Top Document: soc.culture.thai Language FAQ Previous Document: L.3) Learning Thai in Thailand Next Document: L.5) The word "farang" See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge From: chomchal@baboon.ecn.purdue.edu (Jaray Chomchalao) Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 03:21:53 GMT [...] In fact, Thai poetry is nothing I've seen elsewhere. English poetry, French, Chinese poetry seem trivial when compared to the rhyme and rhythm that are required in Thai poetry. For example, most if not all English and Chinese poetry required /sam+pas'nOOk"/, or rhymes between lines. And that's it. Thai, on the other hand. reuires /sam+pas'nai-/ as well as /sam+pas'nOOk"/. This may be because Thai language is richer in choice of words. For example there are at least six ways to say a horse ie, /maa^/, /?aa-cha-/, /?aa-cha-nai-/, /as'sa'dOOn-/, /sin+thop^/, /as'sa-wa^/. The following is an extreme example that best demonstrates the richness of Thai Language. It is a /klOOn 8/ that, when wriiten out in Thai, uses only one syllable to make a meaningful, no-nonesene poem. mUaa"mang"mii-maak"maai-mit^maai+mOOng- mUaa"muaa-mOOng+mit^mOOng-MUaan+Muu+maa+ mUaa"mai"mii-mod'mit^muung"mOOng-maa- mUaa"mOOd"Muuy^mAA^muu+maa+maai"maa-mOOng- (Composed by Unknown) [...] There are five different styles in Thai poetry altogether. You might say six, with the sixth being anything that arenot included in the follwing five: 1) /kloong-/: /kloong-/ is probably one of the most difficult to appreciate, since the rhyme and rhythm are not obvious to beginners. But once you appreciate how difficult to write one, and learn their rhyme and rhythm, they are very beautiful indeed. They come in variety, but with one particular /kloong-/ the most emminent: /kloong-sii'su'paap"/ ex: saai+yud'yud'klin'fung^ yaam-saai+ (/saai+yud'/ [flower] stops its fragance...in late morning) saai+bOO'yud'sa'nee'haai+ haang' saw" ([But] your charm never stops..sad to leave it.) tuk^khUUn-tuk'wan-waai- waang-ta-weet' laa-mAA' ([I'm] Crying the whole night and day through) ta'win+tuk^khuab'kam"chaaw^ yud'daai"chan+dai' ([I] Miss you in the evening, yet in the morning...How could I stop?) (From Lilit Taleng Paai when Maha Upparat was smelling the flowers named /saai+yud'/ and saying that the flowers name means it will stop spreading its scent late in the morning, as opposed to him who never stop thinking of her no matter what time, day or night. He later died fighting against Phra Naresuan, a Thai King. But that's another story.) 2) /chan+/: /chan+/ or /kam-chan+/, or /sa-look'/, is probalby the hiest form of Thai poetry, since besides the common rhyme and rhythm required by all other styles, /chan+/ also requires that words used are in a particular order, such that the particular syllables are accented (/karu^/) and others are non-accented (/lahu'/). There are too many types of /chan+/ to enumerate, but probably the accepted two most beautiful /chan+/'s are /wa^san+ta'di'lok'chan+/ (/chan+/ as beautiful as the blooming season (Spring)) and /in-ta-ra^wi^chian-chan+/ (/chan+/ as beautiful as the Intra's jem: Intra is the most powerful god in the second level of the six-level heaven, the /taaw-wa'ting-sa'/ or /daaw-wa-dUng-/). The following example is my own /chan+/ written in Intrawichian Chan style. Silvery Moon jEd'jan-na^wan-pen- dam-ruu-den'wi^la-wan- (Bright moon on the full moon night...has unique beauty) faa^ngaam-araam'pan' pi^las"ras(sami)^jam-ras'sAAng+ (The sky's suddently beautified...lightened up by the moon shine) naam^khang^kOO"prang"praai- pra^paai-chooy-mi^rooy-rAAng- (Dew dropped sparkingly...as the wind breezingly blew) miang-maan"pra^chan-jAAng" kra'jang'ut'ta^yaan-sruang+ (Peeking face contested those lights in the heavenly park) sak'suung+sa'wet'hong+ duj'ong-rat^cha'nii-duang- (Her sky-high grace...can easily upset the moon) praai-mas"mi^aaj'luang" sup'pa^lak^sa'naa-choom+ (Highly valued gold beauty would not dare to compare hers) yAAm^yim^lAA-prim^pak^ phi^las'lak^khUU-khAA+khoom- (When smiling, her face was brightened up easily matching the moon) yol-yos^la^laan-loom- ra^thuaay-thOOd"rU^thai-thOOn+ (Looking at her beauty only made my body weak, my heart shrunk) yOOb"wan-ta^naa-kaan- wing-waan-rat^cha-nii-kOOn- ([Or I] should knee down, begging this noble woman) oo-phaas"pra'phaa-phOOn- ru^jii-ras^sa'mii+saan+ (saan+=message) (To release her golden and silverly words) saad'sOOng'na^hOOng"hOO+ mi^rang^rOO-hai"luaang"kaan-(time) (Extend to me, at the lonely love place, at this time) jAAng"jaw"ma^tu^maan- ma^na^nAAb"maai+AAb'ai- (....[?]......who had always wanted to be with you) riam-lOOb"ram-luk^nak^ phi^laap"rak^lA'aa-lai- (I had made a lot of thinkings, a lot of sufferring as well) jong-phEEy+pha^jii-khai+ hai"klaay-khOO"thii"khOOng"suaang- (Would you say a word to answer my heart's question?) lUaam-rai^phra^phaai-luaang" raa-trii-jan- ...kra'nan^rUU- ? (.......[?]........................................) 3) /kaab'/: One of the most popular. There are three of them: 3.1 /kaab' cha'bang- 16 (sip'hok')/ because there are 16 syllables in one verse. Ex: khao+suung+phuung+hong+long-riang- rEnag-roong^song^siang+ sam+niang-naa'fang-wang-weng- klaang-pai-kai'khan+ban-leeng- fang-siang+piang-pleeng- sOO-jeng"jam'riang-wiang-wang- yuung-tOOng-rOOng^ka'toong"hong'dang- priang-prong^kloong-ra^khang- trAA-sang+kang-sa'daan-khaan+siang+ (From /muul-la'bot'ban'pa^kit'/, the first Thai book for teaching by Phraya Sri Suntorn Woharn (Noy^ Ajarayangkool)) The rhymes in this example are extreme, since Phraya Noy really demontrated his talent beyond that requires by the Kraab Chanabang structure. 3.2 /kaab' su'raang-ka^naang- 28/. The example I can think of is the one that describes how to compose Surangkanang itself: su'raang-ka^nang- jet'wak^jak'waang- hai"thuuk'wi^thii- wak^nUng'sii'kam- jong-jam-haii"dii- bot'nUng'jUng-mii- yii"sip'pAAd'kam- haak'thang'thOO'pai- sam+pad'throng-nai+ jam-hai"mAAn"yam- kam-thaai^wak^saam+ tid'taam-pra'jam- sam+pad'kab'kam- thaai^bot'thon"lAA- 3.3 /kaab yaanii 11 (sip'et')/: got the name from the fact that there are eleven syllables in one line. The structure, rhyme and rhythm are similar to Intrawichain Chan+ except that there's no accented/unaccented syllabes reuired. The one of the most beautiful Thai Poetry, IMO. Ex: daaw-duaan-kO"luan"lab^ saang+pa'yap^pa'yom-bon- juaan-jAAng"phra^su'ri^yon- ya^yiam"yOOd'yu^khuun-thOOn- som+dej'ha'ri^ya^wong- put^ta^pong-ti^paa-kOOn- sa-dej'long-song+saa+khOOn- kab'phra^lak^a'nu^cha- see+naa-prUd^tha-maat' taam-phra^baat'sdej'kraa- juaan-klaai"ja'thUng+sa+ kha^rees"thii'tha^song+chon- phra^leng-lAA-nEn-saai- thAAb"sUng^saai+cha'lee-yol- Yaw-wa^ruup"a'su'ra^kol- an-klaai-klAAng"pen-sii+daa- ....He further studied the faked Sida. (From Rammakian: when Phra ram saw nang Benjakaai impersonating his wife Sida floating downstream as if drowned) 4) /klOOn-/: There are two major /klOOn-/s around Klon 6 (/klOOn-hok'/) and Klon 8 (/klOOn-pAAd'/) with Klon 8 the most popular form of poetry among all Thai poetry. Ex: 4.1 /klOOn- 6/: So named since there are six syllables in one (what the heck is it called in English) wak^: [....] dAAd'OOn'din-un'krun'klob' tha'la^lob'lom-pAAw'pAAw'naaw+ sod'chUUn"khUUn-wan-naan-yaaw- mUaan+khaaw'kwaam-rak^jak'maa- (By Nawarat Pongpaiboon) 4.2 /klOOn 8/: So named for the same reason: The following example is both beautiful in sound and structure, and elegant in meaning. The guiding light for me, and should be for you as well: The Ultimate Dream kOO+fan+fai'nai-fan+an-lUaa+chUaa' (To dream the impossible dream) kOO+suu"sUk'thuk^mUaa"mai"wan'wai+ (To fight the unfightable foes) kOO+thon-thuk^ruk^room-hoom+kaai-jai- (To bear the unbearable sorrow) kOO+faa'fan-phong+phai-duaay"jai'tanong- (To reach the unreachable far) ja'nAAw"nAA"kAA"khai+nai-sing'pid' (To right the unrightable wrong) ja'rak^chaat"jon-chii-wit^pen-puuy+pong+ (To defend the beloved land till the last breath) ja'yOOm-taai-maai+hai"kiat'dam-rong- (To rather die than to loose dignity) >ja-pid'thOOng-lang+ong-phra^pa'ti'maa- (To do things for others for nothing in return) mai'thOO^thOOy+khOOy-saang"sing'thii"kuaan- (Will not be discouraged but do what should be done) mai'ree-ruaan-pa^waa"pa'wang-khid^kang-kha+ (Will not wasting time doubting) mai'khUang-khAAn^nOOy^jai-nai-chok'cha^taa- (Will not blame anybody for {one's} poor fate) mai'siaa+daai-chii-waa-thaa"sin"pai- (Will not feel bad if life ends) nii'khUU-pa'ni^thaan-thii"haan+mung" (This is my quest) maai+pa'dung-yu^ti'tan-an-sod'sai+ (To establish justice) thUng+thon-thuk^thOO-ra^maan-naan-taw"dai- (Despite on my suffering) yang-man'jai-rak^chaat'ong-aat'khran- (I still persist with pride) look'ma^nut^yOOm'ja'dee-kwaa'nii^nAA" (Then the world would be better than this) prO^mii-puu"mai'yOOm-pAA^mAA^thuuk'yaan+ (As many never give up though being doubted) ja-yUUn-yad'suu"pai-fai'pra'jan' (They have determined to win) yOOm-?a-san+kOO"prO^pOOng....tEd"pOOng+thai-. (And will devote their life for the benefit of other THAIS) (phra^rat'cha^ni^phon- nai-pra^bat'som+dej-phra^ chaaw"yuu'huaa+ phuu-mi'phon-a'dun-ya^dej, rat^cha^kaan-pat'ju'ban-) (Composed by His Majesty The King, King Bhumibhol Adulyadej) Translator's Note: Some sentence above are the recollection of my memory of the song "The Impossible Dream." I have noticed the similarity between the Thai words and those in the song and have come to concluded that though the King composed the song, the person who filled the melody with words was inpired by if not plagiarizing it. I didn't have the whole text of words of the song in hand while attempting this translation. I could only recall some while created my own sentences, the lengthy ones, for the others. 5. /raai"/: Is probably the least structured of all Thai poetry. But don't take that for easy, it's not. I for one never can compose a /raai"/. Too difficult since you have to be a master of Pali and Sanskrit to write one as beautiful as those poets before us did. So maybe this is least structured but the most difficult nonetheless. They come in some variety, with probably the most prominent being /raai"yaaw-/ used to praise the King or a new Capital. One of such well known example is the name of Krung Rattanakosin or Bangkok that many of us got it wrong recently. I'll present another /raai"yaaw-/ praising Ayudthaya, the former Capital of Siam. srii+a'yud^tha'ya-rom-ma'yees- pi^ses'suk'bam-thEEng- sam+rEEng-rat'cha^sa'than+ sam+raan-rat'cha^sa'thit' pi^pit^pok'kha^som+bat' pi^pat^pok'ka^som+buun- phuun-phi^phop^dab'khen+ yen-phi^phop^dab'yuk^ sa'nuk'khan+ta^see+maa- sam'see+naa-nOOb"klaaw" sam'snom+faw"faai'nai- sam'phon-krai-krEEk'haan+ sam'phon-saan+sin+thop- sop'sat'traa-sOOn+plEEng- tha'kEEng-phra^kiat'fung'faa^ rUU-ta'la^lob'lAAng'laa" look'luaan^sdu'dii- User Contributions:Top Document: soc.culture.thai Language FAQ Previous Document: L.3) Learning Thai in Thailand Next Document: L.5) The word "farang" Single Page [ Usenet FAQs | Web FAQs | Documents | RFC Index ] Send corrections/additions to the FAQ Maintainer: sct-faq@nucleus.nectec.or.th
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