Step 7: the high class
What you will be able to do
Read the six most common high-class consonants, and derive the tone of any high-class syllable.
Six letters give you almost every high-class word you will meet: ข ส ห ถ ผ ฝ. Say their names aloud and notice something: khǎw, sǎw, hǎw, thǎw, phǎw, fǎw, every name RISES. That is not a coincidence, it is the rule announcing itself. High-class rules, and there are only three: Live and unmarked: RISING. ขา (khǎa, leg), สี (sǐi, colour), ฝา (fǎa, lid). Dead, or marked with ไม้เอก: LOW. ขาด (khàat, torn), ถูก (thùuk, cheap), ข่า (khàa, galangal). Marked with ไม้โท: FALLING. ข้าว (khâao, rice), ห้า (hâa, five). That is the whole class: rising, low, falling. A high-class consonant can NEVER carry a mid or high tone by itself, which is why the class system exists at all: each class covers a different slice of the five tones. Now you can finally read words this site has been feeding you for weeks: ข้าว in every food page, ห้า when counting, ถูก when bargaining.
- ขkhǎw khàiegghigh class
- สsǎw sěuatigerhigh class
- หhǎw hìipchest, boxhigh class
- ถthǎw thǔngsackhigh class
- ผphǎw phêungbeehigh class
- ฝfǎw fǎalidhigh class
- ขาkhǎaleg: live, unmarkedtone: rising
- ขาดkhàattorn: dead syllabletone: low
- ข่าkhàagalangal: mái èektone: low
- ข้าวkhâaorice: mái thootone: falling
Common mistake
ข and ช look like twins but are enemies: ข is high class, ช is low class, and they take opposite tones from the same mark. Check the head of the loop before you decide anything: ข has the notch, ช has the smooth curve with a tail.
Next: Step 8: the low class