Languages and more Languages

 As already mentioned, we moved to Chiang Mai after completing Thai language training in Bangkok. This training provided a good base of Thai speaking, reading and writing ability that we could build on but we were, by no means, finished with language learning.

Thai, like most or maybe all languages, has numerous accents (where words are pronounced differently but the vocabulary and structure remains the same) and dialects (where words may be pronounced differently, there are vocabulary differences and the structure might sometimes change as well). What we learned in language school in Bangkok was a sanitized and simplified version of Central Thai as could be heard on TV and radio and as was taught to kids in school. But, some of the main dialects spoken in Thailand include Southern Thai, Northeastern Thai (which is mutually understandable with Lao), Thai Yai (Shan) and Northern Thai. In addition, there were numerous accents.

The main market area of Chiang Mai where
Northern Thai rules but Central Thai is
widely spoken and understood

The Northern Thai dialect was widely spoken in Chiang Mai as the city is in the northern part of Thailand. Northern Thai and the Central Thai we had learned was not mutually understandable. For example, “I don’t know” in Central Thai could be “My sahp” or “My ruu”. But in Northern Thai, it was “B-Huu”. Similar, but different and a likely problem for a new Thai speaker.

Certainly, people in the city of Chiang Mai often spoke Central Thai but then, out in the countryside and villages, any form of Thai was already a second language for many people so Northern Thai was more prevalent, liberally accented depending on a person’s first language. What was the first language? It could be any of a number of “tribal” languages not at all related to Thai.

So early in our time in Thailand, it was known that we would take a short course in Northern Thai once we reached Chiang Mai. A Thai woman had prepared some materials highlighting some of the major differences between the Central and Northern Thai dialects and we had a 6 week review with her. It definitely helped. We never became very adept at using Northern Thai but we could usually speak Central Thai and be understood. Then, we could understand enough Northern Thai that we could converse.

We were also expected to learn the Karen language which has nothing in common with Thai. The Karen

One style of Karen house. Styles would
vary depending on what materials grew
in the area and the builders preference

people and their associated languages have different roots than the Thai so they share no common words, sentence structure is completely different and they even have a completely different alphabet. Apparently, our study of Karen sparked a number of discussions among the mission committees that governed the Baptist mission work at the time. Discussions revolved around when should we start working on the Karen language and should we study full time or part time? All the missionaries that worked with a “Hill Tribe” group like the Karen and had come to Thailand shortly after WWII had learned Thai and then Karen and were pretty proficient in both. But over the years as new missionaries came, they might learn Thai but then neglect the tribal language and that was to be avoided for us. The committee members well knew from their own experience how difficult language learning can be and knew firsthand how burned out one could become from language study. So, was it better to jump right into the Karen language fresh out of Thai language school or was it better to take a break first. If taking a break, how long? One year? Two years? Wait until a future term?

Also coming into the debate was which version of Karen should be learned? Like Thai and even more so, there are numerous accents and dialects among the Karen language. Sgaw Karen is the main dialect but there is also Pwo Karen and others. Then even among the major Pwo and Sgaw dialects, there are some significant differences between what is spoken in Burma and what is spoken in Thailand. But, even within Thailand there are significant accent differences north to south and east to west.

We were witnesses to a lively “discussion” (maybe argument is more like it) among missionaries that thought we should do full time Karen study and our neighbors who were eager to have us work full time with the irrigation project. So, we knew we were the subject of discussion but were willing to try what ever was recommended. In the end, it was decided we would do full time Karen study and do what we could with the irrigation project.

As it played out, after a year of Thai study, our brains were mush. We did the best we could with Karen language study but it was tough going and I don’t think we lived up to full time study. Well known missionary to the Karen, Emilie Ballard, had written up Karen language learning materials which we used along with the Karen hymnal, the Bible and our tutor’s ideas. But, we mostly had to coach our tutor and we definitely missed having professionally trained teachers and materials like we had while learning Thai.

Khu Dee, one of our project workers at home
 in his kitchen with his family. Khu Dee would
 speak some Thai, but his family only spoke Karen.

Since arriving in Thailand, we’d heard from every Karen person we met how easy the Karen language was going to be to learn. We must have believed them and had expectations of breezing through a few months of study and then being fluent. I suppose it was easy for a native Karen speaker since they learned it as a baby, but it was tough for us. Betel nut chewing slurred a lot of words and made understanding difficult but probably the biggest problem was just the regional and personal variations in accents and structure.  It seemed we seldom heard the same idea expressed the same way.

But, we were learning, albeit slowly. We also got involved with the irrigation project and traveled out to a lot of villages. While not formal study, village travel gave us the chance to practice speaking and listening and was worthwhile from a language learning point of view. Marcia found understanding easier than speaking but I was the opposite. Especially if given a little time and preparation, I felt like I could say what I needed to say in Karen but understanding, especially a long discourse, was and remains difficult for me.