a speaker, which would be an interesting subject to know more about.

[Pirin]

Friends,

This video has nothing to do with Thai, but you might be interested in dialects and vowel sounds in English. I would very much like to hear the opinions of Thais and other non-native English speakers regarding this video.

http://www.vox.com/2015/2/27/8119829/ho ... ern-accent

To me, it is just a video in English.

It takes me years to realize that CNN accent and Texas accent are slightly different. It also takes me years to be able to differentiate different accents of English, especially when the speakers speak formally.

Anyway, when English native speakers speak formaly (and slowly), I love the way the two musicians in the link below speak.

http://www.pinkfloyd.com/theendlessriver/listen

[Tgeezer]

Friends,

This video has nothing to do with Thai, but you might be interested in dialects and vowel sounds in English. I would very much like to hear the opinions of Thais and other non-native English speakers regarding this video.

http://www.vox.com/2015/2/27/8119829/ho ... ern-accent

To me, it is just a video in English.

It takes me years to realize that CNN accent and Texas accent are slightly different. It also takes me years to be able to differentiate different accents of English, especially when the speakers speak formally.

Anyway, when English native speakers speak formaly (and slowly), I love the way the two musicians in the link below speak.

http://www.pinkfloyd.com/theendlessriver/listen

It's good English, you can get it from books, I think that many of us would have less trouble with Thai if it were spoken at the equivalent level.

[tod-daniels]

Interesting article and set of videos too, even if I had to google some of the lingo (not being a cunning linguist )..

Coincidentally (or not) thaiz are excellent at "accent identification" even when both speakers are speaking Central Thai (the government approved version of thai).

Two thaiz who've never met will interact in Central Thai for a few minutes and based just on a short conversation both will know where the other person is from (or grew up), sometimes down to the amphur in a specific province!

That's why when I meet foreigners who say, "I wanna speak thai with a thai accent." I always ask, "Yeah, which one?"..

People from Bangkok (especially ones born here, not just re-located) speak with that almost ดัดจริต pretentious accent. Ones from the South speak in that sing-songy, choppy way (almost biting back the words). Ones from the west (Kanchanaburi, Suphanburi way) have that "western drawl" to their speech. Ones from up North (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai) have a distinctive cadence and pronunciation to their Central Thai. Some areas have a definite "nasal twange" to their thai..

BUT, those are ALL thai accents..

It's also when I hear foreigners say "XXX foreigner speaks thai like a native speaker." I usually laugh in their face .. I know MANY many foreigners who are super proficient thai speakers but even the likes of Andrew Biggs, Todd (Tong Dee) Lavelle, Adam Bradshaw & Daniel B Fraser sound like non-native adult learners/speakers of thai if you listen to them speaking. They don't fool a thai for a second (or at least not for more than a couple sentences), no matter how much praise the thaiz lavish on their speaking ability.

I agree with Tgeezer, IF thaiz spoke the version of unaffected or semi-accent-less thai that news casters, radio announcers learn to speak (not that they speak that way in normal life ) I think a LOT of foreigners would understand thai better .

I met one of the famous women on a mindless morning talk show. On the show she speaks pretty darned clear central thai, however in real life her accent is definitely much more ชนบท sounding. Even Benjawan Poomsan Becker (a bangkok born gurl) sounds like someone from Yasothon when she gets wound up and speaks fast (then again growing up in Yaso that's to be expected! )

[Pirin]

.....

I met one of the famous women on a mindless morning talk show. On the show she speaks pretty darned clear central thai, however in real life her accent is definitely much more ชนบท sounding. Even Benjawan Poomsan Becker (a bangkok born gurl) sounds like someone from Yasothon when she gets wound up and speaks fast (then again growing up in Yaso that's to be expected! )

She was not born in Bangkok. She didn't grow up in Bangkok either.

[tod-daniels]

Even Benjawan Poomsan Becker (a bangkok born gurl) sounds like someone from Yasothon when she gets wound up and speaks fast (then again growing up in Yaso that's to be expected! )

She was not born in Bangkok. She didn't grow up in Bangkok either.

Okay Pirin, if you say so....

I freely admit I'm easily confused, although I don't believe I said she grew up in Bangkok..

I guess I must be thinkin' about another Benjawan Poomsan Becker ;

https://www.facebook.com/benjawanbecker ... =page_info

Benjawan Poomsan Becker was born in Bangkok and spent her childhood in Yasothon, a small province in Northeast Thailand. Her family is ethnic Laotian, so she grew up speaking both Thai and Lao. She recevied a B.A. in English with first class honor from Khon Kaen University, Thailand. While obtaining her M.A. in Japan, she gained extensive experience teaching Thai to foreigners at the Japan Thailand Trade Association and the Berlitz Language School. In the United States, she taught Thai language at Stanford University, at several Thai temples, and in private classes. She operated a successful Thai and Lao translation business and is a registered Thai and Lao court interpreter in the state of California. She now resides in Berkeley, California where she continues to write and publish the leading learning books on the Thai and Lao languages. Her latest book, "The Interpreter's Journal" is the recipient of the 2011 Asian Book Publishing Award for Best Book / Best Writer on Asian Socio-Economic or Media scene.