The FARANG Speaks 2 Much (tfs2m)

7 Responses to “Schwag is imminent!”

1. 1 NotAnyBangkokRelatedWebsite.com Mar 15th, 2007 at 9:10 pm

   ’scuse me for being prissily pedantic, but shouldn’t “อารัย” be written “อะไร”? (Or am I missing some subtle linguistic joke? Or maybe I dunno what I’m talking about).
   View all comments by NotAnyBangkokRelatedWebsite.com

2. 2 werewolf Mar 15th, 2007 at 11:25 pm

   NABRW.c

   I concur…

   K. Kanjana (bless her soul) taught me that the correct way to speak to an Isaan bar girl upon your first meeting is:

   คุณชื่ออะไรดรับ

   Perhaps the spelling on the front of the shirt (if it hasn’t already gone to print) should be amended to avoid the risk that all the Big Mango customers will be ridiculed by bar girls with 5th grade educations, who, nonetheless, can spell the word “arai” in in their native language.

   I had quietly sent an email to Smitty to suggest that the back of the shirt should be translated somewhat differently, and he replied to my email explaining that the Thai quote of “Ferang phut maak” is actually the basis of the blog name, which he later enhanced, and that no translation update was needed.

   I had, rather ambitiously, suggested that the Thai translation should have been:

   ผรั่งพูดเกินไบ

   (or even คนผรั่งพูดเกินไบ)

   Smitty agreed that my grammar teacher had done her job well, but that I missed the point of the t-shirt. His explanation made it clear that I was — without a doubt — being prissily pedantic.

   In any event, I’m looking forward to getting my first edition t-shirt, if this comment hasn’t removed me from the list.

   In a city full of beautiful young girls who want to trade sex for my money, why in the world am I wasting my time and your time worrying about Thai grammar & spelling??? “Prissily pedantic”… I like that.
   View all comments by werewolf

3. 3 NotAnyBangkokRelatedWebsite.com Mar 16th, 2007 at 7:53 am

   It pains me to see misspelt t-shirts in any language (believe me, I’ve lived in Japan). It would be an absolute intellectual nightmare to be held up as an object of orthographical ridicule by a girl from Isaan. (Who all speak far better English than I do Thai, mind you).

   For the back of the next t-shirt I’d suggest a translation of “Farang think too much”.
   View all comments by NotAnyBangkokRelatedWebsite.com

4. 4 smitty Mar 16th, 2007 at 9:24 am

   Wow. stirred up a hornet’s nest here.

   I have posted an explanation so that people won’t think it is a misspelling. There was actually a lot of thought put into the shirt so hopefully the new post helps.

   http://www.tfs2m.com/2007/03/16/schwag-is-imminent-part-2-the-explanation/

   thanks
   View all comments by smitty

5. 5 smitty Mar 16th, 2007 at 9:27 am

   Also. I was surprised no one caught me on the whole “buy schwag” thing. The term schwag stems from the notion of getting free stuff - say at like a computer show or something similar. No one every buys Schwag but hey - never say we are not true pioneers here…

   
   View all comments by smitty

6. 6 werewolf Mar 16th, 2007 at 11:27 am

   “an object of orthographical ridicule”

   I like that too… damn, what a wordsmith! Can you write some good ‘pick up’ lines for me so I can get a date with the 7-11 cashier downstairs?
   View all comments by werewolf

7. 7 keycon Mar 27th, 2008 at 7:01 pm

   bloody hell, orthographical ridicule indeed
   View all comments by keycon

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