Happy National Thai Language Day! July 29 has been designated by the Cabinet as Thailand's National Thai Language Day since 1999. Although it isn't a day off, we should take some time off to appreciate how rich and beautiful the Thai language is. And to celebrate Thailand's mother tongue, here are a few Thai tongue twisters to practise with friends for some guaranteed fun, from noob to god level.
1 ระนอง ระยอง ยะลา (Ranong-Rayong-Yala)
This one is simply three Thai provinces pronounced in quick succession. Sound easy enough but you're very likely to mess up the pronunciation of the third province.
2 ยักษ์ใหญ่ไล่ยักษ์เล็ก (yák yài lâi yák lék) = A big giant is chasing a small giant.
You gotta focus on pronouncing lâi correctly and you should be fine.
3.1 ไหมใหม่ไม่ไหม้ใช่ไหม (măi mài mâi mâi châi măi) = New silk isn't burned, is it?
3.2 ไม้ใหม่ไม่ไหม้ใช่ไหม (mái mài mâi mâi châi măi) = New wood isn't burned, is it?
They aren't too challenging but are classic examples of how complicated the Thai language can be. First, one Thai word can change its meaning based on the assigned tone (mái, mài, mâi and măi) of which there are five; mid, low, falling, high and rising. Second, the same sound and spelling can mean more than one thing. Măi can mean silkworms, a textile made from their fibre and also act as an interrogative at the end of a question.
4 ชามเขียวคว่ำเช้า ชามขาวคว่ำค่ำ (chaam kĭieow kwâm cháo · chaam kăao kwâm kâm) = A green bowl is turned upside down in the morning; A white bowl is turned upside down at night.
The challenge here is to get the pronunciation of the two-consonant combo "kw-" right.
5 เช้าฟาดผัดฟัก เย็นฟาดฟักผัด (cháo fâat pàt fák · yen fâat fák pàt) = Wolf down stir-fried gourd in the morning; Wolf down gourd stir-fried in the evening.
The pronunciation of consonants "f" and "p" in succession is hard to nail even for a native.
6.1 ยายมีขายหอยยายมอยขายหมี ขนหมีของยายมอยติดอยู่บนหอยของยายมี (yaai mee kăai hŏi yaai moi kăai mĕe · kŏn mĕe kŏng yaai moi dtìt yòo bon hŏi kŏng yaai mee) = Granny Mee sells seashells while Granny Moi sells bears. Granny Moi's bear hair sticks on Granny Mee's seashells.
6.2 ยายมีขายหอยยายมอยขายหมี วันดีคืนดีหอยยายมีไปกัดหมียายมอย (yaai mee kăai hŏi yaai moi kăai mĕe · wan dee keun dee hŏi yaai mee bpai gàt mĕe yaai moi) = Granny Mee sells seashells while granny Moi sells bears. All of a sudden, Granny Mee's seashells bite Granny Moi's bears.
I'll give you a minute to comprehend these two scenarios first. These tongue twisters aren't that challenging but also serve as a test of whether you have a dirty mind as one slip-up would turn these innocent scenarios explicit.
7 ตาตี๋ตกต้นตาล ตอตาลตำตูด ตาตี๋ตายใต้ต้นตาล (dtaa dtĕe dtòk dtôn dtaan · dtor dtaan dtam dtòot · dtaa dtĕe dtaai dtâi dtôn dtaan) = A Chinese boy falls from a palm tree. Its stump penetrates his bottom and he dies underneath the tree.
The macabre scenario aside, I love me some alliteration.
8 กินมันติดเหงือก กินเผือกติดฟัน กินทั้งมันกินทั้งเผือก ติดทั้งเหงือกติดทั้งฟัน (gin man dtìt ngèuuak · gin pèuuak dtìt fan · gin táng man gin táng pèuuak · dtìt táng ngèuuak dtìt táng fan) = Eat potato and it sticks to your gum. Eat taro and it sticks to your teeth. Eat both and they stick to your gum and teeth.
Does this one stick in your mind?
*All transcriptions are based on thai2english.com.
