Khmer language: beginners' questions

Post by **Jamie_Lambo** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:04 pm

kps wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 7:57 am
Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 1:11 am Mii is used for both Egg Noodles and instant noodles...
Mii means Noodle,
Mii Kanhjap - Packet Noodles,
Mii Chha - Fried Noodles,
Mii Sup - Noodle Soup,
Mii Sua - Thin Noodles,
Mii Ka Tang - Flat Noodles,
the main noodles that have a different name are the "Lort Chha" Noodles which look like this...

When they seem to ask what kind of noodles, I reply "saitom" for the narrow bandshaped and "benkan" for the wider. But I am not sure it is right.

There often seems to be several words for the same thing.

if it works for you bro,
i've never got too technical with my noodles tbh, there are some more specific terms but given the choice i'm not usually fussed what sort of noodles, i just normally say anything other than the packet noodles

Kammekor · Post by **Kammekor** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:13 pm

kps wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 7:00 am
Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 12:39 am but "Naa Klah" again works as a plural context marker, eg.
Sia Pov/Pow Naa La'or Merl - Which book is good to read?
Sia Pov/Pow Naa Klah La'or Merl - Which books are good to read?
Thanks everyone for helping out.
In my dictionaries the word for reading is "an" but here another word is used for reading a book. I guess it is "merl"-(to see/look) with a prefix (la'or) I have not met before?

Edit. Skip this question. I just misread the phonetic for "good - la'or". The sentence is clear to me.

Of course. The lack of a standard phonetic is a challenge in Khmer, maybe the biggest. I seldom try a word that I haven't heard in Google or from a local. Still often problems getting understood, but improving, slowly. A phonetic can even help memorizing. You can "see" the phonetic in your mind. I will try to sharpen my ears instead. Good challenge.

When you are reading a book the correct verb to use is 'an' / 'aan', which means to read.

But if you're in a bookstore, looking for a book to buy, or in a library, then you could use 'merl'. But the focus at that time is not so much on reading the book but checking which book would be a good read - looking for a good book.

Post by **Jamie_Lambo** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:39 pm

Kammekor wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:13 pm
kps wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 7:00 am
Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 12:39 am but "Naa Klah" again works as a plural context marker, eg.
Sia Pov/Pow Naa La'or Merl - Which book is good to read?
Sia Pov/Pow Naa Klah La'or Merl - Which books are good to read?
Thanks everyone for helping out.
In my dictionaries the word for reading is "an" but here another word is used for reading a book. I guess it is "merl"-(to see/look) with a prefix (la'or) I have not met before?

Edit. Skip this question. I just misread the phonetic for "good - la'or". The sentence is clear to me.

Of course. The lack of a standard phonetic is a challenge in Khmer, maybe the biggest. I seldom try a word that I haven't heard in Google or from a local. Still often problems getting understood, but improving, slowly. A phonetic can even help memorizing. You can "see" the phonetic in your mind. I will try to sharpen my ears instead. Good challenge.
When you are reading a book the correct verb to use is 'an' / 'aan', which means to read.

But if you're in a bookstore, looking for a book to buy, or in a library, then you could use 'merl'. But the focus at that time is not so much on reading the book but checking which book would be a good read - looking for a good book.

មើល - 'Merl' means to Read (to ones self),
អាន - 'Aan' technically means to read (aloud) but both get used interchangeably, and maybe find Aan is more commonly used

Merl can also mean to look, view, watch, read, observe, examine etc.
Merl Tae means to watch over, to take care of, to look after, care for (someone)
Merl Gon means watch a movie (Tow Merl Gon - Go to the movies/cinema)

Kammekor · Post by **Kammekor** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:50 pm

Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:39 pm
Kammekor wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:13 pm
kps wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 7:00 am
Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 12:39 am but "Naa Klah" again works as a plural context marker, eg.
Sia Pov/Pow Naa La'or Merl - Which book is good to read?
Sia Pov/Pow Naa Klah La'or Merl - Which books are good to read?
Thanks everyone for helping out.
In my dictionaries the word for reading is "an" but here another word is used for reading a book. I guess it is "merl"-(to see/look) with a prefix (la'or) I have not met before?

Edit. Skip this question. I just misread the phonetic for "good - la'or". The sentence is clear to me.

Of course. The lack of a standard phonetic is a challenge in Khmer, maybe the biggest. I seldom try a word that I haven't heard in Google or from a local. Still often problems getting understood, but improving, slowly. A phonetic can even help memorizing. You can "see" the phonetic in your mind. I will try to sharpen my ears instead. Good challenge.
When you are reading a book the correct verb to use is 'an' / 'aan', which means to read.

But if you're in a bookstore, looking for a book to buy, or in a library, then you could use 'merl'. But the focus at that time is not so much on reading the book but checking which book would be a good read - looking for a good book.
មើល - 'Merl' means to Read (to ones self),
អាន - 'Aan' technically means to read (aloud) but both get used interchangeably, and maybe find Aan is more commonly used

Merl can also mean to look, view, watch, read, observe, examine etc.
Merl Tae means to watch over, to take care of, to look after, care for (someone)
Merl Gon means watch a movie (Tow Merl Gon - Go to the movies/cinema)

I have never heard anyone use the word មើល (merl) to use for 'to read'. I will listen extra carefully to see if I can pick it up somewhere in this context. 'Aan' is indeed more common I think, but maybe there are regional differences?

It's true it (មើល) can be used for a lot of verbs, so it always should be translated in the context to get the correct translation.

kps · Post by **kps** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:57 pm

Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:04 pm if it works for you bro,
i've never got too technical with my noodles tbh, there are some more specific terms but given the choice i'm not usually fussed what sort of noodles, i just normally say anything other than the packet noodles

Got a little to deep into the noodles ... :stir:

Not even hotel staff had specific names for the different types. The thin originally came from Thai and were then called "seeam", still less often seen in rural areas. The word "bonteha" (?) also appeared for the medium width.

Even though all noodles are ok, it is a good opportunity just to ask and get a dialogue.

I usually eat fresh rice noodles and not egg- or package noodles.

timmydownawell · Post by **timmydownawell** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 5:40 pm

Quick one from me:

Is it ok to call a random older lady 'ming' (aunt) at the market etc, as in "or kun, ming" ?

Post by **Jamie_Lambo** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 5:50 pm

Kammekor wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:50 pm
Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:39 pm
Kammekor wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:13 pm
kps wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 7:00 am
Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 12:39 am but "Naa Klah" again works as a plural context marker, eg.
Sia Pov/Pow Naa La'or Merl - Which book is good to read?
Sia Pov/Pow Naa Klah La'or Merl - Which books are good to read?
Thanks everyone for helping out.
In my dictionaries the word for reading is "an" but here another word is used for reading a book. I guess it is "merl"-(to see/look) with a prefix (la'or) I have not met before?

Edit. Skip this question. I just misread the phonetic for "good - la'or". The sentence is clear to me.

Of course. The lack of a standard phonetic is a challenge in Khmer, maybe the biggest. I seldom try a word that I haven't heard in Google or from a local. Still often problems getting understood, but improving, slowly. A phonetic can even help memorizing. You can "see" the phonetic in your mind. I will try to sharpen my ears instead. Good challenge.
When you are reading a book the correct verb to use is 'an' / 'aan', which means to read.

But if you're in a bookstore, looking for a book to buy, or in a library, then you could use 'merl'. But the focus at that time is not so much on reading the book but checking which book would be a good read - looking for a good book.
មើល - 'Merl' means to Read (to ones self),
អាន - 'Aan' technically means to read (aloud) but both get used interchangeably, and maybe find Aan is more commonly used

Merl can also mean to look, view, watch, read, observe, examine etc.
Merl Tae means to watch over, to take care of, to look after, care for (someone)
Merl Gon means watch a movie (Tow Merl Gon - Go to the movies/cinema)
I have never heard anyone use the word មើល (merl) to use for 'to read'. I will listen extra carefully to see if I can pick it up somewhere in this context. 'Aan' is indeed more common I think, but maybe there are regional differences?

It's true it (មើល) can be used for a lot of verbs, so it always should be translated in the context to get the correct translation.

maybe, maybe its less noticeable because Merl has a more broad term, where as Aan is more of a direct specific meaning, i find Merl is used more casually and Aan is used when being more specific like when asking 'can you read that', i use and have heard both used interchangeably...
from the dictionaries...

Khmer Dictionary: read
English-Khmer Dictionary
read ( v. ) [rJd ]
មើល, មើលសៀវភៅ
(to perform the act of reading; to learn by reading, to another substance.
Eg. to read a book; to read a thermometer, Samai will read the report to the class, to read riddles; to read a fortune; to read someone, a intentions, *Reading room, read
ចេះមើល

read (2) ( v. ) [rJd ]
មើល, មើលសៀវភៅ
(read [red], reading, to peruse at and understand the meaning of written or printed words or symbols; to understand to get the meaning of; to show; to understand any indicating instrument.) read a book
មើល

readable ( adj. ) [rJdEbl ]
គួរអាន, គួរមើល
(interesting or easy to read, pleasant and interesting to read, legible.)
ដែលគួរមើល, ដែល គួរអាន

មើល məəl
1 p to look at, to watch; to watch for; to observe. Old Khmer mel
2 p to read. equiv: អាន
3 p to care for, take care of.
4 pf probably, perhaps, maybe, it seems that. មើលទៅ

មើល məəl
1 v to look at, watch; to read (to oneself); to examine, survey, inspect; to observe; to treat (medically); to care for, take care of; to consider, regard

អាន ʔaan
1 p to read (aloud), to pronounce.
2 p to sharpen (knives, swords, etc.).
3 n saddle for horses (especially of leather or wood).
4 n expiration, exhalation. អានៈ Sanskrit, Pali āna

Post by **Jamie_Lambo** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 5:54 pm

timmydownawell wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 5:40 pm Quick one from me:

Is it ok to call a random older lady 'ming' (aunt) at the market etc, as in "or kun, ming" ?

it might be abit different for me as im only 31 and any lady around my mothers age id respectfully call 'Ming'
if the lady is around your parents age i shouldnt see it being any sort of problem

timmydownawell · Post by **timmydownawell** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 6:02 pm

Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 5:54 pm
timmydownawell wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 5:40 pm Quick one from me:

Is it ok to call a random older lady 'ming' (aunt) at the market etc, as in "or kun, ming" ?
it might be abit different for me as im only 31 and any lady around my mothers age id respectfully call 'Ming'
if the lady is around your parents age i shouldnt see it being any sort of problem

Oh good, because I've been doing it anyway, but only for the old ones

cheers

siliconlife · Post by **siliconlife** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 7:01 pm

Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 5:54 pm
timmydownawell wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 5:40 pm Quick one from me:

Is it ok to call a random older lady 'ming' (aunt) at the market etc, as in "or kun, ming" ?
it might be abit different for me as im only 31 and any lady around my mothers age id respectfully call 'Ming'
if the lady is around your parents age i shouldnt see it being any sort of problem

I call them "E" (pronounced "ee") to be more casual. I learned this in Battambang. Do you know of this word for 'ming'?

And yes, all of these terms are dependent on the age difference of the speakers.

Khmer language: beginners' questions

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