Avoiding spelling mistakes

For writers of Thai English in theses and academic research projects, it can be a challenge to separate words spelled with single consonants from those spelled with double consonants. Sometimes, to feel safer, we might wish to use two consonants when the correct form of spelling requires only one. So, in Thai English, we sometimes find the word shining spelled wrong as shinning.

The word shining may be seen in English usage as an adjective, meaning to give off light. Something that is shining is glowing. The adjective may also refer to something that is very polished or has exceptional value. As a verb, shining means to radiate light. As a noun, shining refers to the bright light given off in a gleaming way.

Thammasat University students who are fans of horror stories and films may have read the novel by the American author Stephen King, The Shining. The TU Library owns a copy of the Thai translation of the novel.

The title of The Shining refers to a boy who has a gift that King calls the shining, or a range of psychic powers that let him see into the past of a resort hotel where his family is staying. There was also a famous horror film based on The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Jack Nicholson as the boy’s father.

Other books in the TU Library collection with the word shining in the title include All things shining: reading the Western classics to find meaning in a secular age by Hubert Dreyfus and Sean Dorrance Kelly; The shining ones by David Eddings; and You and me: the shining days in Beijing by Jing Xiaomin.

In pronouncing Thai English, vowels are often misused, giving us misleading clues about spelling. The word shining is related to the verb shine. If we double the consonants, then the word shinning would be related to the noun shin.

As we know, the noun shin refers to the front part of the leg below the knee. A verb, to shin, means to climb fast up or down by holding on with the arms and legs. So children who are climbing a coconut tree very quickly may be said to be shinning up the tree.

One way to keep in mind the difference between the two words would be to create an original sentence using both of them. The meaning is not important, but being able to visualize he words and their different spellings may help to keep them apart in our minds. For example:

The children were shining examples of energy as they went shinning up trees.

Some usage examples:

• Shining the spotlight on Isaan. Seacon Bangkae turns its sights on “Modern I-Isaan” over the next week, showcasing products an and traditional knowledge from the Northeast from a different angle. The event brings together minimalistic home decor handicrafts and fusion Isaan cuisine, which have been adapted for a chic, modern look and feel but still maintain the regional identity that has been carried down from generation to generation. A demonstration of basket weaving and local fabric weaving, as well as indigo dying will also be available. Customers can shop for products and sample tasty and spicy food from tomorrow (October 5) through October 14 at the Main Atrium of the shopping centre on Phetchkasem Road.
• Soopsip just finished writing about Filipinos bragging how many shining lights they’ve got on the global sports and entertainment stages and now along comes Paul Abadilla, one of the key animators on the new Pixar film “Finding Dory”. The Philippine Daily Inquirer understandably wanted to know what makes folks from that sprawling, spidery country so special. “We’re just very friendly people,” the Filipino-American artist told the newspaper while lodged at the Makati Shangri-La during a visit to his ancestral homeland. “It comes naturally. One thing that comes to mind is we’re respectful. The level of respect we have for others is always something I keep in mind.”
• Diamonds are forever and for every day. Inspired by the beauty of life in the big city, local jewellery brand Jasmin recently launched its Everyday Shining 2019 collection featuring diamond for ladies from all walks of life. With diversity at the core of the designs, the new range can be worn with any working outfit and suits every occasion in life. The popularity of the brand was evidenced by the large turn-out of celebrities to the launch event at Peacock Alley of the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok. Panuwat Supmaneeanan introduced the collection, which uses white gold to frame clusters of diamonds in various shapes and sizes in rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and brooches.
• Will gold keep shining? The precious metal’s price has shot up in 2019, and many analysts see a continued safe-haven appeal amid trade disputes and the wobbly global economy. Gold prices have leapt nearly 18% this year to exceed US$1,500 an ounce, the highest level in over six years, raising questions as to whether the precious metal’s hot streak is nearly over. Many investment firms remain bullish on gold, and they are betting that the price has scope to reach $1,600 in the foreseeable future as investors seek a refuge in safe-haven bullion to hedge against global economic doldrums and wild market swings. In recent months, concerns that the US economy is slipping into recession again have deepened with the emergence of an inverted yield curve — a phenomenon in which short-term yields climb above longer-dated ones. The flare-up of retaliatory tariffs between the world’s two biggest economies has also fanned fears. Goldman Sachs made headlines in August, predicting that gold prices would climb above $1,600 an ounce in the next six months as the US-China trade dispute boosts gold’s appeal as protection for one’s wealth. “Gold ETFs have recently built momentum almost as strong as in 2016, and we believe that can be maintained in the short-term,” the investment bank said in a note.
• Shining a light. Myanmar’s private sector heeding calls for more transparency. “Responsible business” has become the new buzzword in Myanmar, heightened by international investors’ concern about weak governance in the country’s private sector, a problem that is even more worrying in state-owned enterprises. But there is a growing understanding among the country’s business leaders and top government officials that more needs to be done to meet international standards, which in turn could encourage fresh flows of foreign investment — particularly from the West. “Good corporate governance is a critical component for sustainable development,” Maung Maung Win, a deputy planning and finance minister, told a news conference last month. “It is important for Myanmar companies to improve their corporate governance practices whether they are seeking to expand their business, foster stronger ties with international partners, or develop a smooth succession plan.” But government practice also needs to be more transparent, especially in regard to procurement — something that another deputy finance minister, Set Aung, insists is now being systematically implemented. While there is a recognition that a lot still needs to be done, Myanmar has certainly begun the long journey to better transparency and accountability.

(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)