random syllabic tonal insanity
Posted on April 24, 2008
Filed Under culture |
I am going to Sea World this weekend. With me will be a troupe of Thai acrobats… okay, that's an exaggeration. Actually I will have in tow a Thai analytical chemist, a Thai engineer, a Thai banker (also a very good cook), and two Thai children. Others who are not Thai may be along as well, but let's focus here.
When you have four Thai people with you, they like to talk in Thai. Gaigob tai mee mo jakala mai mee kone, etc., all in rising and falling and high and low tones. Tragically, my listening mechanism is designed for English; though it does OK with other Romance languages. I have discovered that the Thai parser is broker, and its limited functionality was only available at half-speed in the first place. Sigh.
But, if they can't beat you, make them join you, I say. So far I have been successful in teaching my brother in law to exclaim "Ayieeee!!" and "JIM BEAM!", both with great enthusiasm. We have also discovered that there is a universal mother-tongue which can be understood through sufficient quantities of Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. My goal at Sea World: either learn to discuss the habits of sea life in Thai, or teach the sea animals to exclaim "Aiyeee!" and "JIM BEAM!" Do you suppose Shamu drinks?
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DOES SHAMU DRINK?! LIKE A FISH! HAHAHAHAAA! AYIEEEEEE!!!
CYA,
JAN