Word Study

Point 1. A new use for khf^n and loN. These two words have opposite meanings, khf^n meaning 'to ascend, rise' and loN meaning 'to descend.' In this unit you have had some examples of the use of these words with different types of vehicles. These examples and similar ones are:

You will notice that when khf^n is used with a vehicle it means to get in, to get on, to catch, or to take that vehicle. This means that when you have any of these various expressions in English, you must remember to use khf^n in Thai, and not any of the ordinary words for 'to get in' or 'to take' which you have also learned. A similar caution likewise applies to the use of loN with vehicles, for it then means to get off or to get out of a vehicle.

Point 2. Another new use for khf^n and loN. When used after other verbs khf^n generally means 'up' (as in lu@k khf^n 'to get up') and loN generally means 'down' (as in na^N loN 'to sit down'). Expressions which are somewhat similar to this but which often have special translations in English are shown below:

These examples show that the typical meanings of khf^n and loN, when they follow another verb, are still up and down, respectively. However, the more usual English translation for Thai expressions like those above is one containing to get (fat, better, hot, cool, slower, etc.) and not one containing 'up' or 'down.'

Point 3. When ?i$ik means 'another' or 'the other.' The usual meaning of ?i$ik is 'more' (as in ?i$ik nO$Oy 'a little more') or 'else' (as in ?a$ray ?i$ik 'what else?'). Sometimes, however, the word has some other possible translations in English. Some of these are shown below:

In examples like those ?i$ik is usually translated as another or as the other, though sometimes it can still be translated as more (as in the first three examples above). Note particularly that the position for ?i$ik in these expressions is immediately before the number-word with one exception. This exception occurs in expressions containing nf$N 'one'; for in these ?i$ik precedes the classifier if that in turn precedes nf$N (as in ?i$ik khon nf$N in the last example above).

Point 4. The word kla$p. Notice the following examples of kla$p 'to return' followed by pay 'to go' or maa 'to come':

You will observe that kla$p pay means 'to go back' and kla$p maa means 'to come back.' The important thing to remember is that the words for go and come when used with kla$p come second and not first as in English.

Point 5. The two words ro@t. In Unit 10 you learned the word ro@t in the meaning 'taste, flavor.' In this unit you have it in the meaning 'car.' The two words sound exactly alike but they have quite unrelated meanings.

Point 6. The words klay and kla^y. Take particular care not to confuse these two words for they have exactly opposite meanings. The first one klay 'to be far, far away' has the middle tone and the second one kla^y 'to be near, close, nearby' has the falling tone.

Point 7. Some classifiers.
a. chu@t. This word means 'suit, set' and in this unit is used as the classifier for suits of clothing, e.g.,

b. khan. You have already learned to use this classifier for umbrellas, forks, and spoons. In this unit it turns up again as the classifier for streetcars, automobiles, and taxis, e.g.,

c. le^m. This classifier is used for mi^it 'knife' and also for mi^itkoon 'razor,' as in

d. hE$EN. Since this is the regular classifier for localities, it may be used with the words for hospital, school, and various kinds of stores, e.g.,

In the case of the word ha^aN 'store, commercial firm,' the classifier hE$EN may be replaced by ha^aN (e.g., ha^aN la&ay ha^aN 'many stores, firms'). Similarly, the word ra@anta$tsf^a 'tailor-shop' and any other compound words containing ra@an may take ra@an as their classifier; see the following paragraph.

e. ra@an. This word may be used as the classifier for any compound word containing ra@an, e.g.,

f. sa&ay. This classifier is generally used with long ribbon-like objects, such as streets, e.g.,

g. tua. Since tua is used as the classifier for sf^a 'coat' and for kaaNkeeN 'trousers, pants,' it is also the classifier for sf^acha@nnay 'undershirt' and for kaaNkeeNcha@nnay 'shorts.'

Point 8. Some compounds.