I love this topic! In Thailand, Song-taew is used for the informal vehicles that take people along two long seats in the back of a pickup (song = 2). Also there, Sam-loo is the name for the rickshaws (sam=3, from the 3 wheels). Rot-fai-faa is the motorized vehicle that has fire on it (so a train) and then tons more because the structure of Thai language makes it so easy to come up with names for things just by combining two words (I forget most things but the word airplane is something like "boat of the sky"). There should be a glossary of all these nice names, I didn't know the ones for boda-boda so thanks for that one!
I love these cultural anecdotes, Benj!
Thanks, Lerie!
I love this topic! In Thailand, Song-taew is used for the informal vehicles that take people along two long seats in the back of a pickup (song = 2). Also there, Sam-loo is the name for the rickshaws (sam=3, from the 3 wheels). Rot-fai-faa is the motorized vehicle that has fire on it (so a train) and then tons more because the structure of Thai language makes it so easy to come up with names for things just by combining two words (I forget most things but the word airplane is something like "boat of the sky"). There should be a glossary of all these nice names, I didn't know the ones for boda-boda so thanks for that one!
yes, there should be a glossary! I think a global list will help us understand the global nature (and the shared challenges) of makeshift mobility.
I'm working on a crowdsourced list.
Maybe NUMO could help?