committee

คณะกรรมการ - Thai translation

Main Translations

English: Committee
Thai: คณะกรรมการ (Primary Translation 1)
Phonetic: Ka-na Gam-ga-te
Detailed Explanation: The word "คณะกรรมการ" is commonly used in formal and organizational contexts in Thai, such as government bodies, corporate settings, or community groups. It refers to a group of people appointed or elected to perform a specific task, like decision-making or oversight. Usage scenarios include official meetings, policy discussions, and administrative roles. Emotionally, it carries a neutral to positive connotation, symbolizing collaboration and structured governance. Semantic nuances involve its hierarchical nature, often implying authority and collective responsibility, which aligns with Thai cultural emphasis on harmony and group consensus.
Thai: กลุ่มคณะ (Secondary Translation 2)
Phonetic: Klum Ka-na
Detailed Explanation: "กลุ่มคณะ" is a less formal alternative, emphasizing a "group" aspect in casual or temporary settings, such as community events or informal projects. It is used when the group is not as structured or official as a full committee. Emotionally, it may evoke a sense of inclusivity and flexibility, with nuances highlighting adaptability rather than rigid authority. This translation is common in everyday Thai conversations, reflecting scenarios where hierarchy is minimized for better social cohesion.

Overview of Usage Scenarios

The word "committee" typically refers to a group of individuals assembled for a specific purpose, such as decision-making, investigation, or management. In English and Thai contexts, it is most commonly used in formal settings like business, government, and organizations, but it can also appear in informal or leisure scenarios. Key usage scenarios include administrative roles in corporations, community planning, and event organization, where it denotes collaboration and shared responsibility. This term often implies neutrality and professionalism, with variations based on cultural contexts like Thailand's emphasis on collective decision-making.

Example Sentences

Example Sentences in Different Scenarios

Business Scenario

English: The committee reviewed the annual budget during the meeting.
Thai: คณะกรรมการได้ทบทวนงบประมาณประจำปีในการประชุม
Grammatical Breakdown: "The committee" (subject, noun phrase) acts as the main entity; "reviewed" (verb, past tense) indicates action; "the annual budget" (direct object, noun phrase); "during the meeting" (prepositional phrase, adverbial modifier).
Structural Analysis: This is a simple declarative sentence with a subject-verb-object structure. It uses past tense to describe a completed action, common in business reports for clarity and formality, emphasizing accountability in professional settings.

Leisure Scenario

English: We formed a committee to organize the neighborhood picnic.
Thai: เราก่อตั้งกลุ่มคณะเพื่อจัดงานปิกนิกในชุมชน
Grammatical Breakdown: "We" (subject, pronoun); "formed" (verb, past tense); "a committee" (direct object, noun); "to organize the neighborhood picnic" (infinitive phrase, purpose clause).
Structural Analysis: This sentence follows a subject-verb-object pattern with an infinitive clause for intent. It's informal and motivational, suitable for leisure contexts, highlighting community involvement in Thai culture where group activities foster social bonds.

Formal Occasion

English: The committee was established by the board to oversee the project.
Thai: คณะกรรมการถูกจัดตั้งโดยคณะกรรมการบริหารเพื่อดูแลโครงการ
Grammatical Breakdown: "The committee" (subject, noun); "was established" (verb phrase, passive voice, past tense); "by the board" (agent, prepositional phrase); "to oversee the project" (infinitive phrase, purpose).
Structural Analysis: A passive voice structure emphasizes the action over the doer, typical in formal writing for objectivity. This enhances professionalism, aligning with Thai formal etiquette where hierarchy and respect are key.

Informal Occasion

English: Let's join the committee for the school event; it sounds fun!
Thai: มาสมัครเข้ากลุ่มคณะสำหรับงานโรงเรียนสิ มันน่าตื่นเต้นเลย!
Grammatical Breakdown: "Let's" (subject, contraction of "let us"); "join" (verb, imperative form); "the committee" (direct object, noun); "for the school event" (prepositional phrase); "it sounds fun" (independent clause, exclamation).
Structural Analysis: This imperative sentence combines suggestion with an exclamatory element, making it engaging for informal use. In Thai contexts, it reflects a casual, inclusive tone to encourage participation in social activities.

Example Sentences in Different Sentence Types

Declarative Sentence

English: The committee will meet next week.
Thai: คณะกรรมการจะประชุมในสัปดาห์หน้า
Grammatical Breakdown: "The committee" (subject); "will meet" (verb, future tense); "next week" (adverbial phrase).
Structural Analysis: A straightforward subject-verb-complement structure conveys factual information, ideal for planning in both English and Thai usage.

Interrogative Sentence

English: Has the committee finalized the report yet?
Thai: คณะกรรมการได้สรุปรายงานแล้วหรือยัง?
Grammatical Breakdown: "Has" (auxiliary verb); "the committee" (subject); "finalized the report" (verb phrase); "yet" (adverb).
Structural Analysis: This yes/no question inverts the subject-auxiliary order for inquiry, promoting dialogue in meetings or casual checks.

Imperative Sentence

English: Appoint a new committee immediately.
Thai: แต่งตั้งคณะกรรมการใหม่ทันที
Grammatical Breakdown: "Appoint" (verb, imperative form); "a new committee" (direct object); "immediately" (adverb).
Structural Analysis: Direct command structure urges action, common in leadership contexts to convey urgency.

Exclamatory Sentence

English: What a productive committee meeting that was!
Thai: นี่เป็นการประชุมคณะกรรมการที่มีประสิทธิภาพมาก!
Grammatical Breakdown: "What a" (exclamation starter); "productive committee meeting" (noun phrase); "that was" (verb clause).
Structural Analysis: Exclamatory form expresses enthusiasm, enhancing emotional impact in reviews or feedback sessions.

Example Sentences of Different Difficulties

Simple Sentence

English: The committee decided.
Thai: คณะกรรมการตัดสินใจ
Grammatical Breakdown: "The committee" (subject); "decided" (verb, past tense).
Structural Analysis: Basic subject-verb structure for beginners, focusing on core meaning without complexity.

Intermediate Sentence

English: After reviewing the proposals, the committee selected the best one.
Thai: หลังจากทบทวนข้อเสนอ คณะกรรมการเลือกอันที่ดีที่สุด
Grammatical Breakdown: "After reviewing the proposals" (subordinate clause); "the committee" (subject); "selected the best one" (verb phrase).
Structural Analysis: Includes a dependent clause for added detail, suitable for intermediate learners to show cause-effect relationships.

Complex Sentence

English: Although the committee faced challenges, they finalized the plan, which impressed the stakeholders.
Thai: แม้ว่าคณะกรรมการจะเผชิญกับความท้าทาย แต่พวกเขาสรุปแผนเรียบร้อย ซึ่งทำให้ผู้มีส่วนได้เสียประทับใจ
Grammatical Breakdown: "Although the committee faced challenges" (subordinate clause); "they finalized the plan" (main clause); "which impressed the stakeholders" (relative clause).
Structural Analysis: Multiple clauses create a nuanced narrative, ideal for advanced contexts like reports or discussions.

Related Phrases and Expressions

Synonyms/Near Synonyms:

Board – Used in formal contexts for governing bodies, e.g., "The board oversees operations," implying similar authority as a committee.
Panel – Refers to a group for discussion or judgment, e.g., "A panel of experts reviewed the case," with a focus on expertise.

Antonyms:

Individual – Contrasts with group dynamics, e.g., "An individual decision lacks the input of a committee," highlighting solitary action.
Solo – Emphasizes single-person efforts, e.g., "Solo efforts are faster but less collaborative than committee work."

Common Collocations:

Standing committee – A permanent group, e.g., "The standing committee handles ongoing policies," used in organizational contexts.
Ad hoc committee – A temporary setup, e.g., "An ad hoc committee was formed for the emergency," indicating flexibility in problem-solving.

Cultural Background and Usage Habits

Cultural Background:

Cultural Point 1: In Thai culture, committees (e.g., "คณะกรรมการ") often reflect the societal value of "kreng jai" (consideration for others), where decisions are made collectively to maintain harmony. This stems from Thailand's hierarchical and community-oriented traditions, as seen in government and village assemblies, emphasizing consensus over individual dominance.

Usage Habits:

Habit 1: Committees are frequently used in formal and bureaucratic settings in Thailand, making the term popular among professionals, government officials, and community leaders. It is less common in everyday casual talk but appears in media and education, with high frequency in urban areas due to modern organizational structures.

Grammar Explanation

Grammatical Function:

"Committee" functions primarily as a countable noun, serving as a subject, object, or part of a phrase in sentences. For example, as a subject: "The committee decided"; as an object: "We appointed the committee." In Thai, it behaves similarly in noun phrases like "คณะกรรมการใหม่" (a new committee).

Tense and Voice:

As a noun, "committee" does not change with tenses but can appear in various verb tenses within sentences, e.g., present: "The committee meets"; past: "The committee met." In passive voice, it can be the subject, e.g., "The committee was formed," which is common in formal writing to emphasize the action rather than the actor.

References

Etymology and History:

The word "committee" originates from the Latin "committere," meaning "to entrust," evolving through Middle English as "comittee" in the 15th century to denote a group entrusted with a task. Historically, it gained prominence during the English Parliament's use in the 17th century for legislative subgroups, influencing modern organizational structures worldwide, including in Thailand where it was adopted during Western influences in the 19th century.

Literary References:

From George Orwell's "Animal Farm": "A committee of pigs was at once established to meet the human beings in amity." This illustrates the word's use in satirical contexts, highlighting power dynamics. Source: Orwell, G. (1945). Animal Farm.
From Thai literature in "The Story of Phra Aphai Mani" by Sunthorn Phu: Implied group decisions in royal courts, akin to committees, reflect traditional Thai governance. Source: Phu, S. (19th century). The Story of Phra Aphai Mani (adapted translation).