The Khmer or Cambodian language is spoken by approximately nine million people in Cambodia, and is understood by many in bordering countries. Written Khmer is based on the ancient Brahmi script of southern India . Arguably one of the oldest languages in South-East Asia, Khmer inscriptions have been dated back to the 7th century AD . Although separate and distinct from its Thai, Lao and Burmese neighbors, Khmer shares with them the common roots of Sanskrit and Pali – a heritage of centuries of linguistic and cultural interaction and of their shared faith in Theravada Buddhism . More recently, many French words entered the Khmer language during the colonial period, especially medical and technical terms.
Unlike the languages of neighboring countries, Khmer is non tonal, meaning that there are no special intonations of words that alter their meaning. This may be a relief for travelers in the region who have been frustrated in their attempts at tonal languages such as Thai, Vietnamese and Lao .
On the positive side, Khmer grammar is very simple. There are no verb conjugations or gender inflections, no endings for single or plural, masculine or feminine. Adding a few words changes sentence tense to past, present or future .
In any case, a bit of Khmer will go a long way – no matter how rough it is. The Khmers sincerely appreciate any effort to learn their language and are very supportive of visitors who give it even a half-hearted try.
Though English is fast becoming Cambodia’s dominant second language, the Khmer still cling to the Francophone pronunciation of the Roman alphabet and most foreign words. This is helpful to remember when spelling western words and names aloud.
Recommend reading for those interested in further study of spoken and written Khmer are Cambodian System of Writing and Beginning Reader, Modern Spoken Cambodian and any other books by Frank Huffman.
