Soi Buawhat?-A rose by any other name...

[teelack 9,636]

I had planned a photo essay on Soi Buakhao(?) however the uploader keeps letting me down, so to speak.

 

So far I have seem shops or businesses with the following:

Buakhao

Boukhao

Boakoah

Buakhaw

Buakhouw

Buakhoa

 

and the most out there, Buaklaow

 

I am sure there are many others but at least I am not on my own in getting the spelling wrong or changing it every time I write the name ( Note to Andy, in French is it Beaucoup or Beauvache?)

 

feel free to add if you want.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gary 4,119]

Good post. Regardless of how it is spelled, I can usually recognize where they are referring to. The precise spelling means nothing because there is NO correct translation for Thai to English or English to Thai. I get criticized for speaking pidgin English to my Thai wife. Language is meant for communication and if it is understood, that is the main purpose.

[MM 6,562]

I did a photo essay on the shop signs of Soi Boo Cow about 6 years ago...they still haven't got it standardized, and likely they never will.

 

http://www.pattayatalk.com/forums/topic/29485-so-how-do-you-spell-the-name-of-this-soi/

[LocalYokul 214]

The name means white water lily.

Edited June 23, 2013 by LocalYokul

[steamer 158]

I use Buakhao myself

 

 

 

 

[biggles 509]

I use Buakhao myself

 

Me too

[papadoc 66]

Thanks Teelack. Always good to clarify things.

Now I know it's whatever I like to call it providing it sounds a bit like "back cow"

 

regards

[Idefix 2,275]

Buakhao seems to be the one I read the more often...?

 

Listen ซอย บัวขาว (Soi Buakhao) by Google Translate

[hatter 55]

I cant spell anyway thats why i luv Thailand lol

[Siam Sam 964]

The interesting thing is that there is no right or wrong way when translating between two languages of this nature because there is no international standard that everyone agrees on, some of the translations I have seen over the years are hilarious. The good thing is that no matter how bad the translations are phonetically, you can nearly always determine the word that the translation is intended to represent. I use Bhuakhao myself, as Idefix says, it tends to be the one you see most often.

[MM 6,562]

Buakhao seems to be the one I read the more often...?

 

Listen ซอย บัวขาว (Soi Buakhao) by Google Translate

 

 

The interesting thing is that there is no right or wrong way when translating between two languages of this nature because there is no international standard that everyone agrees on, some of the translations I have seen over the years are hilarious. The good thing is that no matter how bad the translations are phonetically, you can nearly always determine the word that the translation is intended to represent. I use Bhuakhao myself, as Idefix says, it tends to be the one you see most often.

 

No, yours is different, lol. The sign makers seem to have the same problem.

 

I bank on that soi, and when I fill in the branch name, I always use BUAKHAO.

[teelack 9,636]

I think that all the banks use Bua Khao. This is another variant in that it makes it into two words where as the majority of the spelling make it a single word

[MM 6,562]

I think that all the banks use Bua Khao. This is another variant in that it makes it into two words where as the majority of the spelling make it a single word

 

Did you look at the link I provided? Seems we were both noticing the same inconsistencies.

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[papillon 695]

It said Bua Khao on my cellphone when I was in the area. That's official enough for me. White Lotus.

[Siam Sam 964]

No, yours is different, lol. The sign makers seem to have the same problem.

 

I bank on that soi, and when I fill in the branch name, I always use BUAKHAO.

 

I don't know why I added that letter h, I meant BUAKHAO.

[js007 795]

Since the original is Thai, I guess we get to spell it however we want. There's no right and no wrong.

[MM 6,562]

Since the original is Thai, I guess we get to spell it however we want.  There's no right and no wrong.

 

True, but one can expect some consistency on the Soi...or joke about it!

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[dexlowe 0]

Doesn't bua mean boring? Hmmm - white bore. Someone's been reading my mail again.

[MeGoDanceNow 4,281]

It's amazing that the Thai language does not have a standard Romanized orthography, like every other East Asian language does.

 

It's spelled Soi Buakhao and it's pronounced "soi boo-uh-cow." As you know, "bua khao" means "white lotus."

[Idefix 2,275]

It's amazing that the Thai language does not have a standard Romanized orthography,

 

Does English language have a standard Chinesed orthography ?

 

like every other East Asian language does.

 

I don't know but I doubt.

I am pretty sure many tonal languages may have the same problem,

just because it not possible to write these tones with a Romanized alphabet.

 

I think that all the banks use Bua Khao.

This is another variant in that it makes it into two words where as the majority of the spelling make it a single word

 

A kind of logic because it's in fact 2 words "white + lotus" but Thai language doesn't put any separation (space) between words.

 

Nota, the Thai city บัวขาว write its name Buakhao on its site : http://www.buakhao.go.th/

 

 

Golden White Lotus

[cicero1520 19]

I continue to be amused at the various spelling.

 

Thais seem very easy going on such matters.

[tko 219]

I was visiting an office in the US with one of our companies Thai managers. He had one of those long central Thai surnames. The receptionist asked him how he spelled his name and he said "in Thai, you can spell it how you want."

[fasterfreddy 3]

Doesn't bua mean boring? Hmmm - white bore. Someone's been reading my mail again.

 

Not the same word. Boring is เบื่อ, which is transliterated as "bèua"

 

Actually none of the transliterations can be considered correct unless they include something to show what tone it should be pronounced as. But as MM states...it would be nice to be consistent, especially signs on the same road.

[briar 27]

Forget the spelling, I was looking at the babe at the dental clinic.