Can you recommend a Khmer language tutor?

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.
User avatar
StroppyChops
The Missionary Man
Posts: 10598
Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 11:24 am
Reputation: 1032
Australia

Re: Can you recommend a Khmer language tutor?

Post by StroppyChops »

Yeah, but we're trying it sober.
Bodge: This ain't Kansas, and the neighbours ate Toto!
User avatar
FreeSocrates!
Expatriate
Posts: 506
Joined: Fri May 23, 2014 5:14 am
Reputation: 1
Location: Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh
Canada

Re: Can you recommend a Khmer language tutor?

Post by FreeSocrates! »

I find it gets easier the longer you stick to it.

Words that I first learn, I don't realize for some time that I'm not pronouncing them 100% correctly. But it's because there are some sounds that are just not in the english language, so you need to be exposed to them and develop your ear for them before you can say and hear them correctly.

Once you get that sound though, it's transferable to a different word as well.

I usually make a list of words I know I have trouble with then repeat them to my tutor and he helps correct me.
The cedar roasted asparagus has good chew. I don't know how to enjoy it, so I'll Instagram it instead.
User avatar
vladimir
The Pun-isher
Posts: 6077
Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 6:51 pm
Reputation: 185
Location: The Kremlin
Russia

Re: Can you recommend a Khmer language tutor?

Post by vladimir »

StroppyChops wrote:First lesson last night, starting out with an hour a day, five days a week, at least four months. The tutor has us learning the alphabet, starting with consonants.
I really sympathise, but I would not do this.

Vocabulary and key phrases: market, transport, greetings, my family etc are what you need.

The other stuff should come later for adults.

I did a class at an NGO and the teacher didn't want to do the class, he got very technical, I suspect out of psite. Almost everyone dropped out.

Then we changed to a female tutor who only taught us vocab/phrases. Big improvement.
Jesus loves you...Mexico is great, right? ;)
User avatar
StroppyChops
The Missionary Man
Posts: 10598
Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 11:24 am
Reputation: 1032
Australia

Re: Can you recommend a Khmer language tutor?

Post by StroppyChops »

Absolutely understand your point. We're going to have to mix it up with vocabulary because memorizing over sixty characters and their subscripts is proving pretty difficult.
Bodge: This ain't Kansas, and the neighbours ate Toto!
Rama
Expatriate
Posts: 578
Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 1:31 pm
Reputation: 60

Re: Can you recommend a Khmer language tutor?

Post by Rama »

I agree with Vladimir. Vocabulary first. My reading is pretty good. Intermediate level I'd guess, about the level of a Cambodian 3rd/4th grader. But that's because the words I'm reading are words I know...I started learning speaking and listening 5 years or more before learning reading and writing.
Now I can just about 'read' a story in a newspaper but as the vocabulary being used is unfamiliar it doesn't make much sense and I'm making the wrong sounds.
Guess what I'm trying to get at is that if you know the word before/whilst you're reading.. You're anticipating it because it fits the style and story..you adjust your pronunciation to fit the reading.
User avatar
General Mackevili
The General
Posts: 18400
Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 5:24 pm
Reputation: 3397
Location: The Kingdom
Contact:
United States of America

Re: Can you recommend a Khmer language tutor?

Post by General Mackevili »

Yeah, I would completely scrap the script for now.

Work on vocab/pronunciation for now.
"Life is too important to take seriously."

"Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh."

Have a story or an anonymous news tip for CEO? Need advertising? CONTACT ME

Cambodia Expats Online is the most popular community in the country. JOIN TODAY

Follow CEO on social media:

Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Google+
Instagram
User avatar
StroppyChops
The Missionary Man
Posts: 10598
Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 11:24 am
Reputation: 1032
Australia

Re: Can you recommend a Khmer language tutor?

Post by StroppyChops »

^ agree with all posts. There are some other social factors (friendships, creating a job for someone we know with their first baby on the way) in play that mean we'll keep doing what we're doing and supplement that with vocabulary learning. We'll try moving out tutors approach to words/sentences rather than letters and see how he adapts to that. The issue seems to be that he's learning English formally at a high intermediate level and his teacher is obviously using obsolete industrial era teaching methods, so he's emulating that. I'll keep you posted...
Bodge: This ain't Kansas, and the neighbours ate Toto!
User avatar
vladimir
The Pun-isher
Posts: 6077
Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 6:51 pm
Reputation: 185
Location: The Kremlin
Russia

Re: Can you recommend a Khmer language tutor?

Post by vladimir »

StroppyChops wrote:The issue seems to be that he's learning English formally at a high intermediate level and his teacher is obviously using obsolete industrial era teaching methods, so he's emulating that. I'll keep you posted...
Where? Maybe I should apply...I'm leaving my present job at the end of the month.
Jesus loves you...Mexico is great, right? ;)
User avatar
StroppyChops
The Missionary Man
Posts: 10598
Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 11:24 am
Reputation: 1032
Australia

Re: Can you recommend a Khmer language tutor?

Post by StroppyChops »

In all honesty I don't know - I guess I should have shown interest and asked him by now.
Bodge: This ain't Kansas, and the neighbours ate Toto!
walkjivefly
Expatriate
Posts: 319
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 10:22 am
Reputation: 19
Location: Phnom Penh
Great Britain

Re: Can you recommend a Khmer language tutor?

Post by walkjivefly »

StroppyChops, General Mack, can you PM me your tutors contact details please?

I had a guy last year for a couple of weeks who used the vocab with transliteration/Romanisation approach. I was doing ok but he got a better offer from someone else and dropped my lessons.

I learn by rote and have to write stuff down to really remember it. I don't know IPA and there are as many transliteration schemes as there are language books. Which makes using multiple books confusing. Confusion leads to annoyance and annoyed is not a good state of mind for learning. I'd like to try learning the script, know the characters and how to pronounce them, be able to write and read the words as I learn them. So a kiddies alphabet trainer and a tutor seem like a good starting point.

I realise as kids when we learnt our alphabet and to read and write we could already speak the language so understand Vladimir saying this is not the best approach. But I'd like to try it anyway.
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ot Mean Loi and 54 guests