Luckily Thai People Have Nicknames
Would it be acceptable to you if people called you a "pig" or "buffalo"? I didn’t think so. But in Thailand lots of people are called by these names and others which seem equally strange to us. The Thais use first and last names in the same way we do, but often they have so many syllables that it is extremely difficult for us to pronounce them and even more difficult to remember.
This was not always the case. In earlier times names in Thailand used to be shorter and easier. Recently it has become fashionable to take on those monstrosities of names. This trend compelled the Thai government to put legal limits on the number of syllables that a name can have. This prevented official business transactions from drowning in syllable quicksand. Changing your name in Thailand is quite easy. Don't like your name, just change it. It is a relatively simple procedure.
When someone gives me one of those complicated names, I just ask them for a shorter name. Luckily most Thais have nicknames which are the opposite of these never-ending legal names. They are mostly just one syllable long and sometimes only one letter. For simplicity's sake Thais frequently use any one of the syllables of their real name as their nickname. You will find that some of those nicknames strike you as very unusual. There could be Ms Pig, Mr. Buffalo, Mr. Dog, or Ms Bomb. How do they get names like that? Here are some name stories of Thais whom I know personally.
Many nicknames are very descriptive. A female friend of mine is called "pig". In the west such a name would be unthinkable, but in this case her parents looked at her baby fat and decided that she resembled a cute baby pig, hence the name. Thais think that this is a rather cute name. Of course if ever the girl decides one day that she does not like her nickname anymore, she can simply change it. The nickname of another acquaintance of mine is "dog". As a little kid he was constantly peppering everyone with questions and interrupting conversations. That reminded his family and friends of the yapping of a dog, so ‘dog’ became his nickname.
Some Thais believe that nicknames can have special powers. In one case a young boy was chronically weak and sickly. And so the villagers figured if they would call him "buffalo", then the spirit of such a powerful animal would help him. There is even a saying ’strong as a buffalo’. In his case it worked, the constant illnesses vanished and he lived up to his name. But you need to be aware that "buffalo" is often used as an insult in Thailand. Buffaloes are seen as very stupid animals. “Stupid like a buffalo” is a derogatory way to talk about someone.
Some nicknames literally add color to the concept. The nickname of another friend of mine is: “Green” . Her parents noticed a greenish complexion when she was born and thus called her by that name. Now, 40 years later, she definitely lost her greenish complexion but not her nickname.
In many cultures dreams are taken seriously. Here is the story of a predictive dream of a Thai friend of mine. She was visiting a temple, and her sister in law who accompanied her was offered a beautiful stone by one of the monks. She declined the gift and requested that the monk give it to her friend who was very happy to receive it. The day after the dream she realized that she was pregnant. In her mind the dream foretold the pregnancy and therefore she gave the baby the nickname of 'precious stone', Ploy. The gift of the stone symbolized that she was about to receive something beautiful, and the pregnancy confirmed that.
There are also some truly creative nicknames. The son of one of my friends happened to be born during the war between Iran and Iraq. The Thai media covered the war in depth with all its horrors and bombing. She had been looking for a good nickname, and so she named the baby "bomb", a name which he still has twenty years later.
Not all nicknames are that graphic. Some are just single letters like O (pronounced Oh) , E (sounds more like the English pronunciation of ‘A’), B (pronounced ‘bee’) or D (pronounced ‘dee’). One-syllable western names like 'Cat' or 'Joy' are all the rage nowadays.
Some Thais use their legal first names, but the majority have nicknames. In most informal situations Thais will only use their nicknames for introductions. Although some of these nicknames appear strange to us, we should count our blessings, since we would have a serious challenge trying to understand or remember those mile-long legal names which are so typical in Thailand.
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Important Guideline About Bands To Hire
Everyone wants to make their event special and memorable. Whether it's your wedding day or a reunion, you want people to be talking about it, in a good way, a week later. Rather than getting a couple extra sweets for the spread, why not find live bands to hire? Not only will it add to the general atmosphere, but it will get people tapping their foot and out of their seats. You might even get a standing ovation as the host or hostess.
How do you make this a reality? First you must assess the event for which you need music; there are few things worse than background music that doesn't fit the mood. If you need music for a wedding reception, consult with both the bride and the groom for their preference. Also get an idea of the guest list and general feel of the ceremony so you can find music to match. Someone may have to compromise for the good of the event, but there are so many different types of bands that finding one to please everyone shouldn't be difficult. Live music, especially at receptions, will bring to the ambience what recorded music cannot.
When the event is any type of party, try to keep the music and mood up-tempo. A beat that drags even a little will bring down the general energy of the get together and bring the audience down. Since there is a variety of tastes in music in a crowd, it's hard to find one type of music that is a hit with everyone; a safe bet is to go with the classics. A standard combo or band that specializes in anything from eighties hits to classic rock will bring back memories for each person. A goal should be for everyone to sing and dance along.
Don't be afraid to stick with the music that works best with a theme. If it's a class reunion, find bands for hire that play the hits from your graduating year; music that brings on nostalgia are the biggest sensations and leave people satisfied at the end of the evening. If there isn't a theme or specific purpose for the party, try to create one revolving around the music you have in mind. Having a general idea or theme for a party makes it feel more organized to the guests and live music will tie it all together with a party-like atmosphere.
So how do you find a band? Start locally. You'd be surprised at how many musicians surround you and are more than willing to play out and be heard. Shop around on the internet; certain websites hold many musical talents that put samples of their music online for viewers to check out. Search the community for signs and connections; bands want to be heard and will put their information anywhere they can in order to be discovered. Also check local agencies; they'll have promotional materials for you to look at and help decide what band you'd like to hire.
Plan ahead and provide time for an audition with the band you're interested in hiring. Skipping this step of the process could result in a mistake on the day of the event; there's always a chance that the band doesn't sound like what was expected. The day of the event will be stressful enough without this type of error. Also look at the image of the band; the crowd will probably see them before they hear them, and they need to be dressed accordingly for the occasion. Once these details have been addressed, you're ready to enjoy the music at your event.
There are pros to hiring professionals. While perhaps a little more expensive than the neighbor's garage band, professional musicians are seasoned and experienced. They've played for various types of venues and occasions which shows in their performance. A band that plays well together will give a solid foundation to a party or event. Since professionals have more experience, they'll also be more flexible; these are the types of bands that can play just about anything on demand, which is a plus for diverse crowds that will have favorites they want to hear.
Although it's a little more expensive to add live music to a special event, the outcome often exceeds expectations. Given you follow the steps in hiring live music, the party will have exactly the extra something it needs to lighten the mood and create an open and friendly atmosphere. It will be refreshing to hear music as it happens rather than the recordings heard all the time. You could even start a trend among your circle of friends once they see the difference live music makes and what it brings to every special occasion.
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