Helpful Hints for Khmer of Cambodia
-
Many Asian languages are spoken in Cambodia. Consequently, Chinese
and Vietnamese names are heard frequently. French is the language
of the educated class and is used with the outside world. Many
words incorporated in Khmer come from French and Sanskrit.
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The Khmer alphabet is derived from Sanskrit (Hinduism) and Pali
(Buddhism). The written system has two forms "full" for
formal and sacred writings, and "leaning" for informal
correspondence and documents.
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Khmer is not a tonal language. It has general intonation patterns
which apply to a phrase as in English. However, to the American
listener, Khmer seems to have little pitch variation even though a
pitch drop is placed on final syllables.
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Two of the same consonants may precede a vowel, e.g.,
"Chhean," "Chhith." There are 85 different
initial consonant clusters. Khmer vowels are divided into short and
long duration. There are vowels and numerous vowel combinations not
heard in English, and many are similar to French vowels.
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Khmer words are typically monosyllabic. Stress always falls on the
second or last syllable when a polysyllabic word or name is used,
e.g., Khmer, Sereivuth. This stress is subtle and difficult for
speakers of English to detect.
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Khmer uses a glottal stop which is made in the voice box and other
stops p, t and k which are made in the mouth. these stops are often
unaspirated so the p sounds like a "b," The t sounds like
a "d" and the k sounds like a "g."
-
Final r, d, g, s, b, z sounds are not heard, e.g., Ngor is said as
"Ngow." Some final consonants are marked for silence and
are therefore written but not pronounced.
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Names are perceived to be spoken rapidly by the American English
listener
|
First Names
|
Pronunciation
|
Last Names
|
Pronunciation
|
|
Bopha
|
bohpah
|
Chann/Chan
|
jahn
|
|
Chanda
|
chahndah
|
Chea
|
jeeah
|
|
Chandarith
|
chahnrit
|
Chhan
|
chan
|
|
Chhoun
|
choo-en
|
Chhith
|
chit
|
|
Dara Khan
|
dahrah kahn
|
Chhoub
|
choob
|
|
Khan
|
kahn
|
Choeun
|
jewen
|
|
Kosal
|
kohsahl
|
Duong
|
doouhng
|
|
Kunthea
|
kunt-hee-ah
|
Em
|
iam
|
|
Lai
|
lah-ee
|
Hong
|
kowng
|
|
Lun Ang
|
loom-ang
|
Keo
|
kyoo
|
|
Maly
|
mahlee
|
Khan
|
kahn
|
|
Map
|
mahp
|
Khlot
|
klot
|
|
Moeuk
|
mew
|
Kim
|
kum
|
|
Pean
|
pee-in
|
Long
|
lung
|
|
Phalla
|
pahlah
|
Ma
|
mah
|
|
Phireak
|
pee-re
|
Meas
|
mih-uh
|
|
Poew
|
pohew
|
Moa
|
mah-oo
|
|
Rith
|
rit
|
Moul
|
mool
|
|
Ry
|
ree
|
Muy
|
maw-ee
|
|
Sarit
|
sahrit
|
Neak
|
nek
|
|
Srey
|
sray
|
Meang
|
nee-ung
|
|
Soas
|
soo-uh
|
Noeun
|
ne-in
|
|
Socheat
|
sohjee-et
|
Nourn
|
noo-in
|
|
Soeun
|
sew-in
|
Nuth
|
newt
|
|
Sok
|
sawk
|
Ouk
|
ohk
|
|
Somally
|
sawmahlee
|
Oum
|
ohn
|
|
Sopea
|
sohpeeah
|
Phal
|
pahl
|
|
Sophal
|
sohpahl
|
Phay
|
pah-ee
|
|
Sophat
|
sohpaht
|
Puth
|
put
|
|
Sophea
|
sohpeeah
|
Samouth
|
sahmoot
|
|
Sopheap
|
sohpee-up
|
Sang
|
sahng
|
|
Suon
|
soo-in
|
Sok
|
sawk
|
|
Theary
|
t-ih-ree
|
Som/Sum
|
suhm
|
|
Thy
|
tee
|
Thuy
|
toy-ee
|
|
Tren
|
trayng
|
Touch
|
too-ij
|
|
Vanna
|
wahnah
|
Voeum
|
ve-in
|
|
Vannak
|
wahnak
|
You
|
yoo
|
|
Vantha
|
wahntah
|
|
|
|
Veng Kim
|
wayng kum
|
|
|
|
Vuthy
|
wootee
|
|
|
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updated December 6, 2004
