*EDITOR’S NOTE: This article makes reference to something called “multi-words,” which is ECSC’s own term for vocabulary that contains more than one word.
“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” A famous philosopher said that, do you agree?
Do you sometimes feel that you have limits with the English language, and therefore there are limits on what you can do in the world (like in your job or career)?
Is your supervisor a farang? Are some of your coworkers or clients native or advanced English speakers? Maybe sometimes you are unable to express yourself to them or feel unconfident asking them questions.
Or worse, maybe they misunderstand you because you didn’t say the right words or pronounce them correctly… and you wonder if some training on Business English for Thai professionals would help you.
There was also a famous English teacher who said, “When students travel, they don’t carry grammar books, they carry dictionaries.” I definitely agree with that.
I’m a farang in Thailand, so I understand that I need the right vocabulary words in order to ask Mae Kha for a bowl of noodles, ask my taxi driver to please turn left, or ask a shop how much something costs.
It’s funny, I don’t know the Thai grammar rules for any of those questions. I just know the right words for ordering meals, giving directions, and finding out prices – which is great, otherwise I’d be hungry, lost, and broke.
The same is true for Business English and professionals like you. Knowing the right words is much more important than knowing the grammar rules.
When you are at work, your English-speaking colleagues and customers don’t care whether your English grammar is correct. They’re probably quite busy like you, so they care whether they can understand your vocabulary. English vocabulary lessons could help you.
Coworkers also care whether you can understand their vocabulary. They will probably speak some corporatese to you – “corporatese” is another name for common Professional English in the workplace – so it is important for you to improve your speaking ability and your listening ability, too.
Khun khao jai pasa Angrit mai krub? 🙂per mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
I learned how to say “Khun khao jai pasa Angrit mai krub?” as a single unit of vocabulary. It is a phrase, but really it is like a nine-syllable word:
| Words: | Khun · | khao · | jai · | pa · sa · | An · grit · | mai · | krub? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syllables (beats): | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4, 5 | 6, 7 | 8 | 9 |
Easy. Single-unit vocabulary with multiple syllables. At ECSC, we call them multi-words.
For you to say the right Business-English words and pronounce them clearly – and for you to understand corporatese when it is spoken to you – you do not need to learn more grammar. You need to learn the multi-words that apply to your job and career.
All multi-words are not nine syllables; some are just two syllables, some are three, and so on…
| “Feel free” | “Come up with” | “Long time no see!” | “Let’s call it a day.” |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 syllables | 3 syllables | 4 syllables | 5 syllables |
Did you know these four multi-words? Do you understand how and when to use them?
Visit our Contact Us page to inquire about English communication skills training for professionals in Thailand. Or, schedule a discovery call with our Founder, Don Gorr.
Don Gorr
I'm the Founder & Managing Director of ECSC Thailand. We help companies 'activate the English in their employees' so they can speak English confidently.
