Monday, February 25, 2013

The Khmer Language in Crisis


With the scarcity of available reading materials in the Khmer language in electronic form where I can edit to raise my larger point of the NEED FOR USE OF PUNCTUATIONS, I am glad I can illustrate using the Khmer Bible.

If you ONLY know English, and this is how you have been habituated to read English, how far would you go in your education? 


This is how Cambodians read the Cambodian language. For Cambodians with means or an opportunity to rely on another language, after they're stuck with the Cambodian language (which is very early on), they rely on their 2nd language for knowledge.

But for the MAJORITY of Cambodians who do not know a 2nd language, they have to fight the printed page and mangled language (of misspelling, of "creative" texting-style punctuation, or just run-on phrases) to get even a scant piece of knowledge. 

READING

MUST BE TRIGGERED
with INTERESTING MATERIALS.

READING

Must be free of the burdens
of having to fight the printed page
and mangled language.

READING

Is the beginning of effective DIALOGUE, of quality EDUCATION, of RECONCILIATION, of Cambodian FLOURISHING (peace with JUSTICE, or SHALOM).



5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear lovely Ms Theary,
There is no crisis in Cambodian's way of writing.Please don't try to hard to change what you're lacking of or know very little about [Khmer's language] I am saying this to you with all the respect to you, as a Khmer educator in Khmer literature i didn't see what you see.I didn't think that khmer's language is in CRISIS at all,if it is let those khmer's educators correct it.Thank you.

Yobal Khmer



Anonymous said...

Yes, there is a crisis with 7 January writers and flatterers of cpp. If you had any chance to read Koh Santepheap or Deum Ampil, then you would also realize how these people but have butchered almost everything of khmer decency.

Anonymous said...

You just compare to apples to oranges! :-)

I saw your recent clip on busy intersection. You mentioned a busy intersection as "rovol" instead of "ou ar"...as an advice, You really need more Khmer lessons because you are still in kindergarten now. So leave Khmer language to educators not you my dear!

Anonymous said...

Oh Theary!
You're in crisis again ?
Guess what Sis, all your crisis disappear
when you get a husband.

Happy Woman

Anonymous said...

I'd be her great husband with one condition that is; she has to changes her religion to Muslim because i am a Muslim's man, would you be my 5th wives Mr Theary Seng!? I am rich and healthy the age as you and a survival of K.R as you were,educated abroad and spoken many languages reading and writing that including my khmer's language.I recently reside in a small country called Saudi Arabia.I am not a filthy rich like Cpp thugs,i am A healthy rich.Please don't try to change what you don't know my love.

Allah arkbar=God bless you= Buddha bless=Shaloam....

Kmenhwatt