Main Translations

English: Delinquent

Thai: ผู้กระทำผิด (phûu kratham phit)

Phonetic: phûu kratham phit (pronounced as "poo gra-tam pit" with a rising tone on "phûu" and a falling tone on "phit")

Detailed Explanation: The term "delinquent" primarily refers to a person, often a young individual, who engages in illegal, harmful, or socially unacceptable behavior. In Thai, "ผู้กระทำผิด" is commonly used in legal and formal contexts, such as juvenile delinquency cases. It carries a negative emotional connotation, implying moral or legal failure, and is often associated with youth crime or negligence (e.g., in financial contexts like delinquent loans). Semantic nuances include its application in both criminal justice (e.g., a juvenile offender) and everyday scenarios (e.g., someone failing to meet obligations). This translation is neutral but judgmental, emphasizing accountability in Thai culture, where community harmony is valued.

Thai: เด็กเลว (dek leow)

Phonetic: dek leow (pronounced as "deck lee-ow" with a mid tone on "dek" and a low tone on "leow")

Detailed Explanation: As a secondary translation, "เด็กเลว" is more informal and colloquial, specifically targeting young people who exhibit rebellious or mischievous behavior. It evokes stronger emotional connotations of disappointment or frustration, often used by parents or in casual conversations. Usage scenarios include everyday reprimands or discussions about youth behavior, with semantic nuances highlighting moral judgment rather than legal implications. In Thai society, this term reflects cultural values around respect for elders and social order, but it can sometimes be seen as overly harsh or stigmatizing in modern contexts.

Overview of Usage Scenarios

The word "delinquent" is versatile and appears in various contexts, such as legal, financial, psychological, and social settings. In legal scenarios, it often describes juvenile offenders or criminal behavior. Financially, it refers to overdue payments or debts. Psychologically, it relates to behavioral issues in youth. Emotionally, it carries a negative tone, implying irresponsibility or rebellion. In Thai culture, translations like "ผู้กระทำผิด" are used formally, while "เด็กเลว" is more casual, emphasizing the word's adaptability across formal documents, conversations, and media discussions on "delinquent meaning" and youth issues.

Example Sentences

Example Sentences in Different Scenarios

Business Scenario

English: The bank had to pursue legal action against the delinquent borrower who failed to repay the loan on time.

Thai: ธนาคารต้องดำเนินการทางกฎหมายกับผู้กู้ที่เป็นผู้กระทำผิดซึ่งไม่ชำระเงินกู้ตรงเวลา (thanakhan tûng damnœn kan thang kotmâi kap phûu gùu thi pen phûu kratham phit sing mâi chamraa ngern gùu trong wela).

Grammatical Breakdown: "The bank" (subject, noun phrase) + "had to pursue" (modal verb phrase indicating obligation) + "legal action" (direct object, noun) + "against the delinquent borrower" (prepositional phrase with "delinquent" as an adjective modifying "borrower") + "who failed to repay" (relative clause).

Structural Analysis: This is a complex sentence with a main clause and a subordinate clause. "Delinquent" functions as an adjective, highlighting the borrower's negligence. In Thai, the structure mirrors English with a subject-verb-object pattern, but uses particles for emphasis, making it suitable for formal "delinquent usage examples" in business contexts.

Leisure Scenario

English: During his teenage years, he was known as a delinquent who skipped school and caused trouble in the neighborhood.

Thai: ในวัยรุ่น เขาถูกเรียกว่าคนเด็กเลวที่ขาดเรียนและก่อกวนในชุมชน (nai wai run, kăo tûk rîa wâa khon dek leow thi kàat rian læ gò gaan nai chumchon).

Grammatical Breakdown: "During his teenage years" (prepositional phrase) + "he was known as" (verb phrase) + "a delinquent" (noun with adjective) + "who skipped school and caused trouble" (relative clause with compound verbs).

Structural Analysis: This sentence uses a relative clause for additional description, with "delinquent" as a noun. In Thai, the structure is straightforward, relying on connectors like "ที่" (thi) for clauses, reflecting casual storytelling in leisure discussions about "delinquent in Thai" culture.

Formal Occasion

English: The judge addressed the issue of juvenile delinquents in the courtroom, emphasizing rehabilitation over punishment.

Thai: ผู้พิพากษาได้กล่าวถึงปัญหาของผู้กระทำผิดเยาวชนในศาล โดยเน้นการฟื้นฟูมากกว่าการลงโทษ (phûu phipaksa dâi glao tông panha khong phûu kratham phit yao chon nai sǎan, doi nén kan fûenfù maak kwa kan long tho).

Grammatical Breakdown: "The judge" (subject) + "addressed" (verb) + "the issue" (direct object) + "of juvenile delinquents" (prepositional phrase) + "emphasizing" (gerund phrase).

Structural Analysis: A compound sentence with parallel structures, where "delinquent" modifies "juveniles." Thai translation uses formal vocabulary and connectors, ideal for "delinquent meaning" in legal settings.

Informal Occasion

English: My neighbor's kid is such a delinquent; he always breaks curfew and hangs out with the wrong crowd.

Thai: ลูกเพื่อนบ้านเป็นเด็กเลวจริงๆ เขาชอบฝ่าฝืนกฎเคอร์ฟิวและคบหากับคนไม่ดี (lûuk phûen bâan pen dek leow jing-jing, kăo chôp fà-fuen kot kerfiu læ khob hà gab khon mâi di).

Grammatical Breakdown: "My neighbor's kid" (subject, possessive noun phrase) + "is such a delinquent" (predicate with adjective) + "he always breaks" (relative clause with adverb).

Structural Analysis: Informal and exclamatory in tone, with "delinquent" as a predicate adjective. Thai structure uses everyday language, making it relatable for casual "delinquent usage examples."

Example Sentences in Different Sentence Types

Declarative Sentence

English: She was labeled a delinquent after the incident at school.

Thai: เธอถูกเรียกว่าเป็นผู้กระทำผิดหลังจากเหตุการณ์ที่โรงเรียน (ter tûk rîa wâa pen phûu kratham phit lang jang hetkan thi rong rian).

Grammatical Breakdown: "She was labeled" (subject-verb phrase) + "a delinquent" (object) + "after the incident" (prepositional phrase).

Structural Analysis: Straightforward declarative structure; "delinquent" acts as a noun. Thai maintains a simple subject-verb-object flow.

Interrogative Sentence

English: Is he really a delinquent, or is he just misunderstood?

Thai: เขาเป็นผู้กระทำผิดจริงๆ หรือแค่ถูกเข้าใจผิด? (kăo pen phûu kratham phit jing-jing, ruer chae tûk khao jai phit?)

Grammatical Breakdown: "Is he" (inverted subject-verb for question) + "really a delinquent" (predicate) + "or is he just misunderstood" (alternative clause).

Structural Analysis: Interrogative form with "or" for alternatives; "delinquent" as a predicate noun. Thai uses rising intonation markers.

Imperative Sentence

English: Don't become a delinquent like your brother; focus on your studies.

Thai: อย่าเป็นผู้กระทำผิดเหมือนพี่ชาย เอาใจใส่การเรียนเถิด (yàa pen phûu kratham phit muea phîi chay, ao jai síi kan rian therd).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Don't become" (imperative verb phrase) + "a delinquent" (object) + "like your brother" (prepositional phrase).

Structural Analysis: Direct command structure; "delinquent" as an object. Thai employs softeners like "เถิด" for politeness.

Exclamatory Sentence

English: What a delinquent he turned out to be!

Thai: เขาเป็นผู้กระทำผิดตัวจริงเลย! (kăo pen phûu kratham phit dtua jing loei!)

Grammatical Breakdown: "What a delinquent" (exclamation) + "he turned out to be" (clause).

Structural Analysis: Exclamatory for emphasis; "delinquent" as a noun. Thai uses particles like "เลย" for intensity.

Example Sentences of Different Difficulties

Simple Sentence

English: He is a delinquent.

Thai: เขาเป็นผู้กระทำผิด (kăo pen phûu kratham phit).

Grammatical Breakdown: "He" (subject) + "is" (verb) + "a delinquent" (predicate noun).

Structural Analysis: Basic subject-verb-object; ideal for beginners learning "delinquent in Thai."

Intermediate Sentence

English: The delinquent boy ran away from home after the argument.

Thai: เด็กเลววิ่งหนีจากบ้านหลังจากทะเลาะกัน (dek leow wing nîi jak bâan lang jang talao gan).

Grammatical Breakdown: "The delinquent boy" (subject with adjective) + "ran away" (verb phrase) + "from home" (prepositional phrase) + "after the argument" (subordinate clause).

Structural Analysis: Adds complexity with phrases; suitable for intermediate "delinquent usage examples."

Complex Sentence

English: Although he was once considered a delinquent, he reformed his ways and became a successful entrepreneur.

Thai: แม้ว่าเขาจะเคยถูกมองว่าเป็นผู้กระทำผิด แต่เขาก็ได้เปลี่ยนแปลงตัวเองและกลายเป็นนักธุรกิจที่ประสบความสำเร็จ (mâe wâa kăo ja kîeo tûk mông wâa pen phûu kratham phit, tæ kăo gà dâi plien plaeng dtua eng læ glai pen nák thurakit thi prasop khwam samret).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Although he was once considered" (subordinate clause) + "a delinquent" (object) + "he reformed" (main clause) + "and became" (coordinating conjunction + clause).

Structural Analysis: Multi-clause structure with concessions; advanced for exploring "delinquent meaning" in depth.

Related Phrases and Expressions

Synonyms/Near Synonyms:

• Juvenile offender – Used in legal contexts to describe young criminals, similar to "delinquent" but more specific to age.
• Wayward youth – Refers to rebellious or misguided young people, carrying a connotation of potential for reform.

Antonyms:

• Law-abiding citizen – Describes someone who follows rules and laws, directly opposing the negative behavior of a "delinquent."
• Model student – Refers to an exemplary individual, especially in educational settings, contrasting with delinquent actions.

Common Collocations:

• Juvenile delinquent – Often used in crime-related discussions; explains behaviors in youth justice systems.
• Delinquent behavior – Refers to actions that violate norms, commonly in psychological or social analyses.

Cultural Background and Usage Habits

Cultural Background:

• Cultural Point 1: In Western cultures, "delinquent" is frequently linked to juvenile justice systems, as seen in media like "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton, reflecting themes of rebellion and societal pressure. In Thai culture, it ties to concepts of "face" and community harmony, where terms like "ผู้กระทำผิด" emphasize collective responsibility and rehabilitation over punishment, influenced by Buddhist values of forgiveness.

Usage Habits:

• Habit 1: "Delinquent" is more common in formal or professional settings in English-speaking countries, with high frequency in news and legal documents. In Thailand, "เด็กเลว" is popular in informal, everyday conversations among families, while "ผู้กระทำผิด" is used by educators and authorities; it's more prevalent among older generations or in rural areas where traditional values dominate.

Grammar Explanation

Grammatical Function: "Delinquent" primarily functions as a noun (e.g., "He is a delinquent") or an adjective (e.g., "Delinquent behavior"). As a noun, it acts as a subject or object; as an adjective, it modifies nouns.

Tense and Voice: The word itself doesn't change tenses, but it's used in various: past (e.g., "was a delinquent"), present (e.g., "is delinquent"), and future (e.g., "could become delinquent"). In passive voice, it appears as "was labeled a delinquent," focusing on the action done to the subject.

References

Etymology and History:

The word "delinquent" originates from the Latin "delinquens," the present participle of "delinquere," meaning "to fail" or "to offend." It evolved in English during the 15th century to describe moral or legal failures, gaining prominence in the 19th century with the rise of juvenile justice systems. In Thai, translations like "ผู้กระทำผิด" draw from traditional legal terms influenced by Western concepts during modernization in the 20th century.

Literary References:

• From "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger (1951): "I was a delinquent in my own way," Holden Caulfield reflects, highlighting themes of youthful rebellion and alienation. Source: Salinger, J.D. (1951). The Catcher in the Rye. Little, Brown and Company.
• From Thai literature: In "Kru Khrua" by Sri Burapha, similar themes of wayward youth are explored, though not directly using "delinquent," it parallels the concept in Thai social critiques. Source: Burapha, Sri. (1937). Kru Khrua. Various editions.