Countering Language Barriers While Dating Thai Women
One day, Brie invited her American partner John for lunch at their house together with her Thai parents. Without second thought, he accepted the invitation and got excited for that day.
When the day came, John prepared and arrived early to Brie’s house. Brie’s father welcomed him and let him enter the house. After a while, Brie’s mother finished preparing the table and invited John to sit. They talked for a short while then Brie went down from her room. After that, they started eating the food.
While eating, Brie’s mother asked John to hand him the dish near him. But Brie’s mother used Thai and pointed to the dish using her lips. Since John couldn’t understand Thai, he stood and went to the part of the house where Brie’s mother was pointing her lips.
Silence dominated the house and everybody laughed so hard.
The situation above is an illustration of miscommunication inside a particular binational family.
All things considered, any type of communication can create turmoil, particularly when you are accustomed to doing it in one specific manner.
Miscommunication occurs, whenever and anywhere.
The opposite attracts, as many people say. Furthermore, at times when individuals of various ethnicities interact, language contrasts can be a point of convergence.
Most schools in Australia, for example, have an assorted learners and staff population. They come from various parts of the globe, carrying with them their own remarkable culture.
Language, as a cultural component, is totally indispensable in setting up significant associations with people.
Individuals should be liberal when dealing with others who don’t communicate in their common language. The more time they spend together, the better they become at conveying and learning unfamiliar terms.
It requires 480 hours at 10 hours per day for an individual to get familiar with a moderately simple language, while it might require as long as 780 hours for a complex one.
Also, regardless of whether we aren’t excellent at a foreign language, we adjust, regardless of whether it implies utilizing nonverbal communication or broken words to make ourselves clear. That’s how to overcome communication barriers.
So the inquiry becomes -
In the event that language obstructions prevent shared understanding, how can it influence love?
Linking Language Variations in Relationships
Why is effective communication important in hybrid relationships?
Intercultural and interracial relationships have confronted a greater number of difficulties than those in a monocultural partnership. They create a more grounded pattern of communication, too.
Considering the variety of intimate relationships in the US, these kinds of connections have become more recognizable in view of the rising quantities of white men having associations with non-American ladies.
Unavoidably, a few couples whose race and culture are disparate will in general fumble the relationship on account of the confusions of seeing each other’s sides.
The landscape of intimacy has changed significantly due to the rising quantities of immigrants.
That is the reason Asian-White connections are getting more normal. Like anywhere on Earth, these interracial relations are becoming more frequent.
For example, Thai ladies share interests and appreciate company with white men.
You could say that there is no issue with a Thai lady going out with an American person. And without question, they can coexist with one another.
Nonetheless, one issue white men experience while dating Thai women is that only a few can speak English.
As per the 2020 English Proficiency Index drafted by global education company EF Education First, Thailand has positioned 89 out of 100 nations included for the annual list.
Evidently, this datum clarifies that it is an all out change for the part of the man to gain proficiency with the language of his partner. Once in a while, formal language training calls for effective communication.
In any case, immersing oneself to the community can likewise be an approach to gradually learn and utilize the language. It may not be of incredible ability in terms of scribbling. What’s significant is the ability to communicate in the ideal language.
In the study of Tien entitled Communication and relationships of intercultural/multilingual couples: cultural and language differences, an interview with a Thai-American couple clarified that language varieties don’t bear intercultural connections.
Angie and Brent. Brent and Angie both agree that their relationship is unique and remarkable.
Brent clarified how they shared different pieces of both American and Thai culture to complete their relationship, saying, “There are numerous things I wish I could bring opposite Thai culture to American culture and the other way around. we do that in our relationship constantly.”
What’s more, realizing that they communicate in various local dialects, they ensure that they speak with their families using the common language.
As far as it matters for Brent, he needed to learn Thai not on the grounds that he was interested or intrigued, but since he needed to associate with the parents of Angie who don’t communicate in English.
Truth be told, he didn’t have any formal education in overcoming language barriers, however learned by socializing with the Thai people.
Brent and Angie admit that the time and effort they put into communication is considerably more than other intercultural couples they know. It’s the reason their relationship is more productive than others.
This romantic tale demonstrates that language contrasts hold no gravity when love is the foundation of the connection.
Love Defies Language Barriers
So should couples manage unavoidable misconceptions?
It resembles two individuals cruising on a similar boat however rowing in inverse ways.
Couples need to plunk down and focus on a push to work with one another to improve things.
What’s more, having a spot on another person’s life means getting to know her, and experiencing her ways — even if it takes you some time to become familiar with her language.
Above all, couples who have been in their connections for the longest time focused on the meaning of affection.
As per these couples, individuals regularly come up short in their connections since they fail to remember the motivation behind why they were together in any case - Love.
By exhorting them that affection is the justification of their relationship and different variables are simply supplementary, it will be more straightforward to stir couples to bargain, acclaim their differences, and work for the relationship so they can continue with their life adventure together.
The bottomline is — language doesn’t hold an incredible bearing with regards to LOVE.
“Our mouths speak different languages, but our hearts speak only one language - the language of love.”
Patrizio Malfatti