Main Translations

• English: Comedian
• Thai: ตลก (Primary Translation 1)
• Phonetic: Dtùk (using standard Romanization for Thai pronunciation)
• Detailed Explanation: The word "comedian" refers to a person who performs comedy, often through humor, jokes, or satirical acts to entertain an audience. In English, it carries a positive, light-hearted connotation, evoking emotions like laughter and amusement. Usage scenarios include professional settings like stand-up shows, TV programs, or films, as well as casual contexts where someone is simply funny. Semantic nuances include its evolution from ancient theater (e.g., Greek comedy) to modern media, emphasizing wit and social commentary.
• Thai: นักตลก (Secondary Translation 2)
• Phonetic: Nák dtùk
• Detailed Explanation: In Thai, "นักตลก" specifically denotes a professional comedian or performer in comedic roles, often in theater, TV, or online content. It has a playful and entertaining emotional connotation, similar to English, but is more formal than "ตลก," which can also mean "funny" in a general sense. Usage scenarios include Thai entertainment industries like lakorn (TV dramas) or comedy festivals, where it highlights cultural humor. Semantic nuances involve its role in Thai society for relieving stress or critiquing social issues through satire, making it a staple in informal gatherings or public events.

Overview of Usage Scenarios

The word "comedian" is primarily used to describe individuals in entertainment contexts, such as performances, media, or social interactions. In English and Thai, it appears in everyday conversations, professional discussions, and cultural events. Key scenarios include business networking (e.g., corporate events), leisure activities (e.g., watching shows), formal occasions (e.g., award ceremonies), and informal settings (e.g., parties). Its usage often conveys humor, positivity, and cultural relevance, with variations based on context, sentence type, and complexity to suit different audiences.

Example Sentences

Example Sentences in Different Scenarios

Business Scenario

• English: The comedian delivered a hilarious routine at the company retreat, boosting team morale.
• Thai: นักตลกนำเสนอเรื่องตลกที่ฮาสำหรับงานเลี้ยงบริษัท ทำให้ทีมงานมีกำลังใจมากขึ้น
• Grammatical Breakdown: "The comedian" (subject, noun phrase) + "delivered" (verb, past tense) + "a hilarious routine" (direct object, adjective + noun) + "at the company retreat" (prepositional phrase) + "boosting team morale" (gerund phrase, explaining result).
• Structural Analysis: This is a simple declarative sentence with a subject-verb-object structure. It uses the noun "comedian" as the subject to highlight professional entertainment in a business context, emphasizing its role in fostering positive emotions.

Leisure Scenario

• English: We watched a talented comedian perform at the comedy club last night.
• Thai: เราดูนักตลกที่มีความสามารถแสดงที่สโมสรตลกเมื่อคืนนี้
• Grammatical Breakdown: "We watched" (subject + verb, past tense) + "a talented comedian" (direct object, adjective + noun) + "perform" (infinitive verb) + "at the comedy club" (prepositional phrase) + "last night" (adverbial phrase).
• Structural Analysis: This compound sentence integrates "comedian" as an object, illustrating leisure activities. The structure builds anticipation and enjoyment, common in informal recreational contexts.

Formal Occasion

• English: The renowned comedian was invited to speak at the international film festival.
• Thai: นักตลกที่มีชื่อเสียงได้รับเชิญให้พูดที่เทศกาลภาพยนตร์นานาชาติ
• Grammatical Breakdown: "The renowned comedian" (subject, adjective + noun) + "was invited" (verb, passive voice, past tense) + "to speak" (infinitive phrase) + "at the international film festival" (prepositional phrase).
• Structural Analysis: A passive sentence structure emphasizes the event over the actor, positioning "comedian" in a prestigious role. This reflects formal usage where humor intersects with professional recognition.

Informal Occasion

• English: My friend is a great comedian; he always cracks jokes at family gatherings.
• Thai: เพื่อนของฉันเป็นนักตลกที่ดีมาก เขามักจะพูดตลกในงานครอบครัวเสมอ
• Grammatical Breakdown: "My friend" (subject, possessive noun) + "is" (linking verb) + "a great comedian" (predicate nominative) + ";" (conjunction) + "he always cracks jokes" (independent clause) + "at family gatherings" (prepositional phrase).
• Structural Analysis: This compound sentence uses "comedian" descriptively in casual speech, linking personal traits to social interactions. It highlights everyday humor in informal settings.

Example Sentences in Different Sentence Types

Declarative Sentence

• English: A comedian uses humor to connect with the audience.
• Thai: นักตลกใช้ความตลกเพื่อเชื่อมต่อกับผู้ชม
• Grammatical Breakdown: "A comedian" (subject) + "uses" (verb, present tense) + "humor" (direct object) + "to connect with the audience" (infinitive phrase).
• Structural Analysis: Straightforward subject-verb-object structure, ideal for stating facts about a comedian's role.

Interrogative Sentence

• English: Have you ever seen a comedian perform live?
• Thai: คุณเคยดูนักตลกแสดงสดหรือไม่?
• Grammatical Breakdown: "Have you ever seen" (auxiliary verb + subject + main verb, present perfect tense) + "a comedian" (direct object) + "perform live" (infinitive phrase) + "?" (question mark).
• Structural Analysis: Inverted structure for questions, with "comedian" as the object, encouraging engagement in conversations.

Imperative Sentence

• English: Book a comedian for the party to keep everyone entertained.
• Thai: จองนักตลกสำหรับงานปาร์ตี้เพื่อให้ทุกคนเพลิดเพลิน
• Grammatical Breakdown: "Book" (imperative verb) + "a comedian" (direct object) + "for the party" (prepositional phrase) + "to keep everyone entertained" (infinitive phrase).
• Structural Analysis: Command form with "comedian" as the focus, used for directives in planning events.

Exclamatory Sentence

• English: What a talented comedian that was!
• Thai: นักตลกคนนั้นเก่งมากเลย!
• Grammatical Breakdown: "What a talented comedian" (exclamation phrase) + "that was" (verb phrase) + "!" (exclamation mark).
• Structural Analysis: Emphasizes admiration for a comedian, using exclamatory form to convey strong emotions.

Example Sentences of Different Difficulties

Simple Sentence

• English: The comedian is funny.
• Thai: นักตลกตลก
• Grammatical Breakdown: "The comedian" (subject) + "is" (linking verb) + "funny" (predicate adjective).
• Structural Analysis: Basic subject-verb-complement structure, suitable for beginners learning about comedians.

Intermediate Sentence

• English: During the show, the comedian shared jokes about everyday life.
• Thai: ในระหว่างการแสดง นักตลกแบ่งปันเรื่องตลกเกี่ยวกับชีวิตประจำวัน
• Grammatical Breakdown: "During the show" (prepositional phrase) + "the comedian" (subject) + "shared" (verb, past tense) + "jokes" (direct object) + "about everyday life" (prepositional phrase).
• Structural Analysis: Adds complexity with phrases, showing "comedian" in a narrative context.

Complex Sentence

• English: Although the comedian faced criticism, his performance, which included witty observations, left the audience in stitches.
• Thai: แม้ว่านักตลกจะเผชิญกับคำวิจารณ์ แต่การแสดงของเขา ซึ่งรวมถึงการสังเกตที่ฉลาด ทำให้ผู้ชมหัวเราะไม่หยุด
• Grammatical Breakdown: "Although the comedian faced criticism" (subordinate clause) + "his performance" (subject) + "which included witty observations" (relative clause) + "left the audience in stitches" (main clause).
• Structural Analysis: Multi-clause structure with "comedian" in a dependent clause, ideal for advanced discussions on challenges and impact.

Related Phrases and Expressions

Synonyms/Near Synonyms:

• Stand-up comedian – Refers to a performer who delivers humor while standing on stage, often in live settings, emphasizing direct audience interaction.
• Humorist – A broader term for someone who creates or performs humorous content, similar to comedian but with a focus on writing or subtle wit.

Antonyms:

• Straight man – In comedy duos, this is the serious counterpart to a comedian, providing contrast without humor, highlighting the lack of levity.
• Tragedian – An actor or performer focused on serious, dramatic roles, opposing the light-hearted nature of a comedian in theater or film.

Common Collocations:

• Stand-up comedian – Used in contexts like comedy clubs; e.g., "A stand-up comedian can turn everyday mishaps into gold."
• Comedy routine – Refers to a structured set of jokes; e.g., "The comedian's comedy routine included cultural references to make it relatable."

Cultural Background and Usage Habits

Cultural Background:

• Cultural Point 1: In Western cultures, comedians like those in ancient Greek theater (e.g., Aristophanes) or modern figures like Charlie Chaplin have shaped entertainment as a tool for social critique. In Thai culture, comedians are prominent in traditions like the "Lakorn" TV series or festivals such as Songkran, where humor fosters community bonding and addresses taboos indirectly.

Usage Habits:

• Habit 1: "Comedian" and its Thai equivalents are frequently used in informal conversations among younger demographics, especially on social media platforms like YouTube or TikTok. They are popular in urban areas, with high frequency in entertainment reviews or casual chats, but less so in formal Thai settings where respect and decorum are prioritized.

Grammar Explanation

• Grammatical Function: "Comedian" functions as a countable noun, typically serving as a subject, object, or complement in sentences (e.g., subject in "The comedian performed well").
• Tense and Voice: As a noun, it doesn't change with tense, but it can appear in various verb tenses (e.g., "The comedian will perform" in future tense). In passive voice, it might be part of phrases like "The comedian was praised," where the focus shifts to the action.

References

Etymology and History:

The word "comedian" originates from the Latin "comoedia," meaning "comedy," which evolved from the Greek "komodia," referring to revelry and satire in ancient theater. Historically, it gained prominence during the Renaissance with figures like Shakespeare, who featured comedians in plays, and evolved into modern stand-up comedy in the 20th century, influenced by vaudeville and radio.

Literary References:

• From William Shakespeare's "As You Like It": "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players," where comedic roles highlight life's humor. Source: Shakespeare, William. As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII.
• From modern literature: In Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," Twain acts as a literary comedian, using satire; e.g., "Humor must be something that pains others, and pleases you." Source: Twain, Mark. Various essays and speeches.