Typing in Thai: Google makes it easy

Google has a new Chrome browser app that makes typing Thai easier for foreigners learning Thai.

TECHNOLOGY & LANGUAGE LEARNING

Typing in Thai: Google makes it easy

Google has a new app (software) that makes typing Thai easier for foreigner non-Thais.

First of all, typing Thai is more complicated than typing English (or other languages that use the same so-called "Latin characters").

The English language has 26 letters but the Thai language has 68 symbols in its alphabet (44 consonants, 19 vowels, a silencer and 4 tone marks).

Remembering where all the different keys for the 68 symbols used in the Thai alphabet is difficult for learners, so there are not a lot of foreigners who can type in Thai (tryout an online version of the keyboard here). 

When non-Thais have to use a Thai word, in a chat app for example, they type the sounds of the Thai word using the English alphabet. This is called "karaoke Thai" as found in karaoke video captions.

Karaoke Thai, however, does not look very professional and Thais themselves might not understand what you are trying to say. 

Google to the rescue!

COMPUTERS CAN HELP YOU TYPE THAI

Luckily, changing karaoke Thai with English lettters into real Thai is something a computer program or "app" can quickly do.

Google's new keyboard app allows you to type the sounds of a word (phonetically) using English language letters, and then converts these letters into Thai letters and words.

An autocomplete feature can guesses what you are trying to say in Thai, allowing you to choose from a list of possible words, making life easier for the foreigner trying to type Thai (for more on autocomplete see Google here)

The autocomplete feature could even make typing Thai faster for those who can already type Thai.

FOR THAI LANGUAGE LEARNERS

The new app is very helpful for foreigners learning the Thai language.

The app allows Thai language learners to type the sound of a Thai word and then pick out the right word from the list that the app presents to them.

Students of Thai can learn the more difficult and uncommon letters in the Thai alphabet as they go along.

When the student makes spelling mistakes, the app even suggests correct spellings.

WHERE CAN I DOWNLOAD THE NEW APP?

Google's new "Thai transliteration keyboard" is now available online to download for use.

The program is available for the Chrome browser as well as for Gmail and Google Drive in other browsers.

To download the app in Chrome download the Google Input Tools extension here (and using any browser for Gmail here and Google Drive here). 

Then select “Add to Chrome”.

Then click on “Extension Options” and select Thai language.

http://googleasiapacific.blogspot.com/2016/05/pim-thai-dai-laew-you-can-now-type-in.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autocomplete

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