"A" as a form of address
"A" as a form of address
I have heard someone claim that he uses 'A' as a form of address for close female friends. For example, if the name is Sophea, he would address her as 'A Sophea'. I've never encountered this in any language lesson or casual conversation. I thought perhaps he was mistaken with 'Oun' but he insists 'A' is a correct form of address for close female friends of long standing. Now I'm quite curious. Any comments?
maybe he means "Hey Sophea, make me a sandwich" kind of thing
you would need t be pretty close for that
you would need t be pretty close for that
You'd have to be either very close and intimate friends or have a much higher standing in terms of age/authority/hierarchy.
Using "A" to address anyone you remotely know is recipe for disasters.
Using "A" to address anyone you remotely know is recipe for disasters.
I use it all the time, as do my missus and all her friends and family, it's just a shorter, informal means of addressing someone you know well and not limited to females. You shouldn't use it with someone you don't know/know well. Just a few examples...
A'Da, A'Neang, A'Mom, A'Near, A'Nyet, A'Hahn, A'Ti, A'Run....
A'Da, A'Neang, A'Mom, A'Near, A'Nyet, A'Hahn, A'Ti, A'Run....
I'm not a negative person, I encourage people all the time...it's usually to f**k off! But, whatever.
-
- 20,000 Posts; I need professional help !
- Reactions: 2
- Posts: 22651
- Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 2:31 pm
- Location: Space, maaaan
It's intimate for young females, but insulting for males. Be careful!
I came, I argued, I'm out
-
- MerkinMaker
- Reactions: 62
- Posts: 3232
- Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:04 am
You have to be intimate with the person to get away with that, otherwise it's a big insult.
The English equivalent would be that they are good enough friends where you can address them with an insult e.g. "Hey cunt face, are you coming to the pub tonight?".
With women, you would really need to be boyfriend/girlfriend/sister/cousin and of similar are or younger and intimate with each other to the point where you might have private insulting nicknames for each other. E.g. "a-gdur" dwarf, "a-kmow" blacky, "a-koit" tart, "a-jarook" piggy (popular one to be given to large pink skinned barangs).
I think as we can't judge where the point is that it becomes acceptable, the best strategy is to let the local initiate it, not you.
The English equivalent would be that they are good enough friends where you can address them with an insult e.g. "Hey cunt face, are you coming to the pub tonight?".
With women, you would really need to be boyfriend/girlfriend/sister/cousin and of similar are or younger and intimate with each other to the point where you might have private insulting nicknames for each other. E.g. "a-gdur" dwarf, "a-kmow" blacky, "a-koit" tart, "a-jarook" piggy (popular one to be given to large pink skinned barangs).
I think as we can't judge where the point is that it becomes acceptable, the best strategy is to let the local initiate it, not you.
I have always found addressing a similar age or younger female with "A" as perfectly acceptable, even when not particularly close, for example A Leak, A Lin, A Vy, A Pov. Where as referring to them as "A Mee" and nickname is where the trouble lies, "tver ey neung a mee k'dit" for example is a different matter and better suited to close friends.
Ok..thanks for clarifying. I'm a little surprised that I've never heard of this form of address before.
-
- 440 newbie - handle with care
- Reactions: 0
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 8:17 am
- Location: Prey Thom
- Contact:
The form "A" is a rude and impolite way of addressing somebody and it is used by very illiterate people in Cambodia. It is a short version of the form "Aeng" (see ឯង). If you use it before a name (A Samnang) it can mean an insult. Peers of the same level use it very often among themselves (a kid use it with another kid), but it is seem very bad in adults. It is even impolite as it is used in relation with things, for example "A-e-nus" (there, ឯនោះ) or "A-e-nis" (here, ឯនេះ), in which case you have to use the full idea "neu ti nis" (នៅទីនេះ) "neu ti nus" (នៅទីនោះ).
Jonathan Birdwhistle - The Little Taita.
I'm confused now. There have been quite divergent responses. Perhaps the usage varies in different parts of Cambodia?
In summary, it sounds like a slang term. I've never seen it in any language guide.
In summary, it sounds like a slang term. I've never seen it in any language guide.
It is a colloquial form of language.
You will never, ever see it written in an official letter or in a report, in a (proper) newspaper article, in a radio or TV news broadcast.
But you will hear it very often.
And if in doubt, just never use it yourself.
As an add-on, the usage of "mee-" or "mee-k" is also extremely insulting and worse than "a-". For instance "mee-Neang/mee-khNeang, mee-Phea/mee-kaPhea" and most of the time essentially used for females.
You will never, ever see it written in an official letter or in a report, in a (proper) newspaper article, in a radio or TV news broadcast.
But you will hear it very often.
And if in doubt, just never use it yourself.
As an add-on, the usage of "mee-" or "mee-k" is also extremely insulting and worse than "a-". For instance "mee-Neang/mee-khNeang, mee-Phea/mee-kaPhea" and most of the time essentially used for females.
-
- I Fap to 440
- Reactions: 0
- Posts: 4952
- Joined: Sat Mar 30, 2013 2:39 am
Good point. I call my fiancee Ah-Pea.Joon wrote:You'd have to be either very close and intimate friends or have a much higher standing in terms of age/authority/hierarchy.
Using "A" to address anyone you remotely know is recipe for disasters.
Anyone who doesn't like Capitalism is a pathetic loser. God bless the USA and no place else.
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
-
A DNS question when trying to use a .COM.KH address
by dv8inpp » Fri Feb 02, 2024 4:27 pm » in The IT and Techy Forum - 2 Replies
- 657 Views
-
Last post by dv8inpp
Tue Mar 05, 2024 11:26 am
-
-
-
Tracing a mobile number back to it's address
by scoffer » Fri Dec 13, 2019 3:05 pm » in 'Not' Cambodia - 24 Replies
- 6097 Views
-
Last post by Alexandra
Mon Dec 16, 2019 10:54 am
-