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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Talking with Phra Pandit: Amulets, Talismans, Relics & Faith [S8.E14] (Classic ReCast)

Talking with Phra Pandit: Amulets, Talismans, Relics & Faith [S8.E14] (Classic ReCast)

It's been a while, but one of our favorite semi-regular guests is back! Bangkok Podcast's official Buddhist correspondent, Phra Pandit, welcomed Greg at his temple to talk about amulets, talismans, an...

30 Syys 202536min

Greg & Ed Opine on BBC's 'Documentary' and Media Misconceptions of Thailand [S8.E13)

Greg & Ed Opine on BBC's 'Documentary' and Media Misconceptions of Thailand [S8.E13)

Greg and Ed discuss the recent BBC 'documentary' called 'The Dark Side of Paradise' and what it says about media representation of Thailand. Ed explains that the recently aired 3-episode series has be...

23 Syys 202541min

Chatwan Mongkok Digs Into Bangkok with His 'Soiciety' Newsletter [S8.E12]

Chatwan Mongkok Digs Into Bangkok with His 'Soiciety' Newsletter [S8.E12]

Greg and Ed interview Chatwan Mongkol about his relatively new website called 'Soiciety.' Chatwan begins by explaining that he was born and raised in Thailand but then went to the U.S. for a year of h...

16 Syys 202542min

Grave Topic: Discussing Bangkok's Protestant & Chinese Cemeteries [S8.E11]

Grave Topic: Discussing Bangkok's Protestant & Chinese Cemeteries [S8.E11]

Diving into the differences between East & West, Greg and Ed discuss two famous cemeteries in Bangkok. Ed takes the Teochiew Chinese Cemetery off of Sathorn Road, and Greg talks about the Protestant C...

9 Syys 202532min

Can Bangkok Be Enjoyed Without Booze? [S8.E10]

Can Bangkok Be Enjoyed Without Booze? [S8.E10]

Greg and Ed discuss a much neglected topic in Bangkok expat life: how to survive as someone who doesn't drink alcohol. Everyone knows that Bangkok has an epic nightlife, but much of that experience re...

2 Syys 202529min

Don't Do These Things: How to Earn an Expat Demerit Badge [S8.E9] (Classic ReCast)

Don't Do These Things: How to Earn an Expat Demerit Badge [S8.E9] (Classic ReCast)

In a follow-up to previous episodes on expat 'Merit Badges,' Greg and Ed discuss 'DEmerit Badges,' mistakes that long term expats make that they should NOT make. In other words, if you've lived in Tha...

26 Elo 202537min

Bangkok Smackdown: Lumphini Park vs Benjakitti Park [S8.E8]

Bangkok Smackdown: Lumphini Park vs Benjakitti Park [S8.E8]

Greg and Ed discuss the pros and cons of Lumphini and Benjakitti parks in central Bangkok, and best of all - you get to vote for your favorite by clicking here! The boys begin almost with a disclaim...

19 Elo 202539min

Tourism Challenge: Comparing Thailand to Europe as a Traveler [S8.E7]

Tourism Challenge: Comparing Thailand to Europe as a Traveler [S8.E7]

While Greg is travelling in Canada, Ed interviews old friend of the podcast Jonathan about his recent trip to Europe. Jon and his Thai wife Poom spent a couple weeks on vacation, first in Paris and t...

13 Elo 202558min

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