Main Translations

English: cue

Thai: สัญญาณ (sanyaan)

Phonetic: san-yaan (Romanized Thai pronunciation)

Detailed Explanation: The word "cue" primarily refers to a signal or prompt that indicates when to perform an action, often used in contexts like theater, film, or everyday communication. It carries a neutral to positive emotional connotation, implying readiness and timing. For instance, in a theatrical setting, a cue might be a line of dialogue or a sound that signals an actor's entrance. Semantically, it emphasizes coordination and awareness, making it essential in cue word explanation for performance arts. In Thai, "สัญญาณ" is commonly used in similar scenarios, such as in stage directions or alerts, and it can evoke a sense of anticipation or urgency.

Thai: คิว (khiu)

Phonetic: khiu (Romanized Thai pronunciation)

Detailed Explanation: As a secondary translation, "คิว" refers to a queue or line of people, but it can also extend to mean a cue in the sense of a billiards stick or a scheduled turn. This usage often has a practical, everyday connotation, associated with order and patience. In Thai culture, "คิว" is frequently used in social or recreational contexts, like waiting in line or playing games, highlighting semantic nuances of sequence and fairness. This makes it a key part of cue translations in daily Thai language learning.

Overview of Usage Scenarios

The word "cue" is versatile and appears in various contexts, including performance arts (e.g., signaling in theater), everyday communication (e.g., hints or reminders), social situations (e.g., queues), and recreational activities (e.g., billiards). Its usage scenarios often involve timing, signals, or sequences, making it a fundamental term in cue word explanation for both formal and informal settings. In Thai, translations like "สัญญาณ" and "คิว" adapt to these scenarios, reflecting cultural emphasis on coordination in group activities or daily routines.

Example Sentences

Example Sentences in Different Scenarios

Business Scenario

English: The manager gave a cue to start the meeting on time.

Thai: ผู้จัดการให้สัญญาณเพื่อเริ่มประชุมให้ตรงเวลา (Phu jang gaay hai sanyaan pheua reum bpra chum hai dtong we-la).

Grammatical Breakdown: "The manager" (subject, noun phrase) + "gave" (verb, past tense) + "a cue" (direct object, noun) + "to start the meeting on time" (infinitive phrase, indicating purpose).

Structural Analysis: This is a simple declarative sentence with a subject-verb-object structure. The word "cue" functions as a noun, emphasizing action initiation in professional settings, which aligns with cue usage scenarios in business communication.

Leisure Scenario

English: She waited in the cue for the concert tickets.

Thai: เธอรอคิวเพื่อซื้อตั๋วคอนเสิร์ต (Ther roh khiu pheua suai dtua khon-seit).

Grammatical Breakdown: "She" (subject, pronoun) + "waited" (verb, past tense) + "in the cue" (prepositional phrase) + "for the concert tickets" (purpose clause).

Structural Analysis: This sentence uses a prepositional phrase to modify the verb, illustrating "cue" as a noun for a queue. In leisure contexts, it highlights patience and social norms, common in cue translations for everyday Thai interactions.

Formal Occasion

English: The conductor missed his cue during the symphony performance.

Thai: ผู้อำนวยการวงดนตรีพลาดสัญญาณในระหว่างการแสดงซิมโฟนี (Phu am-nuey gaan wing don-tree phlat sanyaan nai ben kan bpra jang sim-pha-nee).

Grammatical Breakdown: "The conductor" (subject, noun phrase) + "missed" (verb, past tense) + "his cue" (direct object) + "during the symphony performance" (prepositional phrase).

Structural Analysis: A complex sentence structure with a subordinate clause, where "cue" acts as a noun signaling timing. This reflects formal cue usage scenarios in arts, emphasizing precision in Thai cultural events.

Informal Occasion

English: Give me a cue when you're ready to leave the party.

Thai: บอกสัญญาณให้ฉันเมื่อคุณพร้อมที่จะออกจากปาร์ตี้ (Bohk sanyaan hai chan meua khun phrom thee ja aawk jaak paa-tee).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Give" (imperative verb) + "me a cue" (direct object) + "when you're ready to leave the party" (subordinate clause).

Structural Analysis: An imperative sentence with a conditional clause, where "cue" serves as a noun for informal signals. This is typical in casual cue word explanation for social interactions in Thai.

Example Sentences in Different Sentence Types

Declarative Sentence

English: The actor followed his cue perfectly.

Thai: นักแสดงทำตามสัญญาณของเขาอย่างสมบูรณ์ (Nak sa daang tham dtam sanyaan khong kao yang sum-boon).

Grammatical Breakdown: "The actor" (subject) + "followed" (verb) + "his cue" (object) + "perfectly" (adverb).

Structural Analysis: Straightforward subject-verb-object structure, declaring a fact about cue usage in performance.

Interrogative Sentence

English: Did you miss your cue in the game?

Thai: คุณพลาดสัญญาณในเกมหรือไม่ (Khun phlat sanyaan nai geam reu mai?).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Did you" (auxiliary verb + subject) + "miss" (verb) + "your cue" (object) + "in the game" (prepositional phrase) + "or not" (question tag).

Structural Analysis: Yes/no question format, inquiring about cue translations in recreational contexts.

Imperative Sentence

English: Take your cue from the leader.

Thai: ทำตามสัญญาณจากผู้นำ (Tham dtam sanyaan jaak phu nahm).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Take" (imperative verb) + "your cue" (object) + "from the leader" (prepositional phrase).

Structural Analysis: Direct command structure, using "cue" to instruct action.

Exclamatory Sentence

English: What a perfect cue that was!

Thai: นั่นเป็นสัญญาณที่สมบูรณ์แบบจริงๆ! (Nan pen sanyaan thee sum-boon bpai jing-jing!)

Grammatical Breakdown: "What a perfect cue" (exclamation phrase) + "that was" (verb phrase).

Structural Analysis: Emphasizes emotion through exclamation, highlighting cue word explanation in positive contexts.

Example Sentences of Different Difficulties

Simple Sentence

English: He took the cue.

Thai: เขารับสัญญาณ (Khao rap sanyaan).

Grammatical Breakdown: "He" (subject) + "took" (verb) + "the cue" (object).

Structural Analysis: Basic subject-verb-object, ideal for beginners in cue translations.

Intermediate Sentence

English: After hearing the cue, she entered the stage quickly.

Thai: หลังจากได้ยินสัญญาณ เธอก็ขึ้นเวทีอย่างรวดเร็ว (Lang jaak dai yin sanyaan, ther gaw keun weh-tee yang ror-rot-kee-o).

Grammatical Breakdown: "After hearing the cue" (subordinate clause) + "she entered the stage quickly" (main clause).

Structural Analysis: Compound structure with a time clause, showing intermediate cue usage scenarios.

Complex Sentence

English: Although the cue was subtle, it effectively signaled the start of the event, leading to a successful outcome.

Thai: แม้ว่าสัญญาณจะละเอียดอ่อน แต่ก็ส่งสัญญาณเริ่มต้นของงานได้อย่างมีประสิทธิภาพ ส่งผลให้เกิดผลลัพธ์ที่ประสบความสำเร็จ (Maew wa sanyaan ja la-ay-ard-oon, tae gaw song sanyaan reum-ton khong ngan dai yang mee bpra-sit-phi-phap, song phor hai geerd phal-lat thee prasop khwam sam-reung).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Although the cue was subtle" (concessive clause) + "it effectively signaled the start" (main clause) + "leading to a successful outcome" (participial phrase).

Structural Analysis: Multi-clause structure, demonstrating advanced nuances in cue word explanation.

Related Phrases and Expressions

Synonyms/Near Synonyms:

• Signal – Used interchangeably with "cue" in contexts like theater or alerts, emphasizing immediate action.
• Hint – A subtle cue translations for indirect suggestions in conversations.

Antonyms:

• Disruption – Opposite of a cue, indicating chaos or interruption in usage scenarios.
• Ignorance – Refers to ignoring a cue, contrasting with awareness in communication.

Common Collocations:

• On cue – Used to describe perfect timing, as in "He arrived on cue," common in Thai informal speech.
• Miss the cue – Indicates a failure to respond, often in performance arts for cue word explanation.

Cultural Background and Usage Habits

Cultural Background:

• Cultural Point 1: In Western cultures, "cue" is deeply rooted in theater and film traditions, symbolizing collaboration and timing, as seen in Shakespeare's works. In Thai culture, similar concepts appear in traditional performances like "Khon" dance, where "สัญญาณ" ensures synchronized movements, reflecting collectivism and harmony.

Usage Habits:

• Habit 1: "Cue" is frequently used in urban Thai settings, especially among younger generations in social media or gaming, due to its popularity in global entertainment. It's more common in formal groups like theater enthusiasts, with everyday usage varying by region for cue translations.

Grammar Explanation

Grammatical Function: "Cue" primarily functions as a noun (e.g., as a subject, object, or in prepositional phrases) but can also be a verb in informal contexts, meaning to give a signal (e.g., "to cue someone"). In sentences, it often acts as a direct object, as in "She missed the cue."

Tense and Voice: As a noun, "cue" doesn't change tenses, but when used as a verb, it conjugates: present (cue), past (cued), future (will cue). In passive voice, it might appear as "The actor was cued by the director," altering focus in cue usage scenarios.

References

Etymology and History:

The word "cue" originates from the Latin "quando" (meaning "when"), evolving through French "queue" (tail) to English in the 16th century. It gained prominence in theater by the 18th century, influencing modern cue translations in languages like Thai, where it adapted to local contexts of signaling and queuing.

Literary References:

• From Shakespeare's "Hamlet" (Act 1, Scene 2): "Give me that cue again," where it refers to a prompt, illustrating dramatic tension. In Thai literature, similar ideas appear in works like "Phra Aphai Mani," where signals play a role in storytelling.