Word Study Unit 4

The preposition thiˆi generally means 'at' and nay generally means 'in,' but the two words are not always used in exactly the same way as their english equivalents. Note the examples below:

Listen	English Equivalents	Aids to Listening
	(4) Would you like to go into this restaurant?	khun yàak càʔ khaˆw pay nay ráanʔaahăan níi rʉ̆ʉ khráp.
	(5) He's studying in America.	khaˆaw kamlaŋ rian năŋsʉ̆ʉ yùu nay ʔàmeeríkaa.
	(6) He's in the house.	khaˆaw yùu nay báan.

(1) When speaking of location in a general sense, either thiˆi or nay may be used; example 2 and 5 above.

(2) When speaking of going into something or of location inside of something, nay is used; examples 4 and 6 above. Notice also the difference in meaning between thiˆi in example 3 and nay in example 6.

Note also that thiˆi is sometimes omitted altogether, as in the following examples:

Listen	English Equivalents	Aids to Listening
	He's [at] home	khăw yùu báan.
	He has been [in] Thailand a long time.	khăw yùu mʉaŋthay naan lɛ́ɛw.

Examples in which thiˆi is omitted are, however, rather special. They should therefore be memorized as special cases but not used as models for making up new sentences.

1. as a relationship term when speaking of one's own or another's offspring, and

For the first meaning the Thai use the term luˆuk , which is always a relationship term. For the second meaning, on the other hand, the Thai use the term dèk, which is never a relationship term. Since we do not have seperate words for the seperate meanings in English, you will need to take pains to use the words luˆuk and dèk correctly, or else you will be misunderstood. Note the following examples:

Listen	English Equivalents	Aids to Listening
	He is a good child.	khăw pen dèk dii.
	He is Mr.Phoŋ's child.	khăw pen luˆuk khɔ̆ɔŋ naay phoŋ.

The word phíi (which may be translated 'older brother or sister') and the word nɔ́ɔŋ (which may be translated 'younger brother or sister') have no exact equivalents in English. Our terms 'brother' and 'sister' are the nearest equivalents, but there is an important distinction between these terms and the Thai terms phíi and nɔ́ɔŋ. The English terms tell us what the sex of the individuals referred to is, but they do not tell us wheter the individuals are younger or older than those to whom they bear the relationship of 'brother' or 'sister.' In Thai the reverse is true. The term phíi tells us that the individual referred to is older than another person having the same parents but it does not tell us the sex of the individual referred to. Similarly, nɔ́ɔŋ tells us that the individual referred to is younger than another person having the same parents but it again does not tell us the sex of the individual referred to.

The words phíi and nɔ́ɔŋ are also combined to form the compound word phíinɔ́ɔŋ. This term is generally translated 'brothers and sisters,' but if a given family had only boys, the term would then mean 'brothers'; similarly, if the given family had only girls, the term would mean 'sisters.'

Thai, also possesses the words phíichaay 'older brother,' phíisăaw 'older sister,' nɔ́ɔŋchaay 'younger brother,' and nɔ́ɔŋsăaw 'younger sister.' These words contain reference both to relative age and to the sex of the individual referred to. However, reference to relative age remains primary while reference to the sex of the individual is entirely secondary

Below are some examples of the use of the word kamlaŋ. That part of the English equivalent which is most nearly like the idea expressed by kamlaŋ is shown in boldface type.

Listen	English Equivalents	Aids to Listening
	What are they buying?	khăw kamlaŋ sʉ́ʉ ʔàray.
	They are buying chicken.	khăw kamlaŋ sʉ́ʉ kày.
	He is studying in America.	khăw kamlaŋ rian năŋsʉ̆ʉ yùu nay ʔàmeeríkaa.

Thus kamlaŋ shows that the activity expressed by the verb which follows it is in progress at the time the statement is made. Because of this fact kamlaŋ is referred to as a progressive word. In English the same idea is generally expressed by is or are followed by a verb ending in -ing (as in the translations of the examples above).

Although both of these words are generally translated by the English terms 'also' or 'too,' the two Thai words cannot be used interchangeably. Note the following examples taken from sentences you have already learned.

Listen	English Equivalents	Aids to Listening
	1) I'm going shopping. Would you like to go, too?	phŏm kamlaŋ càʔ pay sʉ́ʉ khɔ̆ɔŋ. khun yàak càʔ pay duˆay máy khráp.
	2) I have an older sister who's already married, and [I]'ve also got two little brothers.	phŏm mii phiˆisăaw nʉ̀ŋ khon thiˆi tɛ̀ɛŋŋaan lɛ́ɛw, lɛ́ʔ mii nɔ́ɔŋchaay léklék sɔ̆ɔŋ khon duˆay.

Listen	English Equivalents	Aids to Listening
	3) First speaker : 'I'm going to town.' Second speaker : 'We're going to town, too'	phŏm kamlaŋ càʔ pay nay mʉaŋ khráp. raw kamlaŋ càʔ pay nay mʉaŋ mʉ̆ankan.
	4) First speaker : 'I'm pleased to meet you.' Second speaker : 'I'm pleased to meet you, too.'	phŏm yindii thiˆi daˆy rúucàk khun. dichăn yindii thiˆi daˆy rúucàk khun mʉ̆ankan.
	5) My family is not large either.	khrɔˆɔpkhrua phŏm kɔˆʔ maˆy yày mʉ̆ankan.

If you observe these examples carefully, you will notice that duˆay means 'also, too' in the sense of 'in addition (to someone else, or to something else),' while mʉ̆ankan means 'also, too' in the sense of 'the same as (someone else, or something else).' Thus in example 1 above the speaker is asking his friend to go along with him; hence duˆay is used. In example 3 above, on the other hand, the second speaker is conveying the information that he and his friends are on their way to town 'the same as' the first speaker; hence mʉ̆ankan is used.

In example 5 above note that mʉ̆ankan is translated 'either.' The reason for this is that in English we cannot use the word 'too' after the word 'not'; instead we use the word 'either.'

Listen	English Equivalents	Aids to Listening
	I've been here only about six months.	phŏm yùu thiˆiniˆi pràmaan hòk dʉan thaˆwnán.
	He'll stay here only about six days.	khăw càʔ yùu thiˆiniˆi pràmaan hòk wan thaˆwnán.

You will notice that these words are used like the other units of time you have learned and that, like them, they are classifiers, since their position is after the number-word.

khon. Most of the new nouns in this unit refer to people and therefore take khon as their classifier. As you have already learned, the classifier is always used when stating or asking the number of people referred to. It is also used with the words 'this,' 'that,' and 'which?' when you want to be precise about the fact that only one person is being referred to.

Listen	English Equivalents	Aids to Listening
	eleven brothers and sisters	phiˆinɔ́ɔŋ sìpʔèd khon
	three younger sisters.	nɔ́ɔŋsăaw săam khon
	how many children (offspring)?	luˆuk kìi khon
	which younger brother?	nɔ́ɔŋchaay khon năy
	this child (person not yet grown).	dèk khon níi

lăŋ. This is a new classifier for you and it is used with baˆan 'house, home.' You will have no trouble remembering this if you memorize the following examples:

leˆm. Here is another new classifier. It is used with năŋsʉ̆ʉ 'book' and with some other nouns you have not yet had. Be sure to memorize the examples below:

càagniˆi 'from here,' lit. 'from this.' In a few cases niˆi 'this' is used in phrases where in English the word 'here' is employed. Memorize such phrases when they are given to you, but do not use niˆi 'this' in place of thiˆiniˆi 'here' in any other circumstances.

rian năŋsʉ̆ʉ 'to study' (in a general sense) or 'to be carrying on studies,' lit. 'to study books.'

nɔ́ɔŋchaay 'younger brother,' from nɔ́ɔŋ 'younger brother or sister' + chaay 'man, male(of people).'

nɔ́ɔŋsăaw 'younger sister,' from nɔ́ɔŋ + săaw 'to be of adolescent age (of women).' Note, however, that relationship terms containing săaw are used in referring to female relatives regardless of the age of the relative.

phiˆinɔ́ɔŋ 'brothers and sisters,' lit., 'older and younger brothers and sisters,' from phiˆi + nɔ́ɔŋ.

phɔˆɔmɛˆɛ 'parents,' lit. 'father and mother,' from phɔˆɔ 'father'+ mɛˆɛ 'mother.'

Listen	English Equivalents	Aids to Listening
	(1) We'll go eat together at the restaurant.	raw càʔ pay kin khaˆaw duˆaykan thiˆi ráanʔaahăan.
	(2) He's studying in America.	khaˆaw kamlaŋ rian năŋsʉ̆ʉ yùu thiˆi ʔàmeeríkaa.
	(3) He's at home.	khaˆaw yùu thiˆi báan.

Listen	English Equivalents	Aids to Listening
	'five houses'	baˆan haˆa lăŋ
	'that house'	baˆan lăŋ nán

Listen	English Equivalents	Aids to Listening
	'four books'	năŋsʉ̆ʉ sìi leˆm
	'which book?'	năŋsʉ̆ʉ leˆm năy