Use it or lose it?

Have questions or resources regarding Khmer Culture? This forum is all about the Kingdom of Cambodia's culture. Khmer language, Cambodian weddings, French influence, Cambodian architecture, Cambodian politics, Khmer customs, etc? This is the place. Living in Cambodia can cause you to experience a whole new level of culture shock, so feel free to talk about all things related to the Khmer people, and their traditions. And if you want something in Khmer script translated into English, you will probably find what you need.
OrangeDragon
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Use it or lose it?

Post by OrangeDragon »

So, I've been back in English speaking land (or the American approximation of it) for almost a year now. One thing I noticed on my week back in Cambodia was how rusty my Khmer (which was already nothing to break about) had gotten. It wasn't so much my vocabulary as it was my comfort at using it. Almost a constant second guessing. Has anyone else with a halfway decent grasp of the language been gone long enough to experience/not experience this? And any suggestions for online resources to keep sort of up to date on it for a novice?
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Re: Use it or lose it?

Post by logos »

Your English doesn't sound that great either. You must make a lot people worried about you.
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Re: Use it or lose it?

Post by logos »

Mind you it could have been worse.
For a minute I thought you had started a thread about your sex drive.
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Duncan
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Re: Use it or lose it?

Post by Duncan »

My Khmer language skills are almost non existent , which gives me the excuse to always speak English to my family [ and others ]. I always pretend I don't understand them if they speak to me in Khmer. For this reason everyone in my family and extended family have had to learn English, which will benefit them for many years in their future. Whereas if I learnt and spoke Khmer it would be of benefit to me till the day I die, which could be, at my age, tomorrow .
Cambodia,,,, Don't fall in love with her.
Like the spoilt child she is, she will not be happy till she destroys herself from within and breaks your heart.
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Re: Use it or lose it?

Post by Dara »

word
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Re: Use it or lose it?

Post by phuketrichard »

Duncan wrote:My Khmer language skills are almost non existent , which gives me the excuse to always speak English to my family [ and others ]. I always pretend I don't understand them if they speak to me in Khmer. For this reason everyone in my family and extended family have had to learn English, which will benefit them for many years in their future. Whereas if I learnt and spoke Khmer it would be of benefit to me till the day I die, which could be, at my age, tomorrow .
:thumb:
except i do not need to pretend :beer3:
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
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Re: Use it or lose it?

Post by Samouth »

OrangeDragon wrote:So, I've been back in English speaking land (or the American approximation of it) for almost a year now. One thing I noticed on my week back in Cambodia was how rusty my Khmer (which was already nothing to break about) had gotten. It wasn't so much my vocabulary as it was my comfort at using it. Almost a constant second guessing. Has anyone else with a halfway decent grasp of the language been gone long enough to experience/not experience this? And any suggestions for online resources to keep sort of up to date on it for a novice?
You have a khmer wife right? Then why don't you just talk to her in khmer?
បើសិនធ្វើចេះ ចេះឲ្យគេកោត បើសិនធ្វើឆោត ឆោតឲ្យគេអាណិត។

If you know a lot, know enough to make them respect you, if you are stupid, be stupid enough so they can pity you.
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Re: Use it or lose it?

Post by Samouth »

Duncan wrote:My Khmer language skills are almost non existent , which gives me the excuse to always speak English to my family [ and others ]. I always pretend I don't understand them if they speak to me in Khmer. For this reason everyone in my family and extended family have had to learn English, which will benefit them for many years in their future. Whereas if I learnt and spoke Khmer it would be of benefit to me till the day I die, which could be, at my age, tomorrow .
i didn't expect it could be that fast. You will be missed.
បើសិនធ្វើចេះ ចេះឲ្យគេកោត បើសិនធ្វើឆោត ឆោតឲ្យគេអាណិត។

If you know a lot, know enough to make them respect you, if you are stupid, be stupid enough so they can pity you.
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Re: Use it or lose it?

Post by logos »

Well today is yesterday's tomorrow and he's still here. So I would take his ramblings with a pinch of salt.
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Re: Use it or lose it?

Post by Anchor Moy »

OD, just hearing Khmer daily could be useful. What about TV sitcoms or news, radio, films in Khmer - listen to/watch the news in Khmer every morning at breakfast for example - or listen to a Khmer language tape while driving to work (so you can talk to yourself outloud without being arrested.) It stops you from being totally disconnected at least.
Oh, and something I really enjoy on the net are videos of cooking lessons in Khmer on UTube etc.
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