Lao Alphabet

[Richard Barrow]

This forum is for people to learn to speak Thai and I was merely pointing out something which I have learned in the 15 years that I have been studying Thai.

Actually, this forum is for people learning Lao!

[mat]

Well in the part of Samutprakarn where my wifes family is from it is commonly used when thanking children.

[Richard Barrow]

Mat, I think it is really down to personal preferences. I am not saying people don't say it. I was just saying not everyone. And that I hardly ever hear it.

[Pailin]

Are you speaking of ขอบใจ or some other Lao term that I don't know? I've been admonished many times to use that.... It's not naturally comfortable for me to use it, but because of others' insistence, I've learned to use it more...

[mat]

Yes Pailin,the Thai version which you have mentioned,this is what I am saying is widely used.It is something which is commonly used for close friends and family and will not be heard in formal conversation.
Having a close Thai family I hear it and am on the recieving end often.

[nam phyyng]

To add my pennysworth: I have always understood ขอบใจ not to be a specifically Isaan word, but one used throughout Thailand as an informal way of saying "thankyou". Its usually used only between close friends or from an elder to a younger person, (or to social inferiors) as its considered impolite to use it in other situations. We were taught this in our AUA classes many years ago, so I presume it still applies today. I never use it myself, because it can be offensive if used in the wrong situation .

[iGotNoTime]

Yes it is certainly used in informal settings, as the above mentioned blog pointed out. I was just at a website that had tutorial videos and some documentaries for download as torrent files, and all the replies there were kop khun and not kop jai. That really surprised me because I figured of all places for informal replies it would be a torrent site. I honestly expected to see kop jai a few times there, but didn't.

I think the blog site that mat pointed out really was very informative and accurate in regards to 'proper' use of it in Thailand. Among those on the 'same level' (me talking to my friends) it is certainly acceptable and my elders saying it to me is as well.

So as not to take the thread off topic, there is a new thread started more focused on the differences found here.

[thesinner]

First up, many thanks Richard for the mp3 files. They are sure a source of great help in my latest attempt at the language.

Moving on to ¨kop jai¨. I am from Singapore and we do have a large Thai community here especially at Golden Mile Complex - which is otherwise also known as Little Thailand. I have consulted several Thais, some from BKK, some from Isaan. Those from BKK/Central Thailand say in standard Thai, ¨kop jai¨ should only ever be used when dealing with minors NOT adults. Those from Isaan say while this may indeed be the case in Standard Thai, in Isaan Thai - which incidentally is Lao but with Thai/English influences - there aren any restrictions on the usage of ¨kop jai¨ not in Isaan and certainly they say not in the LPDR.

Also one of them commented that why some Thais seem to use ¨kop jai¨ on peers and even those older than themselves could be due to two factors i.e. 1.) deterioting language standards and/or 2.) they are descendants of ethnic Laotians resettled from Laos (e.g. Vientianne, Luang Prabang, Champassak) to Isaan, Central Thailand during the 18th and 19th (in particular over the Chao Annou affair) Century as corvee laborers and slaves by the victorious invading Thai army.

For what it is worth, there are more ethnic Lao in Thailand than there are in the Lao Peopleś Democratic Republic (LPDR). In fact more than a third of Thailandś population are ethnic Lao. Also Northern Thailand (e.g. Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai) i.e. Lanna Thai is closely related to Lao also. The old Lanna Thai script is for those who are interested the same as the old Laotian script i.e. the ancient Lao script used to record Buddhist scriptures. Check them out when in Laos.

Of course, the possibility exists that a long time ago, there wasn this difference i.e. that ¨kop jai¨ can be used by anybody on anybody else. Perhaps at a time when there weren distinct Thai and Lao ethnicities but just a Tai nation i.e. a time before the ancestors migrated to Indochina i.e. the time of Khun Buloum. hmmm

[lao4]

Thank you very much! Very good for listening stuff. But there is a missing sound on 'r' 'ຣ'.

[PJ_Quek]

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Lao "STOP" sign