| The Thai Language is difficult to learn. It is tonal which | | | | to read and write as early as possible. This is because |
| means that the same word can be said in different | | | | as one travels around Thailand, and Bangkok in |
| ways which is a problem for someone like me who | | | | particular, one is confronted by the written language |
| was told he was tone deaf as a child. As far as I | | | | Thai Language continually. It is on signs, shops, and |
| know this means I can not tell differences in pitch | | | | pretty well everywhere. In Bangkok, there is often the |
| easily, especially when the sound is coming from my | | | | English translation as well. If one can read the signs |
| own lips. This could be a problem in learning Thai | | | | one can be constantly making progress with the |
| Language. | | | | language and cover a lot of ground just sitting at the |
| It is, therefore, with some trepidation that I have | | | | traffic lights for instance. This process seems to |
| decided to learn to speak the Language. I did a course | | | | become habitual as I have tried it to a degree already. |
| which consisted of about 30 hours of beginner | | | | The conventional way of learning the Language has |
| language training and found that I could not pronounce | | | | been to learn it phonetically. This means that Thai |
| words correctly or easily, and could not speak the | | | | words are spelled out using the English Alphabet with |
| tones at all. I could not tell the difference between high | | | | added tone marks. This adds an extra step to the |
| and low tones, and the rising and falling tones when the | | | | process. One learns Thai words but one can not write |
| teacher spoke them. | | | | them except in the English Alphabet. This seems like |
| There are actually two languages in Thailand. There is | | | | an unnecessary use of time to me. I have decided to |
| the Thai Language and there is the Isaan Language | | | | learn the Thai lettering at the start. |
| which is the language of Laos, a country which | | | | I have noticed that Thai people respect foreigners |
| borders Thailand to the North-East. I am not even | | | | more who can understand and speak their language. |
| going to attempt to study or learn Isaan because I | | | | They are delighted as a general rule. But learning Thai |
| have enough difficulty with the Thai Language. | | | | has to be more than that. One needs to speak Thai to |
| However, I do know quite a few Isaan words. | | | | make the most of one's time in Thailand, and to |
| I have been reading about learning Thai, and a theme | | | | experience everything that this extraordinary country |
| that comes up again and again is that one should learn | | | | has to offer its visitors. |