Main Translations

English: bail

Thai: ประกันตัว (prakan dtua)

Phonetic: prah-kan doo-a

Detailed Explanation: The primary translation of "bail" refers to the legal process of temporarily releasing someone from custody, often in exchange for a sum of money or surety, pending trial. This usage is common in formal contexts like court proceedings and carries a neutral to serious emotional connotation, emphasizing justice, accountability, and temporary freedom. Semantic nuances include its role in the criminal justice system, where it implies trust in the accused to return for trial. In Thai culture, "ประกันตัว" is frequently used in legal discussions and news reports, reflecting Western-influenced legal systems.

Thai: ตักน้ำ (dtak nam)

Phonetic: dtak nahm

Detailed Explanation: A secondary translation of "bail" relates to the act of removing water from a container or boat, such as in nautical or emergency situations. This usage has a practical, urgent connotation, often evoking emotions of urgency or problem-solving. Semantic nuances highlight physical action and prevention of flooding. In Thai, "ตักน้ำ" is more informal and everyday, commonly used in contexts like boating or flooding scenarios, where it emphasizes quick, hands-on responses to environmental challenges.

Overview of Usage Scenarios

The word "bail" is versatile and appears in various contexts, primarily legal (e.g., releasing someone from jail) and practical (e.g., removing water). In legal scenarios, it involves formal processes like court decisions, while in everyday situations, it relates to emergencies or manual labor. Usage often depends on context: formal in legal settings, informal in nautical or casual conversations. This makes "bail" a keyword in searches for legal translations or practical English-Thai phrases, with common applications in business, leisure, and daily life.

Example Sentences

Example Sentences in Different Scenarios

Business Scenario

English: The investor decided to bail out the struggling startup with a large sum of money.

Thai: นักลงทุนตัดสินใจประกันตัวสตาร์ทอัพที่กำลังดิ้นรนด้วยเงินจำนวนมาก (nak long thun dtat sin jai prakan dtua sat-at-ap thi gam lang din ron duay ngoen jang waang mak).

Grammatical Breakdown: "The investor" (subject, noun phrase) + "decided" (verb, past tense) + "to bail out" (infinitive verb phrase, phrasal verb meaning financial rescue) + "the struggling startup" (direct object, noun phrase) + "with a large sum of money" (prepositional phrase, providing additional detail).

Structural Analysis: This is a complex sentence with a main clause ("The investor decided") and a subordinate infinitive phrase ("to bail out"). It uses active voice for directness, common in business contexts to convey decision-making and urgency.

Leisure Scenario

English: During the boating trip, we had to bail water out of the boat to keep it from sinking.

Thai: ระหว่างทริปเรือ เราต้องตักน้ำออกจากเรือเพื่อป้องกันไม่ให้จม (rian waan triop ruea, rao dtong dtak nam ork jak ruea pheu bpong tern mai hai jum).

Grammatical Breakdown: "During the boating trip" (prepositional phrase, adverbial) + "we" (subject, pronoun) + "had to" (modal verb phrase, indicating obligation) + "bail water out" (verb phrase, action) + "of the boat" (prepositional phrase) + "to keep it from sinking" (infinitive clause, purpose).

Structural Analysis: A compound sentence structure with a main clause and a purpose clause, using imperative undertones for practical advice. This reflects casual, problem-solving language in leisure activities.

Formal Occasion

English: The court granted bail to the accused, setting a high amount to ensure their appearance.

Thai: ศาลอนุมัติประกันตัวให้ผู้ถูกกล่าวหา โดยกำหนดจำนวนเงินสูงเพื่อให้มั่นใจว่าพวกเขาจะมาศาล (saan a-nu-mat prakan dtua hai poo tuk glorb ha, doi gam nod jang waang ngoen soong pheu hai mun in wa phuek khao ja ma saan).

Grammatical Breakdown: "The court" (subject, noun) + "granted" (verb, past tense) + "bail" (direct object, noun) + "to the accused" (prepositional phrase) + "setting a high amount" (gerund phrase, additional action) + "to ensure their appearance" (infinitive phrase, purpose).

Structural Analysis: A declarative sentence with embedded clauses, typical of formal legal language, emphasizing authority and conditions for release.

Informal Occasion

English: I had to bail on the party early because I wasn't feeling well.

Thai: ฉันต้องถอนตัวจากปาร์ตี้แต่เนิ่นๆ เพราะฉันรู้สึกไม่สบาย (chan dtong thon dtua jak paa-tee tae neun neun, proh chan roo seuk mai sa bai).

Grammatical Breakdown: "I" (subject, pronoun) + "had to" (modal verb, obligation) + "bail on" (phrasal verb, informal for withdrawing) + "the party" (direct object) + "early" (adverb) + "because I wasn't feeling well" (subordinate clause, reason).

Structural Analysis: An informal, simple sentence with a causal clause, using "bail on" as slang for exiting a social situation, which adds a conversational tone.

Example Sentences in Different Sentence Types

Declarative Sentence

English: The defendant was released on bail after posting the required bond.

Thai: จำเลยได้รับการประกันตัวหลังจากวางเงินประกันที่กำหนด (jam leoy dai rap garn prakan dtua lang jaak waang ngoen prakan thi gam nod).

Grammatical Breakdown: "The defendant" (subject) + "was released" (verb, passive voice) + "on bail" (prepositional phrase) + "after posting the required bond" (subordinate clause).

Structural Analysis: Straightforward declarative structure, stating a fact in legal contexts with passive voice for objectivity.

Interrogative Sentence

English: Will the judge approve bail for the suspect in this case?

Thai: ผู้พิพากษาจะอนุมัติประกันตัวให้ผู้ต้องสงสัยในคดีนี้หรือไม่? (poo phi pa kasa ja a-nu-mat prakan dtua hai poo dtong song sai nai kadi ni rue mai?).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Will" (auxiliary verb, forming question) + "the judge" (subject) + "approve" (verb) + "bail" (object) + "for the suspect" (prepositional phrase) + "in this case" (additional phrase) + "or not?" (tag for question).

Structural Analysis: Interrogative form with inversion (auxiliary before subject), used for seeking information in formal inquiries.

Imperative Sentence

English: Bail the water out of the boat before it gets any worse!

Thai: ตักน้ำออกจากเรือก่อนที่มันจะแย่ลงไปกว่านี้! (dtak nam ork jak ruea kon thi man ja yae long pai gwa ni!).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Bail" (imperative verb) + "the water out" (direct object and particle) + "of the boat" (prepositional phrase) + "before it gets any worse" (subordinate clause).

Structural Analysis: Direct command structure, urgent and action-oriented, common in emergencies.

Exclamatory Sentence

English: I can't believe they denied bail to such a minor offender!

Thai: ฉันไม่อยากเชื่อเลยที่พวกเขาปฏิเสธประกันตัวผู้กระทำผิดรายย่อย! (chan mai yak cheua loey thi phuek khao bpati set prakan dtua poo kra tham phit rai yut!).

Grammatical Breakdown: "I can't believe" (expressive phrase) + "they" (subject) + "denied" (verb) + "bail" (object) + "to such a minor offender" (prepositional phrase) + "!" (exclamation mark for emphasis).

Structural Analysis: Exclamatory form to convey surprise or frustration, with emotional emphasis in informal discussions.

Example Sentences of Different Difficulties

Simple Sentence

English: He paid bail yesterday.

Thai: เขาจ่ายเงินประกันตัวเมื่อวานนี้ (khao jaai ngoen prakan dtua muea waan ni).

Grammatical Breakdown: "He" (subject) + "paid" (verb, past tense) + "bail" (object).

Structural Analysis: Basic subject-verb-object structure, ideal for beginners.

Intermediate Sentence

English: After the arrest, the lawyer arranged for bail to be posted quickly.

Thai: หลังจากถูกจับกุม ทนายความได้จัดหาเงินประกันตัวอย่างรวดเร็ว (lang jaak thuk jap kum, ta naai khwam dai jat ha ngoen prakan dtua yang ruat reo).

Grammatical Breakdown: "After the arrest" (subordinate clause) + "the lawyer" (subject) + "arranged" (verb) + "for bail to be posted" (infinitive phrase) + "quickly" (adverb).

Structural Analysis: Compound structure with a time clause, suitable for intermediate learners focusing on sequencing.

Complex Sentence

English: Although the judge was hesitant, bail was granted because the evidence against the accused was weak.

Thai: แม้ว่าผู้พิพากษาจะลังเล แต่ประกันตัวก็ได้รับอนุมัติเพราะหลักฐานที่กล่าวหาผู้ต้องหามีจุดอ่อน (mae wa poo phi pa kasa ja lang le, tae prakan dtua gor dai rap a-nu-mat proh lak kha sib thi glorb ha poo dtong ha mee jut orn).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Although the judge was hesitant" (subordinate clause) + "bail was granted" (main clause) + "because the evidence was weak" (another subordinate clause).

Structural Analysis: Multi-clause structure with conjunctions, demonstrating advanced dependency for complex legal narratives.

Related Phrases and Expressions

Synonyms/Near Synonyms:

• Bond – Used in legal contexts to refer to a financial guarantee, similar to bail (e.g., "The bond ensured his return to court").
• Scoop out – Informal equivalent for removing water, as in bailing from a boat (e.g., "Scoop out the excess water quickly").

Antonyms:

• Imprison – Opposite in legal contexts, meaning to confine someone (e.g., "The court chose to imprison the suspect instead of granting bail").
• Flood – Antonym for the water-related meaning, implying an influx rather than removal (e.g., "The boat began to flood, making bailing impossible").

Common Collocations:

• Bail out – Often used for financial rescue or exiting a situation (e.g., "The government had to bail out the bank during the crisis").
• Grant bail – A legal collocation meaning to approve release (e.g., "The judge will grant bail if conditions are met").

Cultural Background and Usage Habits

Cultural Background:

• Cultural Point 1: In Thai culture, "bail" (translated as "ประกันตัว") is deeply tied to the modern justice system, influenced by Western legal traditions from the 19th century. It symbolizes a balance between individual rights and state control, often discussed in media during high-profile cases, reflecting societal values of fairness and reform.

Usage Habits:

• Habit 1: "Bail" is frequently used in formal settings like news reports or courtrooms, with high popularity among legal professionals and urban dwellers. It's less common in rural areas, where informal resolutions are preferred, and appears in everyday speech during emergencies like flooding, especially in Thailand's rainy season.

Grammar Explanation

Grammatical Function: "Bail" primarily functions as a noun (e.g., "The bail amount was high") or a verb (e.g., "We need to bail the water"). As a noun, it acts as a subject, object, or complement; as a verb, it's often transitive (e.g., "bail someone out").

Tense and Voice: "Bail" changes with tenses: present (bail), past (bailed), future (will bail). In passive voice, it becomes "Bail was granted by the court," emphasizing the action rather than the doer, which is common in formal legal writing.

References

Etymology and History:

The word "bail" originates from Old French "baillier" (to deliver or hand over), evolving in English by the 14th century to mean security for release. In Thai, "ประกันตัว" draws from modern legal reforms, incorporating English influences during the Rattanakosin era, making it a key term in bilingual legal contexts.

Literary References:

• From Shakespeare's "Henry VI, Part 2": "Bail and mainprise shall not be granted" – This highlights bail's historical role in justice, sourced from Elizabethan drama.
• In modern Thai literature, such as in works by Sidaoruang, bail appears in social critiques: "ประกันตัวกลายเป็นเครื่องมือของคนรวย" (Bail becomes a tool for the wealthy), emphasizing class disparities in contemporary Thai novels.