Language - About Cambodia | Ministry of Tourism Cambodia (MOT) Language Weather Khmer is the official language of Cambodia. The Cambodian language is derived from the Mon-Khmer (Austro-Asiatic) language family. Khmer is renowned for possessing one of the largest sets of alphabets; it consists of 33 consonants, 23 vowels and 12 independent vowels. While tourists may wish to learn a few spoken phrases before or when visiting Cambodia, English is widely spoken and understood. French and Mandarin are also spoken frequently in the country; most elderly Cambodians speak French and many people in the Khmer-Chinese population speak Mandarin. © 2017 RED DOT (Cambodia) Co., Ltd All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer: This website, Tourismcambodia.org , the official website of Ministry of Cambodia of the Kingdom of Cambodia, is designed and maintained collaboratively by Red Dot (Cambodia) Co. Ltd and Cybernetics Ltd , the owner Tourismcambodia.info and Tourismcambodia.net , a full service branding and advertising agency in Cambodia.

While efforts are made to ensure that all the information hereto are good, accurate and up to date, by visiting the website Tourismcambodia.org , viewing, accessing or otherwise using any of the services or information created, collected, compiled or submitted to Tourismcambodia.org , you agree to be bound by the our Terms and Conditions of Use, (Click here) . If you do not want to be bound by our Terms, your only option is not to visit, view or otherwise use the services of Tourismcambodia.org. You understand, agree and acknowledge that these Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Tourismcambodia.org and that your use of Tourismcambodia.org shall indicate your conclusive acceptance of this agreement. Cambodia - LANGUAGES LANGUAGES Cambodia Table of Contents The majority of Cambodians, even those who are not ethnic Khmer, speak Khmer, the official language of the country. Ethnic Khmer living in Thailand, in Vietnam, and in Laos speak dialects of Khmer that are more or less intelligible to Khmer speakers from Cambodia. Minority languages include Vietnamese, Cham, several dialects of Chinese, and the languages of the various hill tribes.

Austroasiatic-Mon-Khmer Khmer belongs to the Mon-Khmer family of the Austroasiatic phylum of languages. American linguists David Thomas and Robert Headley have divided the Mon-Khmer family into nine branches: Pearic in western Cambodia and eastern Thailand; Khmer in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos; Bahnaric in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia; Katuic in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia; Khmuic in Laos, Thailand, and China; Monic in Burma and Thailand; Palaungic in Burma, China, and Thailand; Khasi in Assam (India); and Viet-Muong in Vietnam. Of the languages in the Mon-Khmer family, Vietnamese has the largest number of speakers (about 47 million); Khmer, has the next largest (about 8 million). Khmer, in contrast to Vietnamese, Thai, Lao, and Chinese, is nontonal. Native Khmer words may be composed of one or two syllables. Khmer is uninflected, but it has a rich system of affixes, including infixes, for derivation.

Generally speaking, Khmer has nouns (including pronouns as a special subcategory), verbs (including stative verbs or adjectives), adverbs, and various kinds of words called particles (including verbal auxiliaries, prepositions, conjunctions, final particles, and interjections). Many Khmer words change, chameleon-like, from one part of speech to another, depending on the context. The normal word order is subject-verb-object. Adjectival modifiers follow the nouns they modify. Khmer, like its neighbors, Thai, Lao, and Burmese, has borrowed extensively from other languages, especially the Indic languages of Sanskrit and Pali. Khmer uses Sanskrit and Pali roots much as English and other West European languages use Latin and Greek roots to derive new, especially scientific, words. Khmer has also borrowed terms-- especially financial, commercial, and cooking terms--from Chinese. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Khmer borrowed from French as well. These latter borrowings have been in the realm of material culture, especially the names for items of modern Western technology, such as buuzii (spark plug) from the French bougie. Khmer is written in a script derived from a south Indian alphabet.

The language has symbols for thirty-three consonants, twenty-four dependent vowels, twelve independent vowels, and several diacritic. Most consonants have reduced or modified forms, called subscripts, when they occur as the second member of a consonant cluster. Vowels may be written before, after, over, or under a consonant symbol. Some efforts to standardize Khmer spelling have been attempted, but inconsistencies persist, and many words have more than one accepted spelling. A two-volume dictionary prepared under the direction of the Venerable Chuon Nath of the Buddhist Institute in Phnom Penh is the standard work on Khmer lexicography. Khmer is divided into three stages--Old Khmer (seventh to twelfth century A.D.), Middle Khmer (twelfth to seventeenth century A.D.), and Modern Khmer (seventeenth century to the present). It is likely that Old Khmer was the language of Chenla. What the language of Funan was, but it was is not at all certain, probably a Mon-Khmer language. The earliest inscription in Khmer, found at Angkor Borei in Takev Province south of Phnom Penh, dates from A.D. 611.

Austronesian The Austronesian languages are spread over vast areas of Asia and the Pacific, from Madagascar to Easter Island and from Taiwan to Malaysia. Four Austronesian languages--Cham, Jarai, Rade, and Malay--are spoken in Cambodia. Cham is spoken by the largest number of people. Before 1975, there were about 100,000 speakers of Western Cham. Western Cham is the term used to distinguish (at least two mutually related dialects of) the Cham spoken in Cambodia and that used in adjacent inland Vietnam from Eastern Cham spoken in the coastal areas of central Vietnam. Western Cham is written in Arabic script, or, since the late 1960s and the early 1970s, in a romanized script devised by Protestant missionaries. The traditional Cham script, based on an Indian script, is still known and used by the Eastern Cham in Vietnam, but it has been lost by the Western Cham. The Cham language is also nontonal. Words may contain one, two, or three syllables. Cham contains much linguistic borrowing from Arabic, Malay, and Khmer.

The normal word order is subject-verb-object, and, as in Khmer, modifying adjectives follow the nouns that they modify. Most Cham in Cambodia are bilingual in Cham and in Khmer and many also know Arabic and Malay. Rade and Jarai, close relatives of Cham, are spoken by several thousand members of both ethnic groups in northeastern Cambodia. Both languages are written in romanized scripts based on the Vietnamese alphabet. Rade and Jarai have rich oral literatures, and the former has two epic tales that have been transcribed and published. Custom Search Cambodia Guide: Languages in Cambodia, The official language of Khmer and other dialects: Although Cambodia The official language of Khmer and other dialects By Just Landed Although Cambodia has an official language, there are numerous regional dialects that constitute the country’s vast linguistic make-up. Khmer The official language of Cambodia is Khmer. It originates from the Khmer people and has been influenced considerably by Sanskrit and Pali, particularly in the royal and religious registers, and through Hinduism and Buddhism. The language has come in close contact with Thai, Lao, Vietnamese and Cham due to geographical proximity and cultural connection.

Khmer’s main distinction from its neighbouring languages is that it is not a tonal language. The earliest written and recorded language from the Mon-Khmer family, Khmer is spoken by 90% of the population (some 7 million people) and is used in most social and professional contexts such as government administration, education at all levels and in mass media. After Vietnamese, it is the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language. Modern Khmer is used nationwide and is understood by most of the country’s inhabitants. Influence from Sanskrit and Pali is characterised by vocabulary used in administration, and the effect of years of French colonial rule is evident in the language too. Examples of first and second series consonants in Khmer Khmer is mostly an analytic, isolating language. There are no conjugations, inflections or case endings. Rather, particles and auxiliary words are used to indicate grammatical relationships. General word order is subject-verb-object. Consonants are split into two forms - a first series syllable (/a/) or a second series syllable (/o/). Vowels are written above, below, in front of, after or around consonants using separate letters or diacritics.

Below is an example of Khmer text taken from Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, followed by a transliteration written in the Roman alphabet and its translation into English, as a brief introduction to the language. mnoussa teangoasa kaetamk mean seripheap ning pheap smae knea knong setthi ning sechakdeithlaithnaur. mnoussa krobroub sotthote mean vichearonanhnhean ning satesambochonhnh haey trauv br pru td champoh knea towvinhtowmk knong smartei reaban knea chea bangobaaun. “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” (Text taken from omniglot.com) There is a variation of Khmer called Khmer Surin, spoken by the migrant community from Thai provinces Surin, Sisaket, Burirum and Roi Et. It differs considerably from standard Khmer with regards to vowel phonemes, lexicon, grammar and the pronunciation of syllable-final /r/.

Cambodian French The presence of French in Cambodia began in the late 1800s when French merchants were exploring Indonesia, and Cambodia became incorporated into French Indochina in 1887. The French exerted considerably less influence on Cambodia than they did in Vietnam, and the language only began to experience some significant growth with the Japanese invasion during World War II, when French joined Cambodian as a government language. Following the war, French became the sole official language and continued to be promoted after Cambodian independence in 1953. Since then, its levels of prominence have wavered considerably. The language began to decline heavily and when the Khmer Rouge came into power in the mid-1970s, French was almost entirely eliminated from the country. However, French was reintroduced to Cambodia by a Vietnamese invasion which established the People’s Republic of Kampuchea, and the language continued to gain ground until the current government was installed in 1993 and Cambodian became the official language. Now English is seen as a more useful international language, but as of 1997 there is a French-language centre in the capital Phnom Penh and many Cambodian students study abroad in France every year.

Moreover, French is still a diplomatic language of Cambodia and some newspapers are published in French. French Cambodian has been influenced by Cambodian, Cantonese Chinese and Teochew Chinese, and is more distinct that standard French than the dialects of Vietnam and Laos. Cham Cham is not only spoken by around 200,000 people in Cambodia, but also by approximately 100,000 in Vietnam and others in Southeast Asia. It belongs to the Austronesian family. Cham had many more speakers during the time of the Champa Empire, which ruled what is now central Vietnam from around the 7th century to 1832. Here are some example words in Cambodian Cham: anoek - child amoh - hate Chong This language is endangered and is now only spoken by around 5,000 people in the Pursat province of Cambodia and by 500 in Thailand. Jarai The Jarai language is a Malayo-Polynesian dialect spoken by the Jarai people of Vietnam and Cambodia. The number of speakers is estimated to be around 330,000 and is in part related to the Cham language.

In terms of phonology, Jarai has evolved in the pattern of the Mon-Khmer family, losing almost all vowel distinction in the first syllable. Kuy Although Kuy is spoken mostly in Thailand and Laos, it also features among in the Preah Vihear, Stung Treng and Kampong Thom provinces of northeastern Cambodia. A Katuic language and part of the larger Austroasiatic family, it is subject to many variations across various districts. Stieng This is the native language of the Stieng people of southern Vietnam and neighbouring areas of Cambodia. It too is a Mon-Khmer language from the Austroasiatic family. Bulo Stieng, its most researched dialect, is spoken mostly in the remote areas of the mountains and jungles. The use of English As mentioned in the description of Cambodian French earlier in the article, English is seen as the most important international language. This is largely due to Cambodia’s recent transformation towards a market economy and consequent globalisation process. Those looking to find a job easily upon graduation from university are making more of an effort to learn English so that they can deal with global investors. Those seeking jobs in tourism are also encouraged to learn English.

However, this does not mean that it is universally known or understood, and an effort should be made to integrate with the community into which you move by learning as much of the local language as possible. See our next guide article to learning the language to discover how to find language learning resources and schools in Cambodia It is worth noting that Chinese is also emerging as a popular language in Cambodia for its practical utility. Khmer The official language of Cambodia is Khmer. It originates from the Khmer people and has been influenced considerably by Sanskrit and Pali, particularly in the royal and religious registers, and through Hinduism and Buddhism. The language has come in close contact with Thai, Lao, Vietnamese and Cham due to geographical proximity and cultural connection. Khmer’s main distinction from its neighbouring languages is that it is not a tonal language. The earliest written and recorded language from the Mon-Khmer family, Khmer is spoken by 90% of the population (some 7 million people) and is used in most social and professional contexts such as government administration, education at all levels and in mass media. After Vietnamese, it is the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language.

Modern Khmer is used nationwide and is understood by most of the country’s inhabitants. Influence from Sanskrit and Pali is characterised by vocabulary used in administration, and the effect of years of French colonial rule is evident in the language too. Examples of first and second series consonants in Khmer Khmer is mostly an analytic, isolating language. There are no conjugations, inflections or case endings. Rather, particles and auxiliary words are used to indicate grammatical relationships. General word order is subject-verb-object. Consonants are split into two forms - a first series syllable (/a/) or a second series syllable (/o/). Vowels are written above, below, in front of, after or around consonants using separate letters or diacritics. Below is an example of Khmer text taken from Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, followed by a transliteration written in the Roman alphabet and its translation into English, as a brief introduction to the language. mnoussa teangoasa kaetamk mean seripheap ning pheap smae knea knong setthi ning sechakdeithlaithnaur.

mnoussa krobroub sotthote mean vichearonanhnhean ning satesambochonhnh haey trauv br pru td champoh knea towvinhtowmk knong smartei reaban knea chea bangobaaun. “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” (Text taken from omniglot.com) There is a variation of Khmer called Khmer Surin, spoken by the migrant community from Thai provinces Surin, Sisaket, Burirum and Roi Et. It differs considerably from standard Khmer with regards to vowel phonemes, lexicon, grammar and the pronunciation of syllable-final /r/. Cambodian French The presence of French in Cambodia began in the late 1800s when French merchants were exploring Indonesia, and Cambodia became incorporated into French Indochina in 1887. The French exerted considerably less influence on Cambodia than they did in Vietnam, and the language only began to experience some significant growth with the Japanese invasion during World War II, when French joined Cambodian as a government language.

Following the war, French became the sole official language and continued to be promoted after Cambodian independence in 1953. Since then, its levels of prominence have wavered considerably. The language began to decline heavily and when the Khmer Rouge came into power in the mid-1970s, French was almost entirely eliminated from the country. However, French was reintroduced to Cambodia by a Vietnamese invasion which established the People’s Republic of Kampuchea, and the language continued to gain ground until the current government was installed in 1993 and Cambodian became the official language. Now English is seen as a more useful international language, but as of 1997 there is a French-language centre in the capital Phnom Penh and many Cambodian students study abroad in France every year. Moreover, French is still a diplomatic language of Cambodia and some newspapers are published in French. French Cambodian has been influenced by Cambodian, Cantonese Chinese and Teochew Chinese, and is more distinct that standard French than the dialects of Vietnam and Laos.

Cham Cham is not only spoken by around 200,000 people in Cambodia, but also by approximately 100,000 in Vietnam and others in Southeast Asia. It belongs to the Austronesian family. Cham had many more speakers during the time of the Champa Empire, which ruled what is now central Vietnam from around the 7th century to 1832. Here are some example words in Cambodian Cham: anoek - child amoh - hate Chong This language is endangered and is now only spoken by around 5,000 people in the Pursat province of Cambodia and by 500 in Thailand. Jarai The Jarai language is a Malayo-Polynesian dialect spoken by the Jarai people of Vietnam and Cambodia. The number of speakers is estimated to be around 330,000 and is in part related to the Cham language. In terms of phonology, Jarai has evolved in the pattern of the Mon-Khmer family, losing almost all vowel distinction in the first syllable.

Kuy Although Kuy is spoken mostly in Thailand and Laos, it also features among in the Preah Vihear, Stung Treng and Kampong Thom provinces of northeastern Cambodia. A Katuic language and part of the larger Austroasiatic family, it is subject to many variations across various districts. Stieng This is the native language of the Stieng people of southern Vietnam and neighbouring areas of Cambodia. It too is a Mon-Khmer language from the Austroasiatic family. Bulo Stieng, its most researched dialect, is spoken mostly in the remote areas of the mountains and jungles. The use of English As mentioned in the description of Cambodian French earlier in the article, English is seen as the most important international language. This is largely due to Cambodia’s recent transformation towards a market economy and consequent globalisation process. Those looking to find a job easily upon graduation from university are making more of an effort to learn English so that they can deal with global investors. Those seeking jobs in tourism are also encouraged to learn English.

However, this does not mean that it is universally known or understood, and an effort should be made to integrate with the community into which you move by learning as much of the local language as possible. See our next guide article to learning the language to discover how to find language learning resources and schools in Cambodia It is worth noting that Chinese is also emerging as a popular language in Cambodia for its practical utility. Cambodian - Language Information & Resources Home » Resources » Languages » Cambodian Cambodian The Cambodian language, more properly known as Khmer or the Mon-Khmer language, has played an important role in the development of many Southeast Asian languages. Modern Cambodian is spoken in present-day Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand, and the widespread influence of the Old Khmer language in the time of the Khmer Empire’s reign is still evident in the region to this day. The Term “Khmer” The word “Khmer” is used to refer not only to the official Cambodian language but also to the ethnic Cambodian population. Approximately 90 percent of Cambodia’s inhabitants are ethnic Khmer; the rest are mostly of Vietnamese or Chinese origin. A number of semi-nomadic tribal groups can also be found in the country.

Classification of the Cambodian Language Cambodian is classified as a member of the Mon-Khmer subfamily, one of two groups within the Austro-Asiatic family of languages spoken throughout southern Asia. (An interesting note on the term “Austro-Asiatic”: the word “austro” comes from the Latin for south.) The Mon-Khmer group includes 150 languages spoken throughout Southeast Asia, among them Cambodian, Mon and Vietnamese. Early History of the Cambodian Language: The Khmer Kingdoms The modern Khmer or Cambodian language is a direct descendent of the Old Khmer language spoken in the empire of ancient Khmer and its capital, Angkor. Around 200 BC, the Khmer peoples migrated from modern-day Thailand into the Mekong Delta area. The first Khmer kingdom, referred to as Funan by Chinese historians of the time, was established around the 1st century. In its early history, the Khmer were greatly influenced by southern Indian language and culture. As a result, the Old Khmer language came to borrow heavily from Sanskrit, as well as Pali. Many loanwords were taken from these languages in the fields of business and philosophy.

The Written Cambodian Language The Old Khmer language was written using a script that originated in South India. The earliest examples of the written Cambodian language date from the early 7th century. Hundreds of monumental Old Khmer language inscriptions dating from the 7th to 15th centuries have been found throughout Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. A New Khmer Kingdom under Jayavarman II The Kingdom of Funan, which ranged from the 1st to 6th centuries, was later absorbed by the state of Chenla. This was then succeeded by the Khmer Empire, an enormous and powerful empire that reigned from the 9th to 13th centuries. In the early 9th century, the Cambodian prince Jayavarman II came to power, inaugurating a Hindu cult in honor of the God Shiva, which served to legitimize Jayavarman’s rule and allowed the kingdom he instituted to reign for more than 200 years. This Khmer Kingdom was centered at Angkor, modern Cambodia’s capital. Cultural Renaissance: The Angkor Era Throughout the reign of Jayavarman and his successors, the Khmer Kingdom underwent a period of enormous cultural growth and political power.

More than 1,000 temples were built from the 9th to 15th centuries, including the still-famous temple of Angkor Wat, built by King Suryavarman II in the 12th century. At this time, the Khmer Kingdom was at the height of its power and included territory in modern-day Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, and the Malay Peninsula. Decline of the Khmer Empire Interestingly, historians have never been able to totally explain the details surrounding the decline of the Khmer Empire. Most scholars agree that the rise of powerful Thai kingdoms probably resulted in a receding of the Khmer Empire’s boundaries and its subsequent loss of power. A Thai invasion in 1431 definitively marked the end of the Khmer Empire’s height of power. The decline of the Khmer Empire in the 15th century is followed by four centuries of Cambodian history about which little is known. French Influence in Cambodia In 1863 the king of Cambodia invited French colonial power into the weakened kingdom of Cambodia. A French protectorate was subsequently installed in Cambodia, preventing the kingdom’s complete dismemberment by Thai and Vietnamese forces.

As a result of this French influence, French was once an important second language in Cambodia. Its influence has diminished significantly since the mid-20th century, however. Since the 1990s the English language has gained some prominence in Cambodia and it is now considered an important secondary language. Influence of the Cambodian Language The Old Khmer language held a prominent status that lasted many centuries. The fact that Old Khmer inscriptions dating from the 7th to 15th centuries have been found in Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand speaks to the language’s impressive influence. The past importance of the Old Khmer language is still evident today. Many languages throughout Southeast Asia, including Thai and Lao, reveal a heavy Cambodian language influence, including the borrowing of many loanwords. Religious Developments in Cambodia The early influence of Indian culture in Cambodia had a significant impact on Cambodia’s religion as well as its language. Theravada Buddhism developed in India around the 6th century BC and is believed to have arrived in Cambodia in the early centuries AD. Today almost 85 percent of modern Cambodians practice Theravada Buddhism.

Cambodian contact with Indian culture also led to the adoption of Hinduism, as well as other forms of Buddhism. Despite such outside influences, local Cambodian beliefs focusing on the importance of ancestral spirits managed to survive and coexist with the new religions introduced from India. Many of these beliefs are still in practice in Cambodia today. Cambodian Language Today The Khmer language now serves as the official language of Cambodia, where it is spoken by the majority of the population, an estimated 14,494,293 people. It is also spoken by approximately 1.3 million people in southeast Thailand and by more than 1 million people in southern Vietnam. Get Your FREE Quote Cambodia - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette Cambodia Guide Award-Winning Culture Guides 80+ country-specific guides covering country characteristics, the people, language, culture, etiquette, business protocol, communication styles and much more .

Cambodia Guide Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette Facts and Statistics Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos Capital: Phnom Penh Ethic Groups: Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4% Religions: Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5% Language in Cambodia Khmer is the official language of Cambodia and is used in most social contexts including government administration, education at all levels, and in the mass media. It is spoken by some 7 million people living there, roughly 90% of the population. Regional differences are slight and normally mutually intelligible. Based on the dialect of the capital city of Phnom Penh, Modern Khmer is used throughout the nation and widely understood by its inhabitants. Much Khmer vocabulary used in literature, the military, and administration is borrowed from Sanskrit, or Pali. Due to years of French colonial rule, numerous French words have been incorporated into the language as well. Cambodian Society & Culture Religion The majority of Cambodians follow Theravada Buddhism.

Originating in India, the religion teaches that life and death in this world are intertwined through the concept of reincarnation. Every person lives a life as a worldly being and depending on their behaviour will come back in their next life as a higher or lower being. "Karma" is the term used to describe this - i.e. if you do good you will have good karma. A rough translation of this is, "you reap what you sow." Theravada Buddhism has the following principles: Have the right thoughts. Buddhism also reinforces a sense of hierarchy within society. Interpersonal communication is built on the relationship between those involved. Common hierarchical guidelines are that parents are superior to children, teachers to students and managers to subordinates. Monks will even walk in rank order, highest in front and most junior at the rear. As a foreigner you may find that people ask personal questions - this is a means to identify your 'rank' rather than being nosy. They may change the way they communicate depending on your status. Collectivism Cambodia is a collective society - individuals take second place to the group whether this is the family, neighbourhood or company.

In such societies, etiquette and protocol guidelines are used to maintain a sense of common harmony - for example subtle communication styles are employed in order to minimize the chances of causing offense to others. The concept of face also ties in with this collective outlook. Protecting both one's own and other's face is extremely important. Face can roughly be translated as a combination of honour, dignity and public reputation that is attributed to a person. Face can be lost, given and accrued. Foreigners in Cambodia need to be aware of the mechanics of face to ensure they do not cause anyone to lose face as a result of unintentional actions. Face is lost when someone is criticized, embarrassed or exposed in public. It can be given by complimenting someone publicly, i.e. for their business acumen or hospitality. Cambodian Etiquette and Customs Meeting & Greeting Greetings between Cambodians are dependent on the relationship/hierarchy/age between the people. The traditional greeting is a bow combined with a bringing of the hands together at chest level (similar to bringing hands together for prayer). If one intends to show greater respect the bow is lower and the hands brought higher. With foreigners Cambodians have adopted the western practice of shaking hands.

Women may still use the traditional Cambodian greeting. The simple rule is to respond with the greeting you are given. In Cambodia people are addressed with the honorific title "Lok" for a man and "Lok Srey" for a woman followed with the first name or both the first and surname. Gift Giving Etiquette Gifts are usually given at Cambodian New Year (Chaul Chnam). Birthdays are not big events like in the West and people of the older generation may not even know their date of birth. Unlike most other cultures, Cambodians do not celebrate birthdays. In fact, many older people may not know the exact date of their birth. A small gift can also be taken if invited to someone's home for food. If invited to a home, take nicely presented fruit, sweets, pastries or flowers. Avoid giving knives. Gifts are usually wrapped in colorful paper. Do not use white wrapping paper, as it is the color of mourning. When giving gifts use both hands. Gifts are not opened when received. Dining Etiquette Table manners are fairly formal. If unconfident with the dos and don'ts simply follow what others do.

When invited to the dining table wait to be told where to sit as you would not want to upset any hierarchical arrangements. The oldest person is usually seated first. Similarly the eldest person should start eating before others. Do not begin eating until the eldest person starts. Never discuss business in such social settings. Business Etiquette and Protocol in Cambodia Meeting and Greeting As Cambodia is a hierarchical culture the business world follows suit in terms of protocol and behaviours. Respect and deference must always be shown to the most senior person. When meeting a group you will be introduced to the highest ranking person, similarly you should have the most senior of your group greet them. If groups are involved you should introduce people according to rank so that your Cambodian counterparts understand the dynamics of the group. Handshakes are normal although be careful not to be too firm as this may be construed as aggressive. If men are dealing with women they should wait and see if they extend a hand before doing so. Eye contact should be kept to a minimum. Cambodians address people with the honorific title "Lok" for a man and "Lok Srey" for a woman with the first name alone or both the first and surname.

Business Cards Business cards should be exchanged after the initial introductions. Have one side of your card translated into Khmer if possible. Present your card so the Khmer side is readable to the recipient. Use the right hand or both hands when offering or receiving a business card. It is important to treat business cards with respect as the way you handle the card is indicative of the way you will treat the person. Business Meetings Meetings do not stick to any schedule or agenda. Issues may be tackled separately and altogether if need be - once an issue has seemingly been resolved it may later be addressed again. Meetings will continue until the attendees feel everything has been satisfactorily covered. Building a relationship on mutual trust is crucial so initially time should be invested in getting to know your counterparts. Small talk should always be employed at the beginning of meetings. Cambodians are very indirect communicators so some reading between the lines is a necessary skill. They will always consider the implications of making statements or using particular words especially if it involves anything negative as this draws in the issue of face. In fact if Cambodians disagree with someone they would rather remain silent than make any comment. If they disagree with an idea, they generally remain silent. If unsure about statements be sure to double check.

Cambodians prefer ideas to be brought forward in a gentle way and to wait for others to respond. Pushy, pressured or boastful communication styles are a real turn-off. Punctuality is important. Arriving late shows a lack of respect for the person with whom you are meeting. Non-verbal behaviour is just as important to be aware of. For example, smiling in Cambodia is situational and can have many meanings; it may mean a person does not understand what has been said, they are nervous or even irritated. Showing emotions is considered a negative behaviour. Anger, impatience or frustration should be hidden as it would lead to a loss of face. overtly is not part of the culture and is considered a sign of weakness as well as poor manners. Modesty and humility are emphasized in the culture, so compliments and praise are generally responded to by a deprecating comment. It is a good idea not to speak with bravado, which may be interpreted as boasting. Avoid prolonged eye contact. By Irene Thompson | Updated September 6, 2014 by Irene Thompson Welcome Khmer, also known as Cambodian, belongs to the Mon-Khmer branch of the Austroasiatic language family .

It is the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language after Vietnamese . It is spoken as a first language by 13 million people and as a second language by another 1 million people in Cambodia ( Ethnologue ). Additionally, it is spoken by over 1 million people in Vietnam and another 1 million people in Thailand. There are relatively large expatriot Khmer communities in Canada, China, France, Laos, USA. It is estimated that the total number of Khmer speakers in the world is around 15 million. Click on the MLA Interactive Language Map to find out where Khmer is spoken in the United States. The history of Khmer is usually divided into three periods: Pre-Angkorian Khmer is known only from a few words and phrases in Sanskrit texts. Old (Angkorian) Khmer spoken in the Khmer Empire (9-13 centuries) is found in many sources and is relatively well studied. Middle Khmer (14-18 centuries) was a period of great linguistic change and borrowing of vocabulary from Thai, Lao, and Vietnamese. It was a period of a gradual transformation of Old Khmer into the modern form of the language.

Status As the official language of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Khmer is used in the media, government administration, at all levels of education, and in most informal and formal contexts. Dialects Top Khmer has three main dialects that form a continuum running from north to south: Standard Khmer spoken by more educated people in larger cities like Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. It is mutually intelligible with the other dialects, but not all dialects are mutually intelligible among themselves. Surin or Northern Khmer spoken in eastern Thailand which is thought to have separated from Standard Khmer in the past few centuries Cardamon or Western Khmer spoken in southwestern Cambodia. Top Sound system Kmer is an extremely vowel-rich language which does not employ tones, unlike some of its Southeast Asian neighbors. Vowels Khmer has seventeen vowel phonemes, i.e., sounds that can make a difference in word meaning. Seven vowels can be either short or long, two vowels /ɛ/ and /ɔ/ are only long, and one vowel /ɐ/ is only short. In addition, there are three short and nine long diphthongs. This makes for a total of 31 possible vowel nuclei.

In the table below, vowel length is indicated by a macron over the vowel. /ɐ/ similar to u in plus /ɔ/ = o in bog Stress Stress normally falls on the final syllable of the word. Grammar Like other Austroasiatic languages, Khmer is an analytic language, i.e., it does not use inflections to express grammatical relations. Instead, grammatical relations are signaled by word order and by various particles. Nouns Khmer nouns are not marked for number, gender, or case. Number can be inferred from context, through the use of particles, numerals, or by reduplication. Gender is also unmarked, but distinctions can be made by using such words as “son”, “daughter”, “male”, and “female”. Pronouns The pronominal system of Khmer is quite complex and includes many honorific variations that are sensitive to the relative status of the interlocutors, such as their age, perceived status, as well as to levels of intimacy. Verbs Verbs are not marked for person, number, tense, aspect, or mood. Tense and aspect can be shown by particles and adverbs or understood through context.

Social registers Khmer employs a system of registers which include those used for informal speech, polite speech, speaking to or about royals, and speaking to or about monks. Each register uses different verbs, names of body parts, and pronouns. Below is an example from Wikipedia , showing the different forms of the verb “to eat” across five different social registers. between intimates or in reference to animals polite reference to commoners Word order The normal word order in Khmer is Subject – Verb – Object. Modifiers typically follow nouns. Vocabulary Modern Khmer typically derives new words by means of prefixes, infixes, and reduplication. In the past, the language has borrowed many words from Sankrit . With the advent of Theravada Buddhism at the beginning of the 15th century, Khmer began to borrow Pali words. However, as a consequence of Khmer nationalism that emerged in the 1960s, there was a movement to expunge Sankrit and Pali words from the lexicon. During the period of French domination, many French words were borrowed into the language and have become a part of both the spoken language and of technical terminology. Colloquial Khmer also has some Chinese and Vietnamese loanwords.

Hello cum riep sue (greeting to a man); baat cum riep sue (response by a man) cum riep sue look qum (greeting to an older person); baat cum riep sue (response by an older person) cum riep sue (greeting to a woman); caa cum riep sue (response by a woman) Good bye Top The Khmer script is based on a variant of the Brahmi script used to write Sanskrit , Hindi , and other Indo-Aryan languages. The Khmer script has symbols for thirty-three consonants, twenty-four dependent vowels, twelve independent vowels, and several diacritic symbols. It is a syllabic alphabet in which each consonant has two forms, one with an inherent vowel /a/ (first series) and one with an inherent vowel /o/ (second series). Vowels are indicated by using either separate letters or diacritics written above, below, in front of, after, or around the consonants. The pronunciation of the vowels depends on whether a consonant they are attached to belongs to the first or the second series.

All consonants have a subscript form that is used to write the second consonant of a cluster. There are no spaces between words in Khmer. Spaces are used to indicate the end of a clause or sentence ( SEAsite, Northern Illinois University ). Although some efforts have been made to standardize Khmer spelling, there are inconsistencies in the spelling of many words. In addition, the romanization of Khmer is often done on an ad hoc basis. The International Phonetic Alphabet is sometimes used to transcribe Khmer, based either on their pronunciation or on their Khmer spelling. Since pronunciation can vary from one dialect to another, the resulting transcriptions may be quite misleading. Take a look at Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Khmer.

មាត្រា ១ មនុស្សទាំងអស់ កើតមកមានសេរីភាព និងសមភាព ក្នុងផ្នែកសេចក្ដីថ្លៃថ្នូរនិងសិទ្ធិ។ មនុស្ស មានវិចារណញ្ញាណនិងសតិសម្បជញ្ញៈជាប់ពីកំណើត ហើយគប្បីប្រព្រឹត្ដចំពោះគ្នាទៅវិញទៅមក ក្នុង ស្មារតីភាតរភាពជាបងប្អូន។ All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Difficulty Khmer phrasebook - Wikitravel Khmer phrasebook Pronunciation guide[ edit ] Knowing a few Khmer words will help you earn some respect while in Cambodia. If you are male the word for 'yes' is pronounced 'baht'(បាទ) as in the sound of a sheep followed by a hard T. If you are female the word for 'yes' is pronounced 'jah'(ចា) as in the first part of 'jar'. The word for 'no' is pronounced 'Awt Tay'(អត់ទេ/ទេ). The word for 'thank you' is pronounced 'aw-koon'(អរគុណ) sounds a little like raccoon. To express greater thanks (thank you very much), use the word 'aw-koon ch'ran'(អរគុណច្រើន). The word for 'hello' is pronounced 'Sues-Day" Sues is pronounced exactly like author Dr. Seuss The word for 'sorry' is pronounced 'somtoh'(សុំទោស).

The word for 'toilet' is pronounced 'dakuhn' or 'pahkuhn'(បង្គន់/បន្ទប់ទឹក)) Similarly to how you would pronounce the kunh in thank you, but with a short 'ba' in front. Scooter/mopeds with carriages pulled behind are called a 'tuk-tuk'(តុកតុក) better pronounced with the U sound from the back of your throat, like tulk-tulk. Scooter/mopeds by themselves are pronounced 'moto'(ម៉ូតូ) with an emphasis on 'mo'. Rickshaws are called 'cyclo'(ស៊ីក្លូ). The cy is pronounced like the word see.

Khmer script Vowels[ edit ] ា aa ia ិ e i ី ey ee ឹ u ugh ឺ eu ugghhh (gugh) ុ o u ូ oo uu ួ ooa ើ ar er (yeurng) ឿ ugh ៀ eagh (rein) េ a ey (gei) ែ ie ayy ៃ ai ighe ោ ow oew (geu) ៅ ou ough (nough) ុំ om ំ om ាំ um ះ ah ិះ eh ុះ oh េះ eh ោះ oh Consonants[ edit ] ក kaw ខ khaw គ go ឃ kho ង ngo ច jhaw ឆ chaw ជ joe ឈ cho ញ ño ត toh ថ thaa ទ tho ធ thoo ន no ដ da ឋ tha ឌ do ឍ tho ណ na ប Ba ផ pha ព po ភ Pho 

ម mo យ yo រ ro ល lo វ Wo ស sa ហ ha ឡ la អ aa

Question: What is the official language of Cambodia ?
Answer: Khmer