A Thai language question

[teelack 9,646]

I would be interested to know more about the following. I have a general interest in languages but have not come across the Thai way of adding a male or female suffix, Khrap and Ka. It puzzles me where this comes from and what the Thai themselves think that it achieves.

I find this interesting from another aspect and that is the Thai way of addressing people where the word Khun can be used by either sex, yet again so different from languages that have and use variations of Mr. Mrs. Miss. Ms and in my younger days Master for a school kid.

[atlas2 4,329]

Yeah…… Men can use Khrap or Ka….. Women never Khrap

 

I imagine it's just to show who's boss……..

 

Sorry can't add more…..I'm watching 'Miss Korea' on the telly before the golf.

 

Not a tattoo or ladyboy in sight…….Stunning bodies….but they all look like clones.

[syd_tybil 70]

"Ka" and "Krap" are supposed to add politeness and soften the statement or question.

 

Thais have many different ways of addressing other people depending on their social standing or age beyond "Khun".

 

Tan -- higher status, when addressing a monk

 

Pee -- older than you

 

Nong -- younger than you

 

New -- young child

 

etc.

[teelack 9,646]

There you go! I learn every day. Thanks. Hope to see you around in the next few weeks.

[LocalYokul 217]

Yeah…… Men can use Khrap or Ka….. Women never Khrap

 

I've never known of Thai men finishing a sentence with Ka.

 

 

"Ka" and "Krap" are supposed to add politeness and soften the statement or question.

 

Thais have many different ways of addressing other people depending on their social standing or age beyond "Khun".

 

Tan -- higher status, when addressing a monk

 

Pee -- older than you

 

Nong -- younger than you

 

New -- young child

 

etc.

 

Yes, Tahn is for someone of a higher status.

 

Noo = mouse = nicname or qualifier for a young person

[MM 6,562]

I would be interested to know more about the following. I have a general interest in languages but have not come across the Thai way of adding a male or female suffix, Khrap and Ka. It puzzles me where this comes from and what the Thai themselves think that it achieves.

I find this interesting from another aspect and that is the Thai way of addressing people where the word Khun can be used by either sex, yet again so different from languages that have and use variations of Mr. Mrs. Miss. Ms and in my younger days Master for a school kid.

 

Thai has male and female 1st person pronouns that are used in proper Thai, unlike any of the European languages I am familiar with (Englsh, German, French, Spanish, Italian).

 

So, when speaking of oneself, a Thai female refers to herself with a different form of "I" than a Thai male...not sure about ladyboys though.

 

Happily, they don't use gender qualifiers for nouns or 2nd or 3rd person pronouns (that I know of), which makes the language somewhat easier to learn grammatically.

 

The particles for politeness are gender specific to the person speaking, not the person being spoken to, hence ka and krap.

[lounge_lizard 108]

Yeah…… Men can use Khrap or Ka….. Women never Khrap

 

Yeah…… Men can use Khrap or Ka….. Women never Khrap

Thanks, That's interesting.

 

I've noticed that the male bag-fillers at the checkouts at Villa Market say "Kappun Khaa", and I always thought that the urine was being extracted.

 

Or could it be that they thought they were doing "female" work?

[csm 4]

 

I've never known of Thai men finishing a sentence with Ka.

 

 

I think this refers to when Thai men drop the R from Krap and say Kap but in Thai the final consonant sound is only partially spoken so it can sound like it isn't spoken at all if you don't listen closely. Mod who has a lot of online videos explains it like this - you swallow the final sound so it stays in your throat.

[jacko 8,822]

I think this refers to when Thai men drop the R from Krap and say Kap but in Thai the final consonant sound is only partially spoken so it can sound like it isn't spoken at all if you don't listen closely. Mod who has a lot of online videos explains it like this - you swallow the final sound so it stays in your throat.

But the feminine kaa is a long vowel so it is easy to discern.

Lady boys use it too...... I hear! No, I mean I have been told, it might have been atlas2.

[atlas2 4,329]

 

I've never known of Thai men finishing a sentence with Ka.

 

 

I think we may be complicating things needlessly but I have heard this………. and it's for various reasons

 

see link…..http://www.speakrealthai.com/polite.html

Edited July 22, 2014 by atlas2

[atlas2 4,329]

But the feminine kaa is a long vowel so it is easy to discern.

Lady boys use it too...... I hear! No, I mean I have been told, it might have been atlas2.

 

 

No I said to you, "Cor Jacko! That's a ladyboy!!"

 

'She' had her hands over your ears….. and you had your mouth full at the time…...easy mistake!

Edited July 22, 2014 by atlas2

[jacko 8,822]

 

 

No I said to you, "Cor Jacko! That's a ladyboy!!"

 

'She' had her hands over your ears….. and you had your mouth full at the time…...easy mistake!

Okay, a mouth full of San Miguel and a katoey playing a strangle version of 'guess who' must have distracted me.

I want to pick the venues next time!

[atlas2 4,329]

Well batted sir!