Phonetic Script

Phonetic Script (Romanization) of Thai

Phonetic script (also known as phonetic transcription or Romanization) is the visual representation of speech in a language or dialect. This article is about the phonetic script used in the ก.ไก่ Learn Thai Dictionary

Our easy-to-understand Thai phonetic script uses familiar English-like letters and symbols (diacritical tone marks) to represent native pronunciation of syllables and words. Despite its ease and simplicity, it shows characteristics of natural Thai pronunciation that other scripts do not, such as nuances in inflection, syllable stress, tone changes in compound words and reduplication, *connected speech, contractions, and final glottal stops.

Examples:

ทาง /taang/ (way)

This example shows the phonetic script for a single syllable Thai word. Phonetic script is bounded by slashes to differentiate it from other dictionary text.

ผู้หญิง /pûu·yǐng/ (woman)

This example shows the phonetic script for a multi-syllable compound word with falling and rising tone marks.

The Learn Thai Dictionary phonetic script has a number of learner-friendly features that help navigate the sometimes rough waters of mastering Thai. Here are eight of those features.

1. Stress in multi-syllable words is clearly marked:

‘Linking’ symbols are used in the phonetic script for multi-syllable words. (1) The · dot symbol follows syllables in multisyllabic words that are stressed. (2) A single quote (or apostrophe) follows syllables in multisyllabic words that are unstressed. (3) A colon marks a glottal stop (hard stress.)

เวลา /weh·la/ (time) … the first syllable is stressed normally(a dot links the two syllable)

ธนู /ta'nuu/ (bow and arrow) … the first syllable (followed by an apostrophe) is unstressed

**Astute readers will ask “Where is the high-tone mark on initial syllable as predicted by the Thai tone spelling rules?” The answer is that this script shows real-life pronunciation in connected speech. Unstressed short syllables are realistically spoken without a high or low tone. In this case the tá· sound becomes ta’…

สะอาด /sà: àat/ (clean) … the first syllable is short, low tone, with hard stress (glottal stop)

The following word uses both linking symbols and an ending glottal stop.

หายนะ /hǎai·ya'ná:/ (catastrophe, disaster)

2. Spaces: Thai script does not use word spacing and this causes confusion for most beginning Thai language learners. Readers can use the spaces in the phonetic script to parse the corresponding Thai script. This makes it easier to both read and pronounce.

มันหายไป /man hǎai bpai/ = มัน + หาย + ไป ~ It disappeared. It is gone.

3. Syllable length (with long or short vowels) is unambiguous:

Simple long syllables are phonetically represented by two characters and short syllables by either (1) a single character, or (2) two characters appended with a superscript s

เวลา /weh·laa/ (time) … both syllables are long (eh + aa)

เจ็ด /jèt/ (seven) … a short syllable is short (e)

ธนู /ta'nuu/ (bow and arrow) … the first syllable is short (a) ~ the second is long (uu)

Some short syllables cannot easily be represented by a single character without introducing confusion. A superscript s is appended to those short syllables.

กลุ่ม /glòomˢ/ (group)

หมึก /mèukˢ/ (ink)

Diphthongs and complex vowels are represented by either two or three characters.

เรียน /rian/ (to study)

ยาว /yaao/ (long)

4. Irregular pronunciations are tagged: An asterisk * marks syllables that are pronounced in a way counter to that of standard Thai pronunciation rules (according to The Thai script)

Example words pronounced short but the Thai spelling rules indicates long.

เงิน /ngən*/ (money, silver)

เล่น /lên*/ (to play)

Example words pronounced long but the Thai spelling rules indicates short:

น้ำ /náam*/ (water)

ไม้ /máai*/ (wood)

เก้า /gâao*/ (nine)

Example words derived from Khmer or Pali/Sanskrit that retain original spellings:

ตำรวจ /dtam·rùat*/ (police) … รวจ would normally have a long, falling tone.

เพชร /pét*/ (diamond) ... เพชร would normally have a long, falling tone.

ประโยค /bpra'yòhk*/ (sentence) … โยค would normally have a long, falling tone.

5. Words with multiple possible pronunciations are explained:

กรณี /gau·ra'nee/ or /ga·ra'nee/ (alt. pron.)

ฉัน /chǎn/ or /chán*/ (pronoun)

หรือเปล่า /rěu bplàao*/ or /réuˢ* bplàao*/ (colloq.)

Sometimes the inherent tone of a syllable does not change but the stress changes. These three words with the initial syllable สะ show (1) hard stress (a glottal stop), (2) normal stress and (3) reduced or no stress where the tone becomes mid-tone.

สะอาด /sà: àat/ (clean)

สะเต๊ะ /sà·dté:/ (grilled skewers)

สะระแหน่ /sa'ra'nàe/ (mint)

A special case is สระ … the pronunciation cannot be known without context:

สระว่ายน้ำ /sà: wâai·náam*/ (swimming pool) … in this case สระ (one syllable) means pool

สระเสียงยาว /sa'rà: sǐang yaao/ (a long vowel) ... in this case สระ (two syllables) means vowel

6. Loanwords are tagged: One of three special symbols are used to tag phonetic script that represents pronunciation of loanwords or a mixed Thai-and-loanword compound.

◊ marks Western loanwords

อังกฤษ ◊ /ang·grìt/ (English, England)

วิดีโอ ◊ /wí·dee·oh/ (video)

กิโลกรัม ◊ /gi'loh·gram/ (kilogram)

*◊ marks a mixed Thai-and-loanword compound or phrase

เล่นเปียโน *◊ /lên* bpia·noh/ (play piano)

ตารางเมตร *◊ /dtaa·raang méht*/ (square meters)

话 marks 'modern' Chinese loanwords (chiefly Teochew dialect)

ก๋วยเตี๋ยว 话 /gǔay·dtǐow/ (noodles, noodle soup)

เจ๊ง 话 /jéng*/ (to go bankrupt)

7. Silenced letters in loanwords are bracketed: This helps learners remember to avoid the mistake of mispronouncing particular loanwords by following their natural inclination.

เต็นท์ ◊ /dtén[t]*/ (tent)

ทัวร์ ◊ /tua[r]/ (tour)

มอเตอร์ไซค์ ◊ /maw·dtəə[r]·sai[k]/ (motorcycle)

8. Contractions in connected speech are shown (if significant):

This is best illustrated with examples of reduplication of words with long syllables. In natural, connected speech, the first instance of the word is shortened, sometimes with a tone shift.

ช้า ๆ /cháˢ* cháa/ … the first syllable is shortened

บ่อย ๆ /bàwyˢ* bàwy/ … the first syllable is shortened

สู้ ๆ /sûˢ* sûu/ … the first syllable is shortened

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