Stu Jay Raj on Cursing, Dirty Talk & the Importance of Tones [S6.E2]

Stu Jay Raj on Cursing, Dirty Talk & the Importance of Tones [S6.E2]

Greg interviews our old pal Stu Jay Raj - linguist, polyglot, and true Renaissance man. As you would expect, the topic is the Thai language and foreigners' struggle to learn it properly, but with a focus on the trouble you can get into if you don't understand how tones work.

Stu begins with an important point: the nature of English allows a fair amount of flexibility in pronunciation and accent without sacrificing intelligibility, whereas Thai does not. In short, 'getting close' to correct Thai is often not good enough, leading to frustration among foreigners who don't understand why Thais cannot figure out what they are saying.

Greg gives Stu a few examples of difficulties he has faced, starting with the pronunciation of the popular street "Charoen Krung." It turns out even something so short and seemingly simple is not so, and even if a foreigner's tones are correct, a slight mispronunciation of the vowels can confound native speakers. Greg then brings up a common Thai curse word and the shocked reaction of Thais to any foreigner who uses it. Stu goes into an in depth explanation of close Thai relationships that allow a casualness with language that is very difficult to replicate as a foreigner.

The two continue discussing the Thai language minefield with Stu dropping many pearls of wisdom along the way. Listen in next week for Part 2 of this interview.

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Crackdown! Is Thailand Becoming a Rule of Law Society? [S8.E53]

Crackdown! Is Thailand Becoming a Rule of Law Society? [S8.E53]

After a recent wave of news headlines highlighting government crackdowns on things as varied as fake paternity scams and cheating civil servants, Greg and Ed begin by asking whether Thailand is finall...

21 Heinä 0s

Strange Bedfellows: Prof. Khemthong on the Buddhism and Politics [S8.E52]

Strange Bedfellows: Prof. Khemthong on the Buddhism and Politics [S8.E52]

Ed interviews K. Khemthong Tonsakulrungruang, a constitutional lawyer and professor from Chulalongkorn University whose work bridges law and Buddhism. After Ed shares his own background as an American...

14 Heinä 42min

In the Know: A Few Deep Cut Reasons to Love Expat Life in Bangkok [S8.E51]

In the Know: A Few Deep Cut Reasons to Love Expat Life in Bangkok [S8.E51]

Greg and Ed explore the small, unexpected joys of being an expat living in Thailand. Ed begins the main discussion by sharing his amusement over miscommunications regarding his job. Despite teaching u...

7 Heinä 31min

Realtor Tracy Leelalumlert Dives Deep Into Bangkok's Condo Market [S8.E50]

Realtor Tracy Leelalumlert Dives Deep Into Bangkok's Condo Market [S8.E50]

On the heels of a recent episode where Greg and Ed opined on the nuances of the tricky Bangkok property market, this time they have a real, er… real estate pro on to get into things from her POV - Tra...

30 Kesä 47min

Thai Games: From Playgrounds to Cards to Beetle Fighting [S8.E49] (Classic ReCast)

Thai Games: From Playgrounds to Cards to Beetle Fighting [S8.E49] (Classic ReCast)

Thanks to a suggestion from a listener Greg and Ed discuss the fascinating topic of games that are common - if not unique - to Thailand. Both guys have some familiarity with some games played in publi...

23 Kesä 41min

Eight Specific Things That Bother Greg About Bangkok Driving [S8.E48]

Eight Specific Things That Bother Greg About Bangkok Driving [S8.E48]

Inspired by an unusually long commute, the boys decide to discuss a list of things - very specific things - that bother Greg while he drives his trusty silver Honda around Bangkok. Greg begins by shar...

16 Kesä 32min

Conflict & Legacy: Journalist Denis Gray Discusses His New Memoir [S8.E47]

Conflict & Legacy: Journalist Denis Gray Discusses His New Memoir [S8.E47]

In this episode, Greg interviews legendary foreign correspondent Denis Gray about his memoir, Lost Horizons. Denis details his fascinating life story, beginning with his family's escape from communis...

9 Kesä 43min

Thai Style vs Western Style: The Diverse Art of Storytelling [S8.E46]

Thai Style vs Western Style: The Diverse Art of Storytelling [S8.E46]

With Ed unavailable this week, Greg welcomes his friend John as co-host to talk about storytelling. Specifically, the difference between how westerners tell stories, and how Thais tell stories. This i...

2 Kesä 36min

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