Barang (Khmer word)
Barang () is a Khmer word meaning French. It is often mispronounced as "ba-réng". The correct pronunciation is "bâ-râng", but "pâ-râng" is also acceptable. It is thought to be corruption of the word France but this may be a misconception. The term is related to the Thai term "farang" which has a similar meaning. In Malay, barang means "thing". Khmer is the official language of Cambodia which was once a French protectorate called Cambodge in French. The French had many influences on the Khmer language, such as the pronunciation of Mercedes. Many technical terms used  today in Khmer are of French origin. In the Khmer language, the term "barang" has also become a non-pejorative word for a foreigner, particularly one of European ancestry, but some Khmer speakers might use it in a bad context. The term is becoming more popular now among travelers. It is even used by some expatriates living in Cambodia themselves. Etymology. The origin of this word is debatable as there are several possibilities. One is that it came from Arabic (faranj) via Malay traders. Another is that it came straight from French. Since Khmer phonology does not have the unvoiced  fricative F, it is pronounced with the voiced plosive B. In many of Khmer's loanwords, an N often changes to an NG, as in the word "Aleurmâng" (, "German") which comes from the French word "Allemand". The rarely used Khmer term "Barangsaes" () also shows its relation to the word . Usage. "Barang" is also used as a suffix in some Khmer words such as "môn barang" (, "French chicken") which refers to a turkey as well as "kh'teum barang" (, "French allium") which refers to an onion.