Wanting to live here for a really long period, I need to learn the cambodian language. Tried to do it by myself using the "Colloquial Cambodian" course and some other one on CDc I found at the Russian market. Complete failure, my pronounce gets only blankstares from thge locals.
So I need a school. Any suggestion?
T
Cambodian schools for expats
- Doctor Seuss
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Yes, the Colloquial Cambodian course is a complete waste of time.toranaga wrote:Wanting to live here for a really long period, I need to learn the cambodian language. Tried to do it by myself using the "Colloquial Cambodian" course and some other one on CDc I found at the Russian market. Complete failure, my pronounce gets only blankstares from thge locals.
So I need a school. Any suggestion?
T
There are some 'schools' around town. They are hardly schooling environments though. They are really nothing more than a receptionists desk that organise private tuition for expats, and in some cases that private tuition is done on site. They are relatviely expensive compared to organising your own private tuition, with little difference in quality.
I can recommend a few very good teachers that can teach you if you like. They can teach you 1 on1, or in a group if you have friends, and they will come to your home at a time that is convenient for you.
If you're interested PM me, and I'll give you the details.
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C'mon folks - dont be so harsh regarding the "Colloquial Cambodian" material. I found that the CD's worked perfectly (to even out a speaker stand that used to wobble back and forth.)
Oh, and the "Chh-muah" part worked ok. The rest is arranged for shit.
Suess is correct (what am I saying ?? )
L.I.
Oh, and the "Chh-muah" part worked ok. The rest is arranged for shit.
Suess is correct (what am I saying ?? )
L.I.
Last edited by LuckyIrishman on Wed Nov 23, 2005 9:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Doctor Seuss
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You will need to buy your own materials of course (same with 'schools'). But yes, they have texts that they will guide you through.elucida wrote:Hey, Dr Seuss, do your friends have taching materials or is it more informal?
The value I found in using individual tuition is that you are not just being taken through a book. The advantage is that their is informal things involved too. For example, they'll go with you to the markets and teach you how to ask for things, and the appropriate language to use for certain situations. If you need help in a sticky situation, then you can call them and they'll translate with people over the phone for you.
Schools tend to sit you in a room with a teacher, and they guide you through a book and thats all they do for you.
Teach at home people tend to adopt you as their project and will do a lot more things for you than just guide you through a book.
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Here are two weblinks for the Khmer School for Expats:
http://www.khmerschool.2ya.com/
and the Khmer Language School of Language:
http://www.cambcomm.org.uk/ksl/index.html
I actually visited the Khmer School for Expats with a friend of mine who was interested in signing up for a course. The "school" was really just someone's living room, complete with about 12 pairs of shoes under the coffee table and an old guy sleeping by the doorway. There might have been a small teaching room in the back. DS is right, the schools are really just a place to meet once to set up tutoring at home.
The school's $4-$6 an hour rate seems pretty high considering the average wage for a Khmer. I wonder how "professional" the teachers really are. I think that for a lot less money, you could just buy a bunch of written materials and then pay a cute waitress to help you learn the pronunciation in her spare time.
For what it's worth, I thought the colloquial cambodian book + 2CDs was a pretty good introductory course. I then moved on to the Huffman book + cassettes, which I've also seen in the markets (at least the book). I'm now working through the U.S. foreign service course. I'm still very bad with listening comprehension, but I can pronounce OK just by mimicking the tapes. I think listening to tapes and CDs only goes so far, you really do need a lot of conversation practice to really pick up the language. Good luck.
http://www.khmerschool.2ya.com/
and the Khmer Language School of Language:
http://www.cambcomm.org.uk/ksl/index.html
I actually visited the Khmer School for Expats with a friend of mine who was interested in signing up for a course. The "school" was really just someone's living room, complete with about 12 pairs of shoes under the coffee table and an old guy sleeping by the doorway. There might have been a small teaching room in the back. DS is right, the schools are really just a place to meet once to set up tutoring at home.
The school's $4-$6 an hour rate seems pretty high considering the average wage for a Khmer. I wonder how "professional" the teachers really are. I think that for a lot less money, you could just buy a bunch of written materials and then pay a cute waitress to help you learn the pronunciation in her spare time.
For what it's worth, I thought the colloquial cambodian book + 2CDs was a pretty good introductory course. I then moved on to the Huffman book + cassettes, which I've also seen in the markets (at least the book). I'm now working through the U.S. foreign service course. I'm still very bad with listening comprehension, but I can pronounce OK just by mimicking the tapes. I think listening to tapes and CDs only goes so far, you really do need a lot of conversation practice to really pick up the language. Good luck.
go hang around a university and find some student who wants to improve their english...mutual benefit.
I haven't started on the colloquial cambodian book, I plan to though, I bought it a couple of days ago...I've heard that it's good. That's not to say that reading a book and trying to speak Khmer will get you anywhere...but if you went through it with someone, learning sounds...you'd do alright.
I haven't started on the colloquial cambodian book, I plan to though, I bought it a couple of days ago...I've heard that it's good. That's not to say that reading a book and trying to speak Khmer will get you anywhere...but if you went through it with someone, learning sounds...you'd do alright.
baggy; didn't we have this exact conversation over a game of pool the other night?
I think we reached the conclusion that "bar girl Khmer" just doesn't cut it and that sporadic attempts at "learning a bit here and there" are feutile. Learn, learn, learn. As baggy points out, you'll probably save money overall from the savings you'll make on knowing how much you should be paying for stuff. And lets be fair here folks, Khmer has so little grammar and such logical vocab structure, it's not gonna take you more than a couple of months to get into reasonable conversations. I doubt they could have invented a more simple language if they tried.
I think we reached the conclusion that "bar girl Khmer" just doesn't cut it and that sporadic attempts at "learning a bit here and there" are feutile. Learn, learn, learn. As baggy points out, you'll probably save money overall from the savings you'll make on knowing how much you should be paying for stuff. And lets be fair here folks, Khmer has so little grammar and such logical vocab structure, it's not gonna take you more than a couple of months to get into reasonable conversations. I doubt they could have invented a more simple language if they tried.
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Per Baggy: .... if teacher says a word I don't know I ask him to write it so I can read it and pronounce it properly. And there's subtle differences in pronunciation that cause misunderstandings, but you can see where they come from when you see how the words are spelt............ <
Yep - it has become indispensible to do this, and so far is the ONLY way I can distinguish some of the "d" vs "dt" and "g" vs "kh" phonetics.
Gah Kah Goh Koh Ngoh.........Only 28 more to go
Jah Chah Joh Choh Nyoh...... OK, 23
Dtah Tah Doh Toh Nah......... Was kindergarten ever this fun in the states?
Bah Pah Boh Poh Noh......... Sing it with me now
Srah-what? Sub-consonants too?
L.I.
Yep - it has become indispensible to do this, and so far is the ONLY way I can distinguish some of the "d" vs "dt" and "g" vs "kh" phonetics.
Gah Kah Goh Koh Ngoh.........Only 28 more to go
Jah Chah Joh Choh Nyoh...... OK, 23
Dtah Tah Doh Toh Nah......... Was kindergarten ever this fun in the states?
Bah Pah Boh Poh Noh......... Sing it with me now
Srah-what? Sub-consonants too?
L.I.
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Bp / Pb / Dt......... none of that happened during my edumacation!baggygravy wrote: Yep, and then there's grammar marks that change the consonant sounds, but sometimes the grammar marks change with certain vowels...Just when you think you've got it they toss in another 11 new rules.
kosak = only 20 weird "rule" changes
Ahkosak = 20 more weird "rule" changes
Gotta admit though - I am thoroughly enjoying the challenge.
Now if I could just the &%#@ Fonts to work correctly
L.I.
P.S. Just got a copy of "Cambodian for Beginners", copyright is 2004, unlike "Colloquially Challenged" by Smythe, copyright 1904 (I think.)
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If you want to hear how the letters should sound, try "Grade 1" on this site. They only have the consonants so far. It looks like it will be a good site when it gets up and running.
http://www.ilearnkhmer.com/ilearnkhmer.htm
http://www.ilearnkhmer.com/ilearnkhmer.htm
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