Thai ก Is Not Russian "g": The Problem of English Transliteration Interference in Teaching Thai to Russian Speakers

This article examines a phonetic error commonly observed by Thai language teachers among Russian-speaking learners, who pronounce the Thai consonant ก as the Russian voiced velar plosive [ɡ] instead of the voiceless unaspirated [k]. The error is caused by the influence of English-based transliteration systems that represent ก with the symbol "g". A comparative analysis of 12 English transliteration systems is presented, along with descriptions of the phonetics of ก from Russian-language academic and educational publications. It is demonstrated that the "g" notation in English systems is a pedagogical device intended for native English speakers and does not imply voicing. Recommendations are proposed for preventing this interference when teaching Thai to Russian speakers.