Translating newspaper English to Thai

Chris:	muawaan khrai duu tennis baang Paradorn chana roeplao
	เมื่อวานใครดูเทนนิสบ้าง ภราดรชนะหรือเปล่า	Did anybody watch tennis yesterday? Did Paradorn win?
Kate:	chana tae tawng len kan thueng saam set hok-sii saam-hok hok-nueng
	ชนะ แต่ต้องเล่นกันถึงสามเซ็ท หก-สี่, สาม-หก, หก-หนึ่ง	Yes, but he had to play three sets, six-four, three-six and six-one.
Taew:	toenament nii mai-ngaai muan thii Taataa oapen
	เทอร์นาเมนท์นี้ไม่ง่าย เหมือนที่ตาตาโอเพ่น	This tournament isn’t going to be an easy one like Tata Open.
Chris:	muawaan khao len kap khrai
	เมื่อวานเขาเล่นกับใคร	Who did he play yesterday?
Kate:	Dreppoe chao Awstreylia
	เดรเปอร์ ชาวออสเตรเลีย	Draper, an Australian.
Taew:	andapthii nueng roi siisip et pen waikaat khaomaa
	อันดับที่ 141 เป็นไวล์การ์ดเข้ามา	He’s seeded 141 — coming in as a wild-card player.
	tae soep dai diimaak lae khuenlen naanet daidii duay
	แต่เสิร์ฟได้ดีมาก และขึ้นเล่นหน้าเน็ตได้ดีด้วย	But he served very well and he’s also very good at the net.
Chris:	eh... laew Pharaadawn chana dai ngai
	เอ... แล้วภราดรชนะได้ไง	Eh… How could Paradorn win then?
Kate:	nai set thiisaam Pharaadawn khuapkhum aarom dai
	ในเซ็ทที่สาม ภราดรควบคุม อารมณ์ได้	In the third set he was able to control his emotions,
	lae breyk keymsoep Dreppoe dai nai keym thiisii
	และเบรกเกมเสิร์ฟเดรเปอร์ได้ ในเกมที่สี่	and broke Draper’s serve in the fourth game.
Chris:	Pharaadawn aaromsia thammai
	ภราดรอารมณ์เสียทำไม	Why did he get emotional?
Taew:	kaw nai geym thiipaet khawng set thiisawng na si
	ก็ในเกมที่แปด ของเซ็ทที่สองนะซิ	Because in the eighth game of the second set,
	kammakaan khaan taem thii Pharaadawn tii long bon sen waa ‘sia’
	กรรมการขานแต้ม ที่ภราดรตีลงบนเส้นว่าเสีย	the lineman called a ‘fault’ for a ball that was on the line.
	thamhai doan breyk keymsoep lae sia set nan pai
	ทำให้โดนเบรกเกมเสิร์ฟ และเสียเซ็ทนั้นไป	That broke his service game and he lost the set.
Chris:	Pharaadawn len yang-ngai jueng chana la
	ภราดรเล่นยังไงจึงชนะล่ะ	Then, how did he play to get the win?
Kate:	jut phlikphan yuuthii keym thiisii Pharaadawn breyk keymsoep khawng Dreppoe dai yaang luachua
	จุดพลิกผันอยู่ที่เกมที่สี่ ภราดรเบรกเกมเสิร์ฟ ของเดรเปอร์ได้อย่างเหลือเชื่อ	The turning point was in the fourth game where Paradorn unbelievably broke Draper’s service game,
	jueng thamhai chana pai nai thuk keym thiilua
	จึงทำให้ชนะไปในทุกเกมที่เหลือ	and went on to win the rest of the games.
Taew:	maet taw taw pai khong mai ngaai nak
	แมตช์ต่อๆ ไปคงไม่ง่ายนัก	It’s not going to be easy (for him) in matches to come.
Kate:	chai rao tawng chuay kan lun taw pai na
	ใช่ เราต้องช่วยกันลุ้นต่อไปนะ	That’s right! We have to cross our fingers for him.

This lesson was prepared by Acharn Sunee Siidao, Educational Specialist.

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Last modified: January 13, 2003 |

Did you notice this?
There are a few loan words Thai use when they talk about tennis, sometimes with Thai pronunciations, though. Let's look at how Thai sound the ones appearing in today's conversation.
The final sound and word order normally are different from the original English. Another thing, in the case of words with multi syllables, is that the primary stress is normally on the last syllable.

match — maet
serve — soep
service game — keymsoep
break (a game) — breyk
game — keym
set — set
open — oaphen
Australia — Awstreylia
Draper — Dreppoe
wildcard — waaikaat

Phuut Phaasaa Thai gives you useful topical and seasonal Thai words and phrases used in daily-life conversations. The column will give you some instant Thai language to help you out in common situations.

14makaraakhom 2546 ( 14 January, 2003)

supphoe bawn

Coined by Thai media, 'Super Ball' refers to Paradorn Srichaphan whose nickname is "Ball" and who has put Thailand on the world tennis map. He won his third title in the Tata Open in Chennai, India last week - the first tournament this year. He and his coach and father, Khun Chanachai, have planned thirty tournaments throughout the year.

The reason 'Super' is added in front of his nickname may come from the powerful tennis he plays and his excellent performance on the professional circuit. Paradorn's success has revived the popularity of tennis in Thailand. Sports shops and departments have nearly sold out their stock of tennis gear.

In the fourth quarter last year, many tennis courts had seen the busiest times. Even at the place where I live which has only one tennis court, the court bookers had a hard time to please the regular players, including me, because of new tennis enthusiasts. Fortunately, without sound basics, the enthusiasm didn't last very long and peace is back on the court again. Now since 'Super Ball' excelled at the first tournament of his new tour, I guess those temporary enthusiasts may return. I'll have to get prepared for that.

For sure this week's conversation is about tennis, so that you'll have some essential tennis Thai to chat about the many tournaments to come with your Thai friends.