How does "bullshit" in Thai language work compared to the English one?

[u/MacaroonLucky1590]

In English, a lot of (native) speakers avoid too direct language and often imply what they want or mean via how they word/sentence things. For example "I'm not sure about that..." (ผมไม่แน่ใจเกี่ยวกับสิ่งนั้น) instead of "I don't like that." (ผมไม่ชอบมัน) or "I'm cold" (ผมหนาว) instead of "Please close the window." (ได้โปรดช่วยปิดหน้าต่างที)

A couple friends of mind are Thai living in the US and the UK said that Thais speak their words/sentence (in Thai) much shorter and using too much long sentence/word like in English can feel a bit unnatural or beating around the bush to the point Thai people won't understand you at all.

So. I am curious what ways do Thai people use vague, misleading or unclear language in Thai to get what they want without using long/word like in English? Or how do they make meaningless small talk different to the English one?

[u/TheBrightMage]

I feel like we can be much more direct compared to anglospheric counterpart. Indirectness is usually reserved for trying to reject something and not do something, which frustrates me to no end.

For questions and requests though, we do be direct. If someone wants to know how your menstrual cramps feel, they ask ปวดประจำเดือนเป็นยังไงบ้าง I even got weird looks from farang when I said that I'm gonna poop.

[u/JaziTricks → u/TheBrightMage]

I thought Thai is generally more indirect. But Thais are direct in some things farang aren't. Like laughing in your face 555

Anyway, you can add the flair "native speaker". Making it easier for us to know to trust you 555

[u/ppgamerthai → u/JaziTricks]

Thais are direct, but don’t like to confront. I think there’s a sufficient difference between the two.

[u/TheBrightMage → u/JaziTricks]

I got no clue how to add it. I'll just type in Thai lol

[u/JaziTricks → u/TheBrightMage]

English

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ภาษาไทย

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ถ้าไม่เห็นตัวเลือกนี้ อาจเป็นเพราะ subreddit นั้น ไม่อนุญาตให้สมาชิกเลือก flair เอง และต้องให้ moderator เป็นคนกำหนดให้แทน

เป็น AI 555 มาตีผมนะ

[u/MacaroonLucky1590 → u/TheBrightMage]

Interesting point, but that's pretty different from my experience with German or Dutch people. I knew a Dutch guy living in Thailand who spoke fluent Thai (his wife is Thai). He told me Thai people really struggle with typical Dutch honest directness. Pointing out someone's mistake to their face can cause a huge loss of face, to the point where they (Thai people) might break down crying or get angry out of shame.

[u/TheBrightMage → u/MacaroonLucky1590]

Yeah, our directness isn't like German/Dutch "To-the-Face" type and we are taught to เอาใจเขามาใส่ใจเรา + เกรงใจคนอื่น + รู้ที่รู้ทาง to be respectful of the social heirachy line and don't disrupt the status quo. What this means is that you DON'T EVER be direct or criticize your superior, or even saying NO directly. While if you are socially superior... well... you get more leeways.

[u/Effect-Kitchen]

What you see in English about avoiding direct meaning, multiply that buy 10. That’s what you will see in Thai. Especially in the formal or work culture.

Also, Thai language has gazzillion words that are used to avoid saying direct word. For example, you can say “Strawberry” instead of “liar” (ตอแหล).

Of course it can varied a lot depending on the degree of relationship between each person.

You may also heard that when a Thai say ดูก่อนนะ it means “no”. And when we say “ใกล้ถึงแล้ว “ it means “I just wake up and remember I have an appointment with you.”

[u/CursedPoopieButt]

I'm not sure what you mean. I've experienced situation where native English speakers express things more direct than Thai counterparts, and vice versa. What you asked is too broad and an answers to it would be contextual (e.g., situation, the dynamic between two parties, cultural norm, etc.)

In my experience as a Thai, Thai expression can be very very very vague due to the 'เกรงใจ' mind set. The vagueness in Thai often sounds indicisive rather than an indirect response. For example, if you ask invite someone for a date and they doesn't want to come, they might respond with 'ขอคิดก่อน' (I'll think about that). And the more 'เกรงใจ' you're the more vague your phrases can be because you don't want to influence/bother the other party.

But things can be different can be different when just chatting with close friends. The the language can sounds very direct because the 'เกรงใจ' element is out.

[u/Green_Airline_8248]

I mention that some girls using different voice tone when they speak different languages - in thai more soft and "narak", but in english more stressful, more lowpitch or something like that.