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Abrak
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Still Minder it is a bit depressing when you go to your link and it starts with....
'Now, before I proceed, I don't want to pretend I am an expert or anything. I am still struggling with reading children's books. But, I will attempt to teach you how to read in much the same way I learned.'
I think your time might be better spent putting your gun in someone else's mouth.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 6:34 am on May 19, 2004
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bkkz
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Quote: from The Machine on 5:34 pm on May 19, 2004
So the question begs.....Was it helpful in learning the spoken language?
Yes, absolutely!
First of all, if you can read it, you can distinguish similar sounding words with different meanings, because you 'know' how that word is spelt.
See this thread.
http://bkkx.com/cgi-bin/forum/topic.cgi?forum=17&topic=121
and this script.
http://bkkx.com/misc/mai_x_5.1.gif
Without being able to read the script, the number of words you can learn, will totally dependent on your tutor/friends/transliterated dictionary. One such dictionary is the Hippocrene English-Thai dictionary. It is fairly good, you get a few thousand words. If you can read, you can now access the other thousands of words without having to bug your friend, unless of course if the word is an unofficial slang word.
By being able to read, you open up your horizons. Suddenly all those signs are no longer cryptic, you can walk past the bars in Nana, and see them advertising for go-go dancers, waitresses; signs that prohibit girls from entering the bars unaccompanied; little signs that explain late fines, etc.
If anyone wants to bitch about memorizing 44 consonants, go and bitch reading Japanese writing. You have 2 sets of 60 charcters, and then you have a few thousand Chinese-like characters called Kanji. And if that is not enough, Kanji words read differently if they are on their own or when they form compound words. So, give me Thai, Hindi, Russian, Arabic any day!
Anyway, if you knew that your brain had the capacity to learn and absorb over 40 languages in your lifetime, why stick to one or two or five?
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 9:02 am on May 19, 2004
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Ballsburstin
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BK,
Have to agree. I guess everyone learns languages differently, but for me, learning to read the language has been a big help. I also don't think I could get a handle on the tones without understanding the tone rules and seeing them in print. I still don't understand most of what I read, that's the vocabulary building part. But I find once you get over the hump of trying to learn to recognize the characters and understand the tone rules, you've got a big part of it beat. Hell, I have the rest of my life to learn a 2 or 3 thousand word vocabulary.
But my ear has trouble distinguishing the close vowel/dipthong sounds unless I see it written out (as opposed, to say, Spanish, where I can easily distingusih them), not to mention the shorter and longer version of words that sound the same, but mean entirely different things.
I think some people are very aural when they learn languages -- frankly, I envy them, wish I could pick it up this way. But never worked for me. So I labor through the written part, seems to help imprint it in my brain. This is also probably why when my TGF rattles off a bunch of stuff without the hint of the letter "R," it takes my mind a bit to synch up. I'm thinking, "now if I substitute 'r' here, maybe she meant..." lol!
Also, reading makes it easier to understand road signs when I upcountry, especially when fleeing the scene!
- Balls
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 12:52 pm on May 19, 2004
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Kryptonite
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JHJ,
Isn't this a great thread? I love it!
Aint I a stinker 
Krypto
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 8:00 pm on May 19, 2004
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DSBones
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"Also, reading makes it easier to understand road signs when I upcountry, especially when fleeing the scene! "
_____________________________________________
My spoken Thai is piss-poor to say the least. I am getting there slowly. However, my reading and writing abilities are much better...officially poor, but much better than my speaking ability.
I, too, can recognise road signs & can 'read' newspapers..I have no idea what the paper is saying because I don't have the vocabulary but I can pronounce the words. I am similar to Ballsburstin' in that I need to understand the grammar & the written word before I can get to grips with speaking. I have friends who pick up languages very easily from listening. I just can not do this. It is a skill that I envy in others.
The tones & grammar in Thai are not so complicated. Most english speakers should be able to master basic Thai with six months of dedicated effort. Unfortunately, most people have neither the time nor the inclination.
The desire to read & write Thai is purely personal. I agree with most posters that the benefits to 90% of farangs are minimal & the most effective (quickest) means of communication will always be the spoken word.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 9:18 pm on May 19, 2004
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Ballsburstin
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Though I recall that famous line from "Hello my big, big honey", lol:
"Language is never a problem!"
- Balls
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 12:48 am on May 20, 2004
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Kryptonite
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I would like to point out the good points and bad points of our two nominee's for forum Thai Langauge Champion:
DrLove
1) Generally writes as one would speak it
2) Usually has the answers for everything
3) Good to go for lady drinks if needed
4) Takes things a little too serious sometimes
Sore-A-Dong
1) Knows the exact answer to every question
2) His responses seem to come straight out of a book
3) No one has ever met him that I know of
4) Likes to battle with DrLove
Well, there you have it. Feel free to join in and weigh the pro's and con's of both our competitors. Stick around folks, this should get interesting 
Krypto
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 1:23 am on May 20, 2004
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