Learn the top five reasons you should be learning to speak Thai
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| Ryan: All About Thai lesson one, The top five reasons to study Thai. Sà-wàt-dii khráp. Ryan here, I'll be your friendly non-Thai to guide you through every Thai lesson, |
| Rawinporn: And I am Rawinporn, here as the Thai native to help you along the way. |
| Ryan: That's right. This lesson is all about the Thai language and its native land. |
| Rawinporn: Yes. Thai is a really unique language in a lot of ways, from the writing system to the intonation, to the slang, everything. |
| Ryan: Yeah. I think those listeners out there who have studied a Western language and are approaching Thai for the first time will be amazed at just how different it. It's truly a beautiful language with a rich history and intriguing culture to match. So what is it about this language anyway, and what language family does Thai belong to? |
| Rawinporn: That's actually a really good question because it's something that language scholars have been arguing over for a long time. |
| Ryan: Thai is a member of the Thai Kra–Dai language family, but there is not much agreement about which other families this group is related to. The Thai branch of this family includes modern Thai spoken in Thailand, Lao spoken in Laos, and the Shan language of Eastern Burma. The spoken language is believed to have originated in the area that is now the border between Vietnam and China. An idea that provides clues to the origin of the Thai people, an area of continued scholarly debate. |
| Rawinporn: That's right. These days there are around 70 million speakers of Thai. |
| Ryan: How about the written language? Can you tell us more about that? |
| Rawinporn: Sure. Our written language is based on Pali, Sanskrit, and Indian concepts. We write horizontally and read from left to right. |
| Ryan: Hey, that's the same as English. |
| Rawinporn: Yes! Now let's talk about intonation for a moment. |
| Ryan: Ah, yes, the tones. Some say that Thai grammar is simpler than grammar in Western languages, but the most difficult part is intonation. I'll tell you right now that the intonation is actually not that difficult. |
| Rawinporn: Exactly. You just need some practice. |
| Ryan: There are five tones in the Thai language, mid low. Falling high and rising, |
| Rawinporn: and the use of tones in Thai is lexical. Each word has a certain pitch characteristic, therefore, the proper pitch must be spoken to be correctly understood. |
| Ryan: Interesting. |
| Rawinporn: It is. We actually have a series of Thai pronunciation lessons. In those lessons, you'll learn more about Thai pronunciation. |
| Ryan: So how about a bit more about Thailand itself. Thailand and the Thai language have a long history behind them. |
| Rawinporn: Thailand is a peaceful Buddhist country. Around 95% of the population is Buddhist. |
| Ryan: Exactly, and because of Thai people's pleasant characteristics, Thailand is called the Land of Smiles by foreigners. |
| Rawinporn: Thailand's tourist attractions are not only culture and toal sites, but also many nice beaches, coral leaves, and natural sites. |
| Ryan: Sounds fantastic, doesn't it? Who can resist the lure of Thailand? Okay. Top five list. |
| Rawinporn: Top five reasons to learn Thai. |
| Ryan: Okay, starting with number five, to communicate with Thai people. Whether it's with Thai friends, family members, or people you meet when traveling, it doesn't matter. |
| Rawinporn: Even though English is a mandatory subject in school, the number of fluent speakers is comparatively low, especially outside of cities. |
| Ryan: Moreover, Thai people are very kind, especially if you can speak Thai. |
| Rawinporn: Number four, the cost of living in Thailand is. Compared to the cost of living in America and European countries. If you are retired and want to live more deathly, welcome to Thailand. |
| Ryan: Yes. And for young travelers, you can spend some time in Thailand teaching or whatever just for the experience. |
| Learn more than just a language. Learning Thai will give you great insight into the world of Thai culture that you just can't get any other way. By learning how the language works, you'll learn more about how the culture works. |
| Rawinporn: Number two. Thai grammar is very easy and simple. |
| Ryan: Wow! |
| Rawinporn: And the number one reason you should learn Thai is, |
| Ryan: Thai is fun culture, martial arts, food, and traveling. |
| Rawinporn: Okay, everybody, are you ready? Get out your pen and notebook. Grab your iPod computer or whatever you used to study and get ready for some Thai lessons. See you soon. |
| Ryan: Goodbye. |
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