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Chai:

tōn ní khām wâ “áb-báew” pēn pràdēn rón lōei

µÍ¹¹Õé¤ÓÇèÒ “áÍêºáºêÇ” à»ç¹»ÃÐà´ç¹Ãé͹àÅÂ

At the moment “ab-baew” is a hot issue.

Frank:

ōe  châi  phǒm yàk rú yù phōdī lōei  khām ní mā chàk nǎi

àÍÍ ãªè ¼ÁÍÂÒ¡ÃÙéÍÂÙè¾Í´Õ
àÅ ¤Ó¹ÕéÁÒ¨Ò¡ä˹

Yeah! I’m also wondering where the term came from.

Chai:

pēn khām thî wāirûn Thāi khît khôen  āo “áb” mā chàk “àep” láe “báew” chàk bóng-báew mā rūamkān

à»ç¹¤Ó·ÕèÇÑÂÃØè¹ä·Â¤Ô´¢Öé¹
àÍÒ “áÍ꺔 ¨Ò¡ áͺ áÅÐ “áºêÇ“ ¨Ò¡ ºêͧáºêÇ ÁÒÃÇÁ¡Ñ¹  


 

It’s a term invented by Thai teenagers. They add “ab” from “aep” (to present oneself as … in Thai) with “baew” from the Thai word “bong-baew”.

Frank:

ô  yàngnán rǒe  “áb” mâi dâi mā chàk abnormal  láeo bóng-báew plāe wâ àrāi

ÍéÍ ÍÂèÒ§¹Ñé¹àËÃÍ “áÍ꺔 äÁèä´éÁÒ¨Ò¡áÍ꺹ÍÃìÁÍÅ
áÅéÇ ºêͧáºêÇ á»ÅÇèÒÍÐäÃ

Ah, so that’s it! “Ab” doesn’t come from abnormal. How about “baew”, what does it mean?

Chai:

rái-dīang-sǎ  rūam kān láeo plāe wâ  thām tūa hâi dèk kwà āyú chīng  thām tūa hâi nârák nârák rái-dīang-sǎ

äÃéà´Õ§ÊÒ ÃÇÁ¡Ñ¹áÅéÇá»Å
ÇèÒ ·ÓµÑÇãËéà´ç¡¡ÇèÒÍÒÂØ¨ÃÔ§
·ÓµÑÇãËé¹èÒÃÑ¡æ äÃéà´Õ§ÊÒ

Innocent. Together, it means to make one look younger than they really are — adopting an innocent and cute bearing.

Frank:

láeo àrāi bâng thî sùe ākān ní

áÅéÇÍÐäúéÒ§·ÕèÊ×èÍÍÒ¡ÒùÕé

What are some of the things that reflect that behavior?

Chai:

kān tàengtūa  kān tàengna kān wāngtūa láe wíthī phût

¡ÒÃáµè§µÑÇ ¡ÒÃáµè§Ë¹éÒ
¡ÒÃÇÒ§µÑÇáÅÐÇÔ¸Õ¾Ù´

The way they dress, put on make-up, behave and speak.

Frank:

sànàk dī ná  mī khām ùen ìk mǎi

ʹء´Õ¹Ð ÁÕ¤ÓÍ×è¹ÍÕ¡äËÁ
ªÑÂ

That’s fun. Is there a similar word?

Chai:

mī sì  kô mī khām wâ chīw chīw  plāe wâ  ngâi ngâi  sàbāi sàbāi

ÁÕÊÔ ¡çÁÕ¤ÓÇèÒ ªÔÅ ªÔÅ (ªÔǪÔÇ)
 á»ÅÇèÒ §èÒÂæ ʺÒÂæ

Yes, there is. It’s “chill chill” meaning easygoing and to take it easy.

Frank:

phǒm khît wâ khām ní mā chàk phāsǎ Āngkràt  thùk mǎi

¼Á¤Ô´ÇèÒ¤Ó¹ÕéÁÒ¨Ò¡ÀÒÉÒ
Íѧ¡ÄÉ ¶Ù¡äËÁ

I think this term comes directly from English, right?

Chai:

châi  mā chàk khām wâ “chill out” ngāi

ãªè ÁÒ¨Ò¡¤ÓÇèÒ chill out ä§

Yes, it comes from “chill out”!

Frank:

rǒe  ngán khwāmmǎi kô klâikhīang kān ná

àËÃÍ  §Ñ鹤ÇÒÁËÁÒ¡çã¡Åé
à¤Õ§¡Ñ¹¹Ð

Really! Then both are similar.

Chai:

mī ìk khām nùeng “nōi”  khūn khît wâ mā chàk nǎi

ÁÕÍÕ¡¤Ó˹Öè§ “¹Í” ¤Ø³¤Ô´
ÇèÒÁÒ¨Ò¡ä˹

There’s another term – “noid”. What do you think it comes from?

Frank:

“paranoid”  châi mǎi

¾ÒÃҹʹì ãªèäËÁ

Paranoid, isn’t it?

Chai:

thùktông  kèng mâk  Fránk  plāe wâ kāngwōn rǔe krēng

¶Ù¡µéͧ à¡è§ÁÒ¡ á¿Ã§¡ì
á»ÅÇèÒ ¡Ñ§ÇÅËÃ×Íà¡Ãç§

Yes, very good Frank. It means to feel worried or tense.

Vocabulary watch:

How do you say these words and phrases in Thai?

1. a hot issue = ……

2. innocent = ……

3. cute = ……

4. easygoing = ……

5. taking it easy = ……

6. easygoing and to take it easy = ……

7. worry = ……

8. tense = ……

 Answer keys

1. pràdēn rón / »ÃÐà´ç¹Ãé͹

2. bóng-báew / ºêͧáºêÇ

3. nârâk / ¹èÒÃÑ¡

4. ngâi ngâi / §èÒÂæ

5. sàbāi sàbāi / ʺÒÂæ

6. chīw chīw / ªÔÅ ªÔÅ (ªÔÇ ªÔÇ)

7. kāngwōn / ¡Ñ§ÇÅ

8. krēng / à¡Ãç§


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

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    Last modified: August 10, 2007
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  • Welcome back to a new adaptation of Phût Phāsǎ Thāi after our transitional Songkran break. As per the valued suggestions of our readers, the transliterations now follow the Royal Institute's system (http://www.royin.go.th/th/profile/index.php), which includes tone markers. In terms of content, the column will continue to provide you with everyday language on specific topics.

    ñô singhakhom òõõð   (14 August 2007)     

    Phût phāsǎ Thai

    Teen vernacular / phāsǎ wāirûn Thāi

    Hip phrases and invented words reflect how teens use language to communicate their unique slant on culture and society


    Nicole Thereault, 35, is the epitome of the word 'ab-beaw' because in here public appearances she often acts like a teenager in her mannerisms and speech.

    The use of popular slang among teenagers has recently been a hot issue among language experts and adults concerned. The catchiest and most spoken among them seems to be "ab-baew" and discussions center around how this word is influential on the way teens dress, behave and speak. Linguists are concerned about its impact on the speaking style. Speakers tend to use high tone to stress the emotions. Otherwise, the teens' newly invented terms are creative, interesting and worth studying in order to look into their lifestyles and minds.

    The terms used among today's teens are mostly a mixture of foreign words and Thai. They sometimes take part of a foreign word and attach it to a Thai word. Quite often, they coin a new word by taking just one syllable of a foreign word. Three examples are mentioned in today's conversation.

    The expansion of Thai silk nationwide and internationally as objects of desire are tributes to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit and her vision to make these masterpieces of craftsmanship available to the public. As the Mother of the nation, she has long kept the heritage of silk weaving alive and has promoted the use of Thai silk. Long Live Her Majesty the Queen!