Khmer system of writing almost disappear!

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The Khmer system of writing almost disappeared during the colonial rule of France. During that time in the 19th/20th century Cambodia didn't publish or print many books. Also it was very expensive and hard due to the fact that all the books had to be printed and published in Vietnam, Saigon. The reason was the French had brought over the printing press but it was not abundant in Cambodia yet only at a later date. Therefore from the turn of the century to the 1940s only a few 60-80 cambodian novels and books were published. But the Khmer soon grew in the 1950s and 1960s publishing over 200 books a year. Anways back to the point the Khmers almost lost their system of writing because the reason it was so slow and not enough books were published was because they had their own unique writing system compared to its neighbor who used the Alphabet. The French wanted the Khmers to abandon their system of writing and instead using the French letters. Many khmers didn't agree with this and uprising came about and protesting. One Khmer scholar even dare to say for Khmers to give up the Khmer writing system is to give up our identity as Khmers.!

Interesting I read this from a book just wanted to give you some info!

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Originally posted by DaraAngels
One Khmer scholar even dare to say for Khmers to give up the Khmer writing system is to give up our identity as Khmers.!

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My beloved friend!
Can you please give his name?

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A death poet

Prince Sihanouk was one of the people who was really against this policy of changing the writing system, Sihanouk was also against changing the Khmer calendar.

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Originally posted by KhmerCasanova
Prince Sihanouk was one of the people who was really against this policy of changing the writing system, Sihanouk was also against changing the Khmer calendar.

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My beloved KhmerCasanova!
To my acknowledge and understanding,
I am truly thinking that our beloved Sihanouk didn't care much about it,
because he was not wanted to fight against his boss, Frenchman!,
one man who willinlgy fought all his heart and soul to keep our writing alive,
and Sihanouk didn't like him,too!

____________________________________
A death poet

 That's why...

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We the newer generations of Khmer children such as myself is keeping the Khmer writings and languages systems together and passing it down to our grandchildren.

One thing I know for sure that Cambodia used to be a French colony, but Cambodians never want to talk a french language like other colony country does. If you look at Algeria, most of Algerians can speak french just like they can speak their mother tongue language. That means, Cambodians can preserve their mother tongue language better than other french colony country.

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Corrected me if I am wrong, but I have heard somdach songhreach <a href="http://www.cambodianview.com/chounnath.html">Chuon Nath</a> was the major character in opposing changing the Khmer script� to latin script. He also opposed the adding of new words that the new generation added, words like ������ (tongveu) = �������������� (action or deed). Thats why you can't find words like that in the Chuon Nath dictionary. ���������

 

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so happy it didn't. would suck.

besides chinese i think we have the most characters in a writing system.
heard that somewhere, is it true?

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Originally posted by ah_gho
besides chinese i think we have the most characters in a writing system.
heard that somewhere, is it true?

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Not most characters, but most letters in an alphabet.

Sometime when I watch kareoke, some words spelled wrong. Whoever wrote the words is just plain careless. They're more concerned with how to pronounce the right words instead of spelling the words correctly.

Example:

'sroline-->love', srar-->is correct, but the use of "loar--->(sounds like in the oar canoe) instead of 'LAR'" is incorrect.

They should use diacritics on vowels.
The "a" there is similar to the one in the word "mall." That sound is represented, in diacritical vowels, as the letter a with a circumflexe over it (â).
â=awe

to like=srâlanh or srâlañ


[Message last modified 03-12-2005 12:44pm by Arun]

Khmer language does not use character like Chinese does. I.E. when Chinese language writes the word tree, they draw a character tree(Sino linguist corrects me if I'm mistaken). Khmer language employs consonant and and vowel to form the word tree just like any Romance language. Drawing a character and writes letters to make a word is quite different.

Khmer alphabet is the longest in the world.

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Originally posted by ah_gho
besides chinese i think we have the most characters in a writing system.
heard that somewhere, is it true?

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Why would you want to bastardize our language by transliterating Khmer into Western language? Please try to learn the Khmer alphabet instead. Here is a primer. http://www.learnkhmer.com

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Originally posted by Arun
They should use diacritics on vowels.
The "a" there is similar to the one in the word "mall." That sound is represented, in diacritical vowels, as the letter a with a circumflexe over it (â .
â=awe

to like=srâlanh or srâlañ


[Message last modified 03-12-2005 12:44pm by Arun]

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The reasons there are more Algerians speak French are that 1) geographical proximity and 2) There were more French settlers settled in Algeria.

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Originally posted by simoneek
One thing I know for sure that Cambodia used to be a French colony, but Cambodians never want to talk a french language like other colony country does. If you look at Algeria, most of Algerians can speak french just like they can speak their mother tongue language. That means, Cambodians can preserve their mother tongue language better than other french colony country.

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Can he write Khmer better than can he writes French?

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Originally posted by KhmerCasanova
Prince Sihanouk was one of the people who was really against this policy of changing the writing system, Sihanouk was also against changing the Khmer calendar.

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Originally posted by leang_grel

Why would you want to bastardize our language by transliterating Khmer into Western language? Please try to learn the Khmer alphabet instead. Here is a primer. http://www.learnkhmer.com

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FYI, cambodian alphabet is devried from the Brahmi alphabet which modeled after either Aramaic (Proto-Hewbrew language, Jesus spoke it) or Phoenician alphabet (which is the model for Greek->Latin->all European alphabets).

I hope this is a joke, if not, please cite your legitimate source? Please tell you are a member of the Church of the Latter Saint.

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Originally posted by movesuper

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Originally posted by leang_grel

Why would you want to bastardize our language by transliterating Khmer into Western language? Please try to learn the Khmer alphabet instead. Here is a primer. http://www.learnkhmer.com

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FYI, cambodian alphabet is devried from the Brahmi alphabet which modeled after either Aramaic (Proto-Hewbrew language, Jesus spoke it) or Phoenician alphabet (which is the model for Greek->Latin->all European alphabets).

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quote:

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Originally posted by leang_grel
I hope this is a joke, if not, please cite your legitimate source? Please tell you are a member of the Church of the Latter Saint.

quote:

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Originally posted by movesuper

quote:

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Originally posted by leang_grel

Why would you want to bastardize our language by transliterating Khmer into Western language? Please try to learn the Khmer alphabet instead. Here is a primer. http://www.learnkhmer.com

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FYI, cambodian alphabet is devried from the Brahmi alphabet which modeled after either Aramaic (Proto-Hewbrew language, Jesus spoke it) or Phoenician alphabet (which is the model for Greek->Latin->all European alphabets).

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http://www.omniglot.com/writing/khmer.htm
http://www.omniglot.com/writing/brahmi.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/9594/brahmi.html

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Originally posted by leang_grel

Why would you want to bastardize our language by transliterating Khmer into Western language? Please try to learn the Khmer alphabet instead. Here is a primer. http://www.learnkhmer.com

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That was rude.
Let's face it, every language is bound to be transliterated. Not everyone is going to waste their time and learn a new writing system that probably wouldn't have any value to them. If anyone's going to do it, at least make it sound right.

[Message last modified 03-12-2005 10:27pm by Arun]