DavidHouston

From a short story:

เย็นนี้ฉันจะคุยบีบีเล่นเฟซบุ๊กให้หนำใจไปเลย


Here is another:


นจะทำอะไรก่อนดีนะ เล่นเฟซบุ๊ก ออนบีบีแต่มันก็ทำได้พร้อมกันอยู่แล้วนี่


Does บีบี most likely mean "Bulletin Board" or "Blackberry" or  something else?  "ออน" in this context means "on-line", I suspect.  Is this correct?


Thank you.

I just saw the Google Doodle for Thailand.  Is this new?

Friends,

Is there any difference between the meanings of these two sentences"

"มีอะไรจะให้ผมรับใช้ครับ" and

"มีอะไรจะให้ผมรับใช้ไหมครับ"?


Is the first, "What can I do for you?" and the second, "Is there anything  I can do for you?"


Finally, is the following a valid Thai question, "ผมรับใช้อะไรบ้างครับ"? to mean "What can I do for you?"


Thanks for your help.

Friends,

From a short story in this week's news magazine:

"นักเขียนพูดเบาๆลอยๆ"

I have questions regarding the phrase "ลอยๆ"  Lexitron has the definition as follows:

ลอยๆ /lɔ̄ːjˑlɔ̄ːj/  [ADJ] indiscreet    Def. ไม่เฉพาะเจาะจง   Example : เพราะคำพูดลอยๆของเขานั่นเองจึงทำให้หลายคนคิดมาก

ลอยๆ /lɔ̄ːjˑlɔ̄ːj/  [ADV] indiscreetly    Def. อย่างไม่เจาะจงผู้ใดโดยเฉพาะ

Example : การจะกล่าวหาว่าผู้ใดทุจริตคอรัปชั่นจะต้องมีหลักฐานมิใช่กล่าวลอยๆ

Domnern has "พูดลอยๆ" as "to toss something out; say something out of the blue; mention casually".

Based on the Lexitron examples,the Domnern definition seems more appropriate. I am finding it difficult to use the words "indiscreet" and "indiscreetly" in these contexts.  

เพราะคำพูดลอยๆของเขานั่นเองจึงทำให้หลายคนคิดมาก

Because he spoke so indistinctly, many people wondered what he did in fact say.

การจะกล่าวหาว่าผู้ใดทุจริตคอรัปชั่นจะต้องมีหลักฐานมิใช่กล่าวลอยๆ

Accusing someone ofcorruption must have a basis in fact, [such charges] cannot be make just off  the cuff.  

Is it possible thatLexitron has an English spelling error and that the authors meant "indiscrete"instead of "indiscreet"?

"นักเขียนพูดเบาๆลอยๆ"  might then be "The writer spoke quietly under his breath".


What do you think?

Friends,

I see that posters have been having difficulty adding entire Twitter or Facebook conversations for assistance in translation.  In this regard I understand and support the moderators who believe in maintaining the privacy of conversations.  

On the other hand, I think that inclusion of questions and discussion regarding the language used in these contexts is very helpful to us students of the Thai language, especially those whose social environments are within such a communications milieu.  

I want to commend, especially, Peppy who has stepped up to the plate and attempted to render into English of t he same order many of these Tweets and postings.  My understanding of the Thai language has certainly been enhanced as a result of his efforts on this site.

If posters were to post selected sentences from the Tweets, SMSs, posts, emails, and Facebook messages, instead of entire conversations with their identifying information, I believe that the moderators would be satisfied.  

Mods, what do you think?