Oogleman wrote:

Im gradually learning more and more oral Thai and surprise myself sometimes with how much i can understand from TV/ other peoples conerverstations etc but reading/writing  it - forget it!

In 14 years i learnt one word - Baht!

Some people have a natural talent with languages - guess im not one of the lucky ones lol

Oral?  Perhaps you mean verbal or aural?  Then again, maybe not...hehehe.

I do agree with Homi about  not wanting to learn Thai. I think everyone should know some English as it is the "lingua franca" of the world. It took me forever to learn English and I don't have another forever to learn Thai. Besides my Thai bf taught me all the important  Thai words:  fuck, smoke, cock, chuck wow, cum, kiss, motorbike, cell phone and gold chain.

François

francois wrote:

It took me forever to learn English and I don't have another forever to learn Thai.

Many posters here are Anglo-centric and think of Thai as the only foreign language everyone should learn.  Posters who are Chinese or French or German or Japanese have already had to learn English for the most part and I can understand their reluctance to take up yet another language.  Doubtless they will be subject to unthinking abuse from some for not making the effort - ugly Chinese, ugly French, ugly Germans, ugly Japanese and so on

homintern wrote:

Many posters here are Anglo-centric and think of Thai as the only foreign language everyone should learn.  

That's a brilliant comment, Homi.  You stay up all night thinking of that one?
Given this is a board which consists of people who travel to and are mainly interested in Thailand (traveling to it and/or living there), of course it would somehow wrong-headed to want to learn to speak Thai (NOT!).  Now, for people mainly interested in China and who desire to travel often to China and/or live there, I suppose we could say that those people are "Anglo-centric and think of Chinese as the only foreign language everyone should learn."

Bob wrote:

Given this is a board which consists of people who travel to and are mainly interested in Thailand (traveling to it and/or living there), of course it would somehow wrong-headed to want to learn to speak Thai (NOT!).  

I'm sorry you seem incapable of comprehending English, Bob - but then I've always thought that for Americans English is their second language.  I am writing about posters here who are not Anglophones but (as in francois' case), Francophone.  Whether those Forum members wanted to (or in the view of people such as you) should learn Thai in addition to their own language and English is their own business and it's not for us to say whether they are wrong-headed

In realite I am best described as a "Homophone"!

François

Oogleman wrote:

Im gradually learning more and more oral Thai

 Oogleman I also love a bit of oral Thai lol.

God, only the monoglottal Brits and Americans could have an inane conversation such as this, expecting everyone to learn their hopelessly convoluted language.

Some claim English is one of the most difficult languages to learn, although judging by the numbr of speakers of English as a second language, I somehow doubt it. But being a bastard language made up of Latin, Greek, Norman French, Norse, Old German, and various other bits and pieces, its not a surprise that it's convoluted. And having many different versions doesn't help either.

Living long-term in a country where you don't speak the language can only lead to frustration and bitterness.  Perhaps that explains some of the personalities here.

Are there many Singaporeans who can't speak Malay and Chinese?

fattman wrote:

Are there many Singaporeans who can't speak Malay and Chinese?

Yes, actually.  Many of the younger generation speak nothing but the peculiar form of local English called Singlish.  It is the only thing one needs in Singapore.

Just wondered what "the language" of Singapore is.

My bf has just returned and was complaining that he found it hard to understand the local patois!

fattman wrote:

Just wondered what "the language" of Singapore is.

My bf has just returned and was complaining that he found it hard to understand the local patois!

I feel your bf's pain.  There is a whole generation coming up in Singapore that speaks no language like a native.

Learning a foreign language is very difficult and requires time and effort for results.. The tonal aspect makes it more
difficult and the lack of any similarity to English adds more difficulty.
At least with other languages derived from Latin/Greek, we can figure out some words but in Thai we cannot even
read the alphabet.
One major benefit of studying Thai , is that you can appreciate the challenge faced by Thai boys to learn English..
Of course, if they stay in school thru high school, they will have had years of studying written English and grammar
but no speaking or comprehensive except in the best or private schools..

One can use the same rationalization about learning Thai as in losing weight /exercising, stopping smoking cigarettes etal...
Many of us just get fatter and less mobile year after year and resist doing anything about it..
It takes great effort and drive to improve one's
physical being/health  but the results/rewards are well worth it, if one persisits.. Same with learning Thai but to each his own.

I find I have so much free time that I look for projects to keep busy.. A gym and a language school can fill up a lot of free time
especially when the bars are closed during the day..