Does [ni] (this) have 2 tones?

[Diamondsmith]

Hello. Could I ask anyone in this forum the following questions?

1) I know that [ni] is usually read as a high level tone, but can I read the following [ni] as a high falling tone?
kham ni: (tonight);
wa:n ni: (yesterday);
khon ni: (this person);
ton ni: (this plant);
to: ni: (this animal)… …

2) Can [ni] be used as the subject or object when referring to an object, like:
[khoy bo mak ni] (I don’t like this),
(or perhaps we can only say [khoy bo mak an ni]?)
[ni bo di] (This is not good),
(or perhaps we can only say [an ni bo di]?)

3) If it can be used as the subject or object, then in what tone is it read in this case, a high falling tone or high level tone?

Many thanks!

[nam phyyng]

As you are speaking the north eastern (Isaan) dialect, the tones of some words are slightly diffrent from central (Bangkok) Thai. The central Thai version is meant to be spoken with a high tone to mean "this" but my (fallible) ears tell me it is often spoken with a falling tone in normal conversation. When you want to say "this" you say nii, but when you want to say "this one" you say an nii. For example: "nii bo dii" means this is no good and "an nii bo dii" means this one is no good. So both are corect in the right context.

In passing I should perhaps point out that there are several mistakes in your written question: (1) "tonight" is khyyn nii (not khan nii) (2) "yesterday" is mya wan nii (not wan ni, as that means "today") (3) "this animal" is sat tua nii (not "to nii" as you wrote) and (4) "like" is chorp with a falling tone, although its also possible that "mak" is an Isaan word for "like" - not sure about that.
Keep trying - it will come eventually.
NP

[guava]

As you are speaking the north eastern (Isaan) dialect, the tones of some words are slightly diffrent from central (Bangkok) Thai.

Yes, it is Isaan dialect.

although its also possible that "mak" is an Isaan word for "like" - not sure about that.

Yes, "mak" (มัก) is the same as "chorp" (ชอบ) in Central Thai

[roni]

In central Thai, the word "ni" can have a high or a falling tone. With a high tone, it is used as an adjective of sorts, to indicate "this":
วันนี้ คนนี้ etc.
With a falling tone, it replaces the noun:
ที่นี่ นี่คืออะไร etc.

[Diamondsmith]

In central Thai, the word "ni" can have a high or a falling tone. With a high tone, it is used as an adjective of sorts, to indicate "this":
วันนี้ คนนี้ etc.
With a falling tone, it replaces the noun:
ที่นี่ นี่คืออะไร etc.

Thanks!! It is very true in Thai. I thought I was posting in a Lao forum, and I didn't know that "Isaan" is so similar to Lao. I am just curious if Lao has the same grammatical rule as you described about Thai. I agree the hightone nii is an adjective and the falliingtone nii is a pronoun, there could be EXCEPTIONS though.