#sawasdee

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[telomeke]

สวัสดี/sawatdi/sawasdee

Today I learned that the formal Thai greeting we know so well – สวัสดี (sawatdi/sawasdee) – is not even a hundred years old! 👀

From Wikipedia:

The word sawatdi was coined in the mid-1930s by Phraya Upakit Silapasan of Chulalongkorn University. Derived from the Sanskrit svasti (स्वस्ति meaning 'well-being'), it had previously been used in Thai only as a formulaic opening to inscriptions. The strongly nationalist government of Plaek Phibunsongkhram in the early–1940s promoted its use in the government bureaucracy as well as the wider populace as part of a wider set of cultural edicts to modernise Thailand.

Before this, apparently Thai people "greeted each other informally with an inquiry or observation about their health or welfare", according to thai-language.com.

Languages are amazing! 😍

[shangeetravels]

when great adventure finds you #ShangeeTravels . . . . . #thailand #sawasdee #travel #solo #solotravel #solofemaletraveler #pinay #pinaytraveler #ancientcity #instagram #gopro #day1 #instatravel (at Muangboran the Ancient City) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg26Z2nheQx/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jsminas]

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Channeling my inner Phichit 😂 #sawasdee #iceskating #yurionice

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