Greetings All
Some people on this board appear to have toyed with the idea of learning khmer. If a person were serious about moving to PP and learning the local lingo, what would be the best way of quickly picking-up the language ?
Are there are language training schools in PP offering this service ??
James
Learning Khmer
- Doctor Seuss
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* You can go to a school, which is very expensive, but may be more structured... has disadvantages and advantages.
* Or you can hire a Khmer to teach you.. best option is to choose a Khmer you is currently teaching English, as they understand that their is a structure that needs to be followed and will often teach the basics needed first. If you need any contact for private teachers, I can give you some. These guys are anywhere from $40-$100 per month, but can teach ALOT in that time. My teacher taught me 2 hours per day and 6 days a week for $40.
With both of the above options you can also choose to get a Khmer girlfriend... adds exponentionally to your learning!
* Or you can hire a Khmer to teach you.. best option is to choose a Khmer you is currently teaching English, as they understand that their is a structure that needs to be followed and will often teach the basics needed first. If you need any contact for private teachers, I can give you some. These guys are anywhere from $40-$100 per month, but can teach ALOT in that time. My teacher taught me 2 hours per day and 6 days a week for $40.
With both of the above options you can also choose to get a Khmer girlfriend... adds exponentionally to your learning!
Thanks Suesss, I think you are very right on the kmher girl friend suggestion.
I am interested in finding more abour the structured language learning route - where would I find the names and contact details for reputable schoools taht provide language training courses !!
Thanks again Suess
James
I am interested in finding more abour the structured language learning route - where would I find the names and contact details for reputable schoools taht provide language training courses !!
Thanks again Suess
James
- The Governor
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Like learning any new language it is difficult and there is no 'easy' way, I think it's just a matter of how dedicated you are rather than what book you choose.
I have had maybe 100 hours of one to one teaching, with maybe four times that time in self study over the last few years, my wife is Khmer, I have owned just about every learn Khmer book going and I now speak conversational level Khmer and read and write like a child (slowly with loads of spelling mistakes), and when I think about it I'm not sure which helped the most, it definately wasn't my wife, we hardly ever speak in Khmer except when we want to hide our words from western ears, mainly as she speaks English fluently and soon tires of my non-descript ramblings in Khmer.
If I could name one thing that speeded things up a bit, it's been my mother in law, as she only knows a couple of dozen English words I am forced to speak in Khmer with her almost every day, and what helps most is she does something that no Khmer including my teachers has done before; pick me up on my mistakes, every time were talking and I say something wrong she will stop me mid conversation and not allow me to continue until I have repeated the word in question correctly 10 times parrot fashion and then goes and tells anyone she can find who will listen about my often funny for some reason or another mistake.
The favourite word of mine to cock up is k'tdouy/k'douy, one means gay and the other is the Khmer equivalent of the word cunt, so you can imagine the looks I get when I spot the lady boy who lives near my house and I say to my mother in law "Mum, look at that cunt".
I have had maybe 100 hours of one to one teaching, with maybe four times that time in self study over the last few years, my wife is Khmer, I have owned just about every learn Khmer book going and I now speak conversational level Khmer and read and write like a child (slowly with loads of spelling mistakes), and when I think about it I'm not sure which helped the most, it definately wasn't my wife, we hardly ever speak in Khmer except when we want to hide our words from western ears, mainly as she speaks English fluently and soon tires of my non-descript ramblings in Khmer.
If I could name one thing that speeded things up a bit, it's been my mother in law, as she only knows a couple of dozen English words I am forced to speak in Khmer with her almost every day, and what helps most is she does something that no Khmer including my teachers has done before; pick me up on my mistakes, every time were talking and I say something wrong she will stop me mid conversation and not allow me to continue until I have repeated the word in question correctly 10 times parrot fashion and then goes and tells anyone she can find who will listen about my often funny for some reason or another mistake.
The favourite word of mine to cock up is k'tdouy/k'douy, one means gay and the other is the Khmer equivalent of the word cunt, so you can imagine the looks I get when I spot the lady boy who lives near my house and I say to my mother in law "Mum, look at that cunt".
- Doctor Seuss
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If you are interested in learning, you shuld definitely learn reading and writing also..you'll learn better and faster.
Definitely being in at the deep end youll learn faster (just being around non english speaking people)
I look back and think my first lessons were not useful... but its all good.. its a journey
Definitely being in at the deep end youll learn faster (just being around non english speaking people)
I look back and think my first lessons were not useful... but its all good.. its a journey
Huffmans good if the first thing you want to do when you come to Cambodia is learn how to buy a pack of cigarettes and matches. The guy was a chain smoker and thus these words were on the top of his list.
On a serious note - I'd agree with what other have said. It is better to have a teacher who is learning English as well. If you have your TEFL it's even better - you can teach each other one on one for free. I have mine and this helps me understand methods of teaching. IMHO the communicative approach works best i.e. - speaking the actual language using relevant situations. I have been traveling a bit of late so have had to stop lessons for a little while. I've had 6 months worth of 3 x 1 hour lessons a week and recently changed teachers; my new teacher is herself being taught English and I must say she is brilliant; I have learnt far more with her in the last month than all previous lessons combined - she MAKES you converse in Khmer. Two of my three lessons include structured learning and one is purely devoted to conversation.
Learning Khmer is fun (depending on the teacher); and as Gov pointed out certain pronunciations can cause fits of laughter for both you and teacher alike.
I personally go to KSL in Toul Tompong -but there are many out there just don't be afraid to find one that works for you.
On a serious note - I'd agree with what other have said. It is better to have a teacher who is learning English as well. If you have your TEFL it's even better - you can teach each other one on one for free. I have mine and this helps me understand methods of teaching. IMHO the communicative approach works best i.e. - speaking the actual language using relevant situations. I have been traveling a bit of late so have had to stop lessons for a little while. I've had 6 months worth of 3 x 1 hour lessons a week and recently changed teachers; my new teacher is herself being taught English and I must say she is brilliant; I have learnt far more with her in the last month than all previous lessons combined - she MAKES you converse in Khmer. Two of my three lessons include structured learning and one is purely devoted to conversation.
Learning Khmer is fun (depending on the teacher); and as Gov pointed out certain pronunciations can cause fits of laughter for both you and teacher alike.
I personally go to KSL in Toul Tompong -but there are many out there just don't be afraid to find one that works for you.
Last edited by Me Again on Sat May 14, 2005 3:22 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Ummmm, thanks for the well-intentioned advice, but perhaps I should come clean with the real reason why I need to do a crash course in all things Khmer, particularly the language !
I am about to apply for a job in PP and figure that showing some interest in learning khmer will give me an edge over all the others sticking their names down for the same spot. At the moment, I 'm working in Fiji, so the prospect of packing-up and moving to PP is very appealing to me. So you see, I need the name of a well-known language training school that will light-up the eyes of those reading my CV.
Can anyone give me a name ( or tell me where I need to go to get one ) for such a training group, school or other worthy insititute ??
regards 8)
James 8)
I am about to apply for a job in PP and figure that showing some interest in learning khmer will give me an edge over all the others sticking their names down for the same spot. At the moment, I 'm working in Fiji, so the prospect of packing-up and moving to PP is very appealing to me. So you see, I need the name of a well-known language training school that will light-up the eyes of those reading my CV.
Can anyone give me a name ( or tell me where I need to go to get one ) for such a training group, school or other worthy insititute ??
regards 8)
James 8)
- Doctor Seuss
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IMHO, saying that you are enrolled in a Khmer course isn't going to raise any eyebrows. Unless you come in and speak Khmer during your interview, it wont matter a shit.
If they even remember your resume in your interview, and remember that you wrote you are studying Khmer, you will be fucked, cos they will talk some Khmer to you (as they like to do), and see you know fuck all, then you'll just look like a twat.
Besides, you're an English teacher, not a Khmer teacher. One of the top 3 complaints my school got about long term expat teachers was 'He speaks too much Khmer in class'. They already now how to speak Khmer and want to be inundated in English.
If they even remember your resume in your interview, and remember that you wrote you are studying Khmer, you will be fucked, cos they will talk some Khmer to you (as they like to do), and see you know fuck all, then you'll just look like a twat.
Besides, you're an English teacher, not a Khmer teacher. One of the top 3 complaints my school got about long term expat teachers was 'He speaks too much Khmer in class'. They already now how to speak Khmer and want to be inundated in English.
Thanks again for all your help, although I do take exception with the comment that I'm trying to pass a dodgy CV, that is not the case at all. Neither am I saying that I can actually speak khmer, clearly I can't . What I am proposing is that I have taken steps to enrol in a language speaking course that will get me started with the local place talk. A long-time after that, perhaps I will actually be able to mutter a few words.
Anyway thank again for your help and suggsetions
regards
Roderick
Anyway thank again for your help and suggsetions
regards
Roderick
- Doctor Seuss
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