Thai Language CD

Learn Thai Language CD - Understanding Tones...

Thai Language CD

Thai Interactive Language course teaches you about understanding tones

Thai language is the most beautiful of languages, and this due primarily to the use of tone.

Fortunately, the system was designed using a defined set of rules, and spending time with it will certainly enrich the experience.

To understand what's in Thai language CD:

1. Know the Class of the Consonants (High, Middle, and Low).

2. Be able to recognize the Type of the Vowel (Long Short).

3. Then, recognize the type of the Final Consonant (Hard or Soft).

4. Know the four tone marks. --- There are 3586 syllables which make up the 11,000 vocabulary words and 2900 phrases in the course.

This organization of syllable sounds into grammatical structure is a pattern which makes Thai extraordinary.

Thai Language CD - Understanding Tones

Each of the syllables in the Thai language CD has a tone. 27% of these syllables have Tone Marks.

517- Mai Ehk
402- Mai Toh
32 Mai Dtree Always High Tone
14 Mai Jah Dtah Wah - Always Rising Tone

5. Mai Ehk -

Initial Consonant: High Class - the Tone will always be Low
Middle Class - the Tone will always be Low
Low Class - the Tone will always be Falling

6. Mai Toh

Initial Consonant: High Class - the Tone will always be Falling
Middle Class - the Tone will always be Falling
Low Class - the Tone will always be High

** Remember Rules 5 and 6 and you will recognize the Tone in a quarter of the syllables in the course

7. Mai Dtree

Will always be High tone, and can only occur with Middle Class consonants

8. Mai Jah Dtah Wah

Will always be a Rising Tone and can only occur with Middle Class Consonants

Thai Language CD - Understanding Tones.

Here's where it gets a bit confusing...

With No Tone Mark , the next step is to determine the presence (or absence) of a final consonant sound. of 3586 syllables: 27% 956 - end Hard - ( B/D, D/T, G/K) 29% 1028 - end Soft - (Ng N M Y W)

9. Hard final consonant sound ( B/D, D/T, G/K)

Initial Consonant: High Class - the Tone will always be Low
Middle Class - the Tone will always be Low
Low Class - Short Vowel - the Tone is High
Low Class - Long Vowel - the Tone is Falling

10. Soft Final Consonant sound (Ng N M Y W)

Initial Consonant: High Class - the Tone will always be Rising
Middle Class - the Tone will always be Level
Low Class - - the Tone will always be Level

** Remembering Rules 5, 6, 9, and 10 and you will recognize the Tone in 82% of the syllable sounds in the Course

Syllables with -- No Tone Marks and No Final Sound. (>15%)

Initial Consonant:

High Class + Short Vowel - Low Tone
High Class + Long Vowel - Rising Tone
Middle Class + Short Vowel - Low Tone
Middle Class + Long Vowel - Level Tone
Low Class + Short Vowel - High Tone
Low Class + Long Vowel - Level Tone

Thai Language CD Interactive Course...

Things to keep in mind:

Thai language tone rules apply only to syllables
A word can have many syllables, and therefore many tones
It isn't always necessary to correctly pronounce a syllable's tone
Tones in conversation are often indistinguishable. In some words, however, the proper use of tone can save you misunderstanding.
Remember that not all syllables will have a Tone Mark. And that it is possible to have various tones depending upon the absence or presence of any of the other three factors in determining tone.
Tone marks are written above the right side of the initial consonant of a syllable. If a consonant cluster begins a syllable, the tone mark is placed above the right side of the second consonant. If there is also a vowel in the same spot, the tone mark is placed above the vowel.
In Thai language CD, there are syllables which occur as a single consonant. If the consonant is High Class or Middle Class and the initial consonant of the following syllable is Low Class, this syllable will take the Tone Rule characteristics of the syllable preceding it.