BaanWords

backbiting

นินทา - Thai translation

Main Translations

  • English: backbiting
  • Thai: นินทา (ninta)
    • Phonetic: nin-ta (pronounced with a short 'i' sound as in "bin" and emphasis on the second syllable)
    • Detailed Explanation: "นินทา" is the primary Thai translation for "backbiting," referring to the act of speaking ill of someone behind their back, often with malicious intent. It carries strong negative emotional connotations, implying betrayal, jealousy, or harm to one's reputation. Usage scenarios include social gossip, workplace conflicts, or family disputes. Semantically, it emphasizes the covert nature of the criticism, making it a nuanced term for indirect defamation in Thai culture, where "saving face" is important. For SEO purposes, this term is commonly searched in contexts like "backbiting meaning in Thai relationships."
  • Thai: พูดลับหลัง (phut lap lang)
    • Phonetic: phut lap lang (pronounced with a soft 'ph' as in "phone," and equal stress on each syllable)
    • Detailed Explanation: This secondary translation literally means "speaking behind the back" and is used interchangeably with "นินทา" in everyday Thai. It highlights the secretive aspect of backbiting, with emotional connotations of dishonesty and cowardice. Usage scenarios often involve informal settings like casual conversations or social media, where it can lead to relational strain. Semantically, it is less formal than "นินทา" and is popular in modern contexts, such as online discussions, making it relevant for searches like "backbiting examples in Thai language."

Overview of Usage Scenarios

Backbiting, as a noun derived from English, typically describes malicious gossip or criticism directed at someone who is not present. In Thai, equivalents like "นินทา" or "พูดลับหลัง" are used in various contexts, including social interactions, professional environments, and personal relationships. Common usage scenarios involve conflicts where indirect communication leads to harm, such as workplace drama, family feuds, or online trolling. This word often carries ethical undertones, emphasizing the importance of directness and integrity, and is frequently discussed in SEO-optimized content related to "backbiting in daily life" or "effects of backbiting on mental health."

Example Sentences

Example Sentences in Different Scenarios

  • Business Scenario
    • English: Backbiting in the office can severely damage team morale and productivity.
    • Thai: การนินทาในที่ทำงานสามารถทำลายขวัญกำลังและประสิทธิภาพของทีมได้อย่างรุนแรง (Kan ninta nai thi tham-ngan samat tham-lai khuan kamlang lae prasitthiphap khong tim dai yang run-raeng).
    • Grammatical Breakdown: "Backbiting" functions as a gerund (noun form of a verb), acting as the subject. "In the office" is a prepositional phrase providing location. "Can severely damage" is a modal verb phrase indicating possibility and intensity.
    • Structural Analysis: The sentence follows a subject-verb-object structure, common in declarative English sentences. In Thai, it uses a similar subject-predicate format with classifiers like "การ" (indicating an action), making it formal and suitable for professional discussions on "backbiting in business settings."
  • Leisure Scenario
    • English: Friends often engage in backbiting during casual gatherings, but it can ruin friendships.
    • Thai: เพื่อนมักจะพูดลับหลังกันในระหว่างการพบปะอย่างไม่เป็นทางการ แต่สิ่งนี้อาจทำลายมิตรภาพ (Phueng mak ja phut lap lang gan nai radap kan phop-pa yang mai pen thurakit tae sing nee at tham-lai mitraphap).
    • Grammatical Breakdown: "Engage in backbiting" is a phrasal verb with "backbiting" as the object. "During casual gatherings" is a prepositional phrase for time and context.
    • Structural Analysis: This compound sentence contrasts actions, using conjunctions for flow. In Thai, it employs connectors like "แต่" (but), reflecting informal speech patterns often searched in "backbiting examples in social scenarios."
  • Formal Occasion
    • English: The speaker warned against backbiting at the conference, emphasizing ethical communication.
    • Thai: ผู้พูดเตือนเกี่ยวกับการนินทาในการประชุม โดยเน้นย้ำถึงการสื่อสารที่มีจริยธรรม (Phu phut teu-anเกี่ยงกับการนินทา nai kan prachum doi neng yam thueng kan suea-san thi mi jariyatham).
    • Grammatical Breakdown: "Backbiting" is a direct object of "warned against." "At the conference" is a prepositional phrase for location.
    • Structural Analysis: The sentence is complex, with a main clause and a participial phrase. Thai structure uses passive elements for formality, aligning with SEO topics like "backbiting in formal events."
  • Informal Occasion
    • English: She caught her sibling backbiting about her to their friends at the party.
    • Thai: เธอจับได้ว่าพี่น้องของเธอพูดลับหลังเกี่ยวกับเธอกับเพื่อนๆ ในงานปาร์ตี้ (Thoe chap dai wa phi-nong khong thoe phut lap lang kee-iang gub phueng nai ngan party).
    • Grammatical Breakdown: "Backbiting" is a gerund used as an object. "About her" is a prepositional phrase specifying the target.
    • Structural Analysis: It uses a subordinate clause for detail. In Thai, relative clauses add narrative depth, common in casual storytelling related to "backbiting in everyday conversations."

Example Sentences in Different Sentence Types

  • Declarative Sentence
    • English: Backbiting is a harmful habit that destroys trust.
    • Thai: การนินทาเป็นนิสัยที่เป็นโทษและทำลายความเชื่อใจ (Kan ninta pen nissai thi pen thot lae tham-lai khwam chuea jai).
    • Grammatical Breakdown: "Backbiting" is the subject; "is" is the linking verb.
    • Structural Analysis: Simple subject-verb-complement structure; Thai mirrors this with nominalization via "การ."
  • Interrogative Sentence
    • English: Have you ever witnessed backbiting in your social circle?
    • Thai: คุณเคยเห็นการนินทาในวงสังคมของคุณหรือไม่ (Khun koi hen kan ninta nai wong sangkhom khong khun rue mai).
    • Grammatical Breakdown: "Backbiting" is the object of "witnessed"; the sentence starts with an auxiliary verb for questioning.
    • Structural Analysis: Inverted structure for questions; Thai uses question particles like "หรือไม่."
  • Imperative Sentence
    • English: Avoid backbiting to maintain healthy relationships.
    • Thai: หลีกเลี่ยงการนินทาเพื่อรักษาความสัมพันธ์ที่ดี (Lik liang kan ninta pheu raksa khwam samphan thi di).
    • Grammatical Breakdown: "Avoid" is the imperative verb; "backbiting" is the direct object.
    • Structural Analysis: Command form; Thai uses infinitives for directives.
  • Exclamatory Sentence
    • English: What a destructive force backbiting can be in communities!
    • Thai: นินทานั้นเป็นพลังทำลายล้างเพียงใดในชุมชน! (Ninta nan pen phalang tham-lai lang phiang dai nai chumchon!)
    • Grammatical Breakdown: "Backbiting" is the subject; exclamation is marked by "What a...".
    • Structural Analysis: Emphasizes emotion; Thai uses exclamation marks and intensifiers.

Example Sentences of Different Difficulties

  • Simple Sentence
    • English: Backbiting hurts people.
    • Thai: การนินทาทำร้ายคน (Kan ninta tham-rai khon).
    • Grammatical Breakdown: Subject-verb-object structure.
    • Structural Analysis: Basic and direct; ideal for beginners.
  • Intermediate Sentence
    • English: People who practice backbiting often face social consequences.
    • Thai: บุคคลที่ชอบนินทามักเผชิญกับผลกระทบทางสังคม (Bukkhon thi chorb ninta mak pha-chiang gub phal krathop thang sangkhom).
    • Grammatical Breakdown: Relative clause ("who practice backbiting").
    • Structural Analysis: Adds complexity with modifiers.
  • Complex Sentence
    • English: Although backbiting seems harmless at first, it can lead to long-term isolation and regret.
    • Thai: แม้ว่าการนินทาจะดูไร้โทษในตอนแรก แต่ก็สามารถนำไปสู่ความโดดเดี่ยวและความเสียใจในระยะยาว (Maew wa kan ninta ja du rai thot nai ton raek tae ga samat nam pai su khwam dod diao lae khwam sia jai nai ra ya yao).
    • Grammatical Breakdown: Subordinate clause ("Although...") and main clause.
    • Structural Analysis: Uses conjunctions for contrast; Thai employs similar connectors.

Related Phrases and Expressions

  • Synonyms/Near Synonyms:
    • Gossip – Often used in casual contexts to describe light backbiting, but less malicious (e.g., "Office gossip can escalate to backbiting.").
    • Slander – A more legal term implying false statements, similar to backbiting but with intent to harm (e.g., "Backbiting turns into slander when it's proven untrue.").
  • Antonyms:
    • Praise – The opposite, involving positive comments (e.g., "Instead of backbiting, offer praise to build others up.").
    • Commendation – Formal approval, contrasting the negativity of backbiting (e.g., "Public commendation fosters trust, unlike backbiting.").
  • Common Collocations:
    • Engage in backbiting – Refers to actively participating in it (e.g., "People engage in backbiting during stressful times.").
    • Avoid backbiting – Advises steering clear of it (e.g., "Wise leaders avoid backbiting to maintain team harmony.").

Cultural Background and Usage Habits

  • Cultural Background:
    • Cultural Point 1: In Thai culture, backbiting is heavily discouraged due to the concept of "saving face" (kreng jai), where indirect criticism can cause embarrassment and social discord. This aligns with Buddhist principles of mindfulness and non-harm, making backbiting a taboo in community settings, as seen in traditional Thai proverbs like "Don't speak ill of others behind their back."
  • Usage Habits:
    • Habit 1: Backbiting is more frequent in informal, everyday conversations among younger demographics on social media, but it's less common in formal Thai society. It's popular in urban areas due to Western influences, with high usage among 18-35-year-olds, as per studies on digital communication. For SEO, this is often linked to "backbiting in modern Thai culture."

Grammar Explanation

  • Grammatical Function: "Backbiting" primarily functions as a noun (gerund form of the verb "backbite"), serving as a subject, object, or part of a phrase in sentences (e.g., subject in "Backbiting destroys trust"). In Thai, equivalents like "นินทา" act similarly as nouns.
  • Tense and Voice: As a gerund, it doesn't change tenses directly but can appear in phrases like "was backbiting" (past continuous). In active voice, it's straightforward (e.g., "They were backbiting"), while passive voice might involve it as part of a larger structure (e.g., "Backbiting was discouraged"). Thai verbs don't conjugate for tense, relying on context or time markers.

References

  • Etymology and History: The word "backbiting" originates from Old English "bæcbitung," combining "bæc" (back) and "bitung" (biting), evolving in Middle English to mean malicious gossip. It gained prominence in the 14th century through religious texts, symbolizing betrayal, and is now common in psychological discussions on "backbiting effects in society."
  • Literary References: In Shakespeare's "Othello," Iago engages in backbiting: "I will in Cassio's lodging lose this napkin and let him find it" (Act 3, Scene 3), illustrating manipulation through gossip. In modern literature, George Orwell's "1984" references similar themes: "The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears" (Chapter 1), alluding to controlled backbiting in dystopian contexts.