Frequently Asked Questions(This list is slowly accumulating, so check back from time to time. Actually, few people who read all the information presented in this website have additional questions.) |
What makes Let’s Talk Thai better than other Thai language courses?If you have already tried to learn a language using another course or book without much success, don’t worry. This study-course is different, and this will become obvious as you progress. Just follow the directions, and keep trying hard to link the words you are learning with mental pictures and feelings as explained, and you will find you’ll learn quickly and retain the word in your memory. The best part of learning Thai with Let’s Talk Thai is that you will not waste your time by having to learn long lists of words you will not need. You will also learn the English words that are now part of the Thai language. Because there is an audio program included that matches the sections of the handbook, you will be learning ‘what to say’ and ‘how to say’ together. This means that once you have learned a word, you know it will be understood by Thai people. There is nothing worse than spending hours learning words and phrases, and then discovering that nobody has a clue what you are trying to say |
Why learn Thai?Few foreigners can read Thai script. That’s why Thailand requires more speakingandlisteningskills than most other countries. The good news is that learning to speak Thai is much easier than learning to read it. You will find that Let’s Talk Thai is a more efficient way of learning Thai than any other mini-course available.Most visitors to Thailand, including tourists, business people and government officials, do not plan to stay years in the country. They plan short to medium-term visits, getting by with as few headaches as possible and without spending years perfecting the language. By learning a little of the language you will feel more relaxed and increase your enjoyment while in Thailand, whether your visit is for business or pleasure. Travelling by taxi and public transport is less problematic and stressful when visitors can communicate. This may need little more than correct pronunciation of the name of the destination. The pronunciation of major place names is demonstrated in a separate section. Mastery here allows students to instinctively guess the pronunciation of other destinations. Learning any foreign language, not just Thai, is the key to understanding and appreciating the culture of the country. Studying foreign languages has never been more important. The following links may be of interest“A language is a window to another world” Prof. Joseph Lo Bianco |
Isn’t English widely spoken in Thailand?More and more Thai people, especially in cities, know some English. The problem is, they may not want to speak it to you, feeling that their command of English is just not good enough and they will lose face.However if you start speaking a few words of Thai yourself, you are likely to get a completely different response. First there is often surprise that a foreigner is actually saying something understandable, and you may be required to repeat what you just said. After that, communication can start (perhaps tentatively at first), and you will communicate in Thai, in English and possibly in a mixture of both. Don’t forget also that gestures and facial expressions are also part of communication and can be used to fill in the gaps in your message. For example, if you want to buy an item you do not need to know the Thai word, you just need to point to it and ask “How much?” |
Isn’t Thai a very complicated language?Thai is actually a simpler language than English, without all the frustrations that non-English speakers face when learning English. We also don’t need to agonise over grammatical rules, or worry about varying pronunciation of similar-looking words (think about rough, cough, bough and dough in English). We also don’t need to learn long lists of words and phrases covering everything imaginable. Words like “the” and “a” are not used in Thai and many other languages. What we need to learn are the essential words, that is, the words we are most likely to hear and need. We also need to learn how to use them in simple statements, questions and answers. As learners, we will not be taking part in lengthy philosophical discussions. To have a more enjoyable stay in Thailand, we don’t need to be fluent in the language, we just need to communicate. |
Why do I need to learn the tones?If you ask a question in English and do not use a high tone at the end, the listener should still recognise from the words that we are asking a question. In Thai, the correct use of tones is more important because the tone can alter the meaning of the word being spoken. That is why tones are introduced at the start of Let’s Talk Thai. By the time you get even half-way through the course you are well practiced in using them. In Thai the tones help determine the meaning of the word. Like every other skill in life, you will need to practice. Happily, there are only five tones (rising, falling, high, low and mid-tone, which is also called the flat tone). In Thai writing, sounds are specified by the letters of the Thai script. By comparison, most other alphabets have a vastly inferior ability to represent these sounds. To make the sounds readable to non-Thais is a real challenge. Several different systems exist for using tone marks and the letters of our alphabet to make Thai words, but none is perfect. Let’s Talk Thai uses the most logical and easy to follow system for indicating tones, but it still gives an excellent approximation of the sounds. Importantly, you do not need to learn the phonetic alphabet. |