From the 1873 Dictionary of the Siamese Language of Dan Beach Bradley (known to Thais as หมอบรัดเลย์), here are "heart words" (compounds with the word ใจ) that have fallen out of use in Thai.
Remember, ใจ- at the beginning of a compound usually indicates a personality trait (as in ใจดี or ใจแคบ), while -ใจ at the end of a compound is usually a temporary emotional state (as in ดีใจ or เสียใจ). These are all the first kind:
There are more where those came from. See pages 136-137 of Bradley. Note that it's easy to guess what most of these mean, it's just that they're not common collocates with ใจ anymore. Interesting how language just keeps on a-changin'.
If you happen to spot any of these compounds in a modern dictionary, leave a comment.
Remember, ใจ- at the beginning of a compound usually indicates a personality trait (as in ใจดี or ใจแคบ), while -ใจ at the end of a compound is usually a temporary emotional state (as in ดีใจ or เสียใจ). These are all the first kind:
- ใจเกียจ = lazy (คืออาการใจคร้าน, ไม่อยากทำการงานทั้งปวงนั้น, เหมือนอย่างคนขี้เกียจเปนต้น.)
- ใจโกรธ = angry (เปนชื่อใจที่โทโส บังเกิดแล้วมักทำความชั่วต่าง ๆ นั้น, เหมือนอย่างคนไม่มีเมตา.)
- ใจโง่ = ignorant (คือใจไม่รู้, เหมือนคนไม่เข้าใจ, ไม่รู้จักสิ่งใดเลย.)
- ใจช้า = lackadaisical (คือใจไม่เร็ว, ใจเฉื่อย, เหมือนคนจะทำการงานสิ่งใดค่อยทำช้า ๆ.
- ใจใหญ่ = ambitious (คือใจโต, ใจไม่เล็กนอ้ย, เหมือนคนทำการทั้งปวงก็คิดทำการใหญ่เปนต้น.)
- ใจดื้อ = stubborn (คือใจไม่ง่าย, ใจสอนยาก, ใจแขงดึงไปนั้น)
- ใจดุ = fierce, vicious (คือใจไม่ดี ร้ายกาษหยาบช้า, เหมือนอย่างเสือ, ฤๅขะโมยเปนต้น.)
- ใจปอง = determined (คือใจคิดหมายไว้, คิดอยากได้, คิดอยากทำ, เหมือนคนนึกว่า, ทำไมหนอจะได้.)
- ใจเลิศ = spotless, without sin or guile (คือใจดีที่สุด, ใจไม่มีบาปติด, ใจไม่เจือดว้ยของชั่ว, เหมือนใจท่านผู้ประเสริฐนั้น.)
- ใจสูง = haughty, impudent (คือใจไม่ต่ำ, ใจจองหองไม่รู้จักประมาณ, เหมือนคนจนอยากตั้งตัวเปนจ้าวนั้น.)
There are more where those came from. See pages 136-137 of Bradley. Note that it's easy to guess what most of these mean, it's just that they're not common collocates with ใจ anymore. Interesting how language just keeps on a-changin'.
If you happen to spot any of these compounds in a modern dictionary, leave a comment.
Allow me to be the first to point out that ใจสูง does exist in modern Thai, but its meaning has changed.
ReplyDeleteRID99 says:
ใจสูง ว. มีใจที่อบรมมาดี, มีใจใฝ่ในทางดี.
I translate that as:
"To have a well-trained mind, to be inclined towards good."
Lexitron defines it as:
1 V be high-minded, be nobleminded
2 ADJ high-minded, noble-minded; righteous
Wow!! I live in Thailand and I've never used those Jai words, except for ใจใหญ่. However, my meaning of Jai-Yai is different from Bradley's. I used Jai-Yai to describe a person who is very generous and likely to give to others without considering his financial status. (positive meaning)
ReplyDeleteBradley's meaning of Jai-Yai, คนทำการทั้งปวงก็คิดทำการใหญ่, I would use Na-Yai instead. It has negative meaning as it's used to describe a person who does big things to show off.
sorry...forgot to type in Thai.
ReplyDeleteNa-Yai = หน้าใหญ่
Yes, but did you live in 19th century Thailand? ;)
ReplyDeleteA lot changes in any language over the course of nearly 150 years.
Funnliy enough, there's a nationalistic Thai film called The Siam Renaissance (2004) [ทวิภพ in Thai] which has a few token farangs in it, among them Bradley. He's the only farang portrayed sympathetically. The others eg Anna Leonowens etc are portrayed as disingenous/untrustworthy/fantasists etc. You name it. I guess his dictionary and the printing press he brought over left some positive mark on the Thai psyche. :)
ReplyDeleteNice explanation of the difference between ใจ at the end or beginning of a compound.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of the film, based on a book if I recall correctly. Didn't know Bradley, etc. were portrayed. I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI picked up an interesting-looking book at the book fair last week published in 2004 by Matichon, สายลับวังหลวงและโลกมายาของแอนนา เลียวโนเวนส์, which means something like "Palace Spy and the Deceptive World of Anna Leonowens"--the Thais don't care much for Anna.
The book contains lots of primary documents, though, including a number of letters between Anna and Mongkut in English, along with Thai translations and commentary, photographs, etc.