More idioms and miscellaneous

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taabarang
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More idioms and miscellaneous

Post by taabarang »

First, a word about my Roman alphabet usage for Cambodian script. I can use the personal one I use since it includes parts of the international phonetic alphabet, French vowels(some of which are very close to Cambodian vowels)and some parts stolen from other phonetic approximations in various books. On one of my previous forums I was indirectly chastised for presenting rural variations that occur in my village and most certainly standard Cambodian exists in this village as well. In fact, there is no doubt in my mind that most, if not all of these variations are understood by educated speakers of standard Cambodian. However one contributor suggested that in speaking this way would be as strange and affected as a tuktuk driver speaking with a British or New York accent in Siem Riep. Ignoring for a moment that fact that there are certainly many accents in those cities, than just one. I would say that it would be understandable if that is where they learned English. That is exactly the situation in my case; I learned to speak Cambodian is this small village and the villagers love it. So enough about that. I'll start with a couple of idioms.

Not surprisingly many of these idioms have to do with poverty,

rosii baan m'ke m'ke. To make a living from one crop to the next. Here crop has nothing to do with what is harvested; it refers to the crop in a bird. One eats as much as one can and hopes that there will be something to eat in the future.

Others have to do with stupidity of laziness.

meul neaknaamuey(or in the village pii naa muey) doch k'bai muel turatua. To look at some like a water buffalo looking at television. You must be familiar with that slack jawed look of incomprehension. By the way this is very similar to the French, "Regarder quelquún (ou quelquechose)
comme la vache regarde passer le train. To look at someone or something like a cow looking at the train pass by.

kawp yobaal(i.e. the idea is buried) to just not get it at all.

tweukaa peak kandaal kut. Very similar to the English "to work half-assed"

here are some stronger words.

l'bawl yo not particularly strong. Said mostly in moments of surprise. The English equivalent is "What the hell?"

prawhaung kdeut Exactly the same as English ässhole" LIke most strong words usually used about someone not to someone unless you're ready to fight.

khdui mai wie. Very strong and frankly I have no idea how to translate it. It contains verbal dynamite with the words "pussy, mother, and it('s). I suspect that it is so vile that only an Australian could translate it.

Some words for traffic.

chak kua-to weave in and out of traffic.
kralim kraleum( pronounced k'lim k'leum in our village) to travel carelessly in a group, like high school moto drivers after school. Also used with little children who wander aimlessly from place to place.

Here is an example of cynicism based on the Cambodian do good, get good do evil get evil
Tweu beun baan bap, tweu bap baan Mercedes.

Finally a word in our village which is a variation of standard Cambodian.

Muey kumno a heap standard Cambodian. In our village maa kaano. Sometimes they add kokok.

So, my next door neighbor uses wood to cook with. We use gas and I keep dead wood from our property for her. So, I told her,

Ming mian oh ma kano nau kang krawii pthea nyom. Trans: Auntie, there is a pile of firewood behind
my house.

ON a final note there are some standard Cambodian words that are not understood in our village due to a lack of education and an absence of reading material. Note that I am not saying all, just some and usually the older people.

For instance if I want details(pusaadaa) it is useless, I have to say poa r'mien thaim tiet. Which really means more information.

Well I hope you have enjoyed this and I would be grateful if NATIVE Cambodian speakers would add khmer script to these idioms I would be grateful. I would really like Samouth to get on it.
As my old Cajun bait seller used to say, "I opes you luck.
taabarang
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Re: More idioms and miscellaneous

Post by taabarang »

Sorry, but my computer is too slow for the edit function.. The sentence should read "I CAN'T use my personal one...."
As my old Cajun bait seller used to say, "I opes you luck.
Samouth
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Re: More idioms and miscellaneous

Post by Samouth »

Not surprisingly many of these idioms have to do with poverty,
rosii baan m'ke m'ke. To make a living from one crop to the next. Here crop has nothing to do with what is harvested; it refers to the crop in a bird. One eats as much as one can and hopes that there will be something to eat in the future.
Or it can be meant that you only can earn enough money for your expense and need. You don't have left over money for saving. Khmer Script: (rosii baan m'ke m'ke) រកស៊ីបានមួយគែៗ។

Others have to do with stupidity of laziness.
meul neaknaamuey(or in the village pii naa muey) doch k'bai muel turatua. To look at some like a water buffalo looking at television. You must be familiar with that slack jawed look of incomprehension. By the way this is very similar to the French, "Regarder quelquún (ou quelquechose)
comme la vache regarde passer le train. To look at someone or something like a cow looking at the train pass by.
I am not sure what are referring for this one meul neaknaamuey, however what i was assuming is that you might want to say Ort chas meul ke meul eng (literally means don't look at or follow other people). ( Figuratively, you are kidda lazy and don't do anything while other people are working hard. When people say doch dek Kor or krobei meul turatua, they mean you are stupid. You are kidda slow to understand anything or what they were saying.

Khmer script: (Ort chas meul ke meul eng) អត់ចេះមើលគេមើលឯង។ (doch dek Kor or krobei meul turatua) ដូចដឹកគោ ឬ ក្របីមើលទូរទស្សន៍។
kawp yobaal(i.e. the idea is buried) to just not get it at all.

Korb youbal means have no idea.
Khmer script: (Korb youbal) កប់យោបល់។
tweukaa peak kandaal kut. Very similar to the English "to work half-assed"
To be honest, i have never heard of this one. However i can understand it. It can be meant that you have never finished your works and always left for other people to finish it.
For me i would say (twerka min chorp chonng chorp deoum).
Khmer Script: (tweukaa peak kandaal kut) ធ្វើការពាក់កណ្ដាលគូទ។
(twerka min chorp chonng chorp deoum) ធ្វើការមិនចប់ចុងចប់ដើម។

here are some stronger words.
l'bawl yo not particularly strong. Said mostly in moments of surprise. The English equivalent is "What the hell?"
Great explanation and translation.
Khmer script: ល្បល់យោ។ This phrase is completely colloquial. So, we have no exact way to write it.
prawhaung kdeut Exactly the same as English ässhole" LIke most strong words usually used about someone not to someone unless you're ready to fight.
Sorry this is a bad word. So i don't want to write it in khmer. The translation is right.

khdui mai wie. Very strong and frankly I have no idea how to translate it. It contains verbal dynamite with the words "pussy, mother, and it('s). I suspect that it is so vile that only an Australian could translate it.

This is also bad word, so i don't want to write it in khmer. Most of Cambodians translated it as (your mother fucker).

Some words for traffic.
chak kua-to weave in and out of traffic.
kralim kraleum( pronounced k'lim k'leum in our village) to travel carelessly in a group, like high school moto drivers after school. Also used with little children who wander aimlessly from place to place.
I completely don't understand about this one.
Here is an example of cynicism based on the Cambodian do good, get good do evil get evil
Tweu beun baan bap, tweu bap baan Mercedes.
(do good, get good do evil get evil) Translation: Twer bun ban bun, Twer bap ban bap.
Khmer Script: ធ្វើបុណ្យបានបុណ្យ។

Finally a word in our village which is a variation of standard Cambodian.
Muey kumno a heap standard Cambodian. In our village maa kaano. Sometimes they add kokok.
Muey kumno or maa kaano or maa kaplous mean A lots.
Khmer Script: មួយគំនរ ឬ ម៉ាកានរ ឬ ម៉ាកាផ្លុះ។

So, my next door neighbor uses wood to cook with. We use gas and I keep dead wood from our property for her. So, I told her,

Ming mian oh ma kano nau kang krawii pthea nyom. Trans: Auntie, there is a pile of firewood behind
my house.

(Ming mian oh ma kano nau kang krawii pthea nyom ៖ មីងមានអុសម៉ាកានរនៅខាងក្រោមផ្ទះខ្ញុំ។

ON a final note there are some standard Cambodian words that are not understood in our village due to a lack of education and an absence of reading material. Note that I am not saying all, just some and usually the older people.
For instance if I want details(pusaadaa) it is useless, I have to say poa r'mien thaim tiet. Which really means more information.
The word pissadaa (ពិស្ដារ) is not an rural word. It is a really big word. Not all Cambodia knows it. Yes the word pissadaa means detail.


Well I hope you have enjoyed this and I would be grateful if NATIVE Cambodian speakers would add khmer script to these idioms I would be grateful. I would really like Samouth to get on it.[/quote]
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.
taabarang
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Re: More idioms and miscellaneous

Post by taabarang »

Many thanks for your insight; I'm sorry I do not have enough time now to respond to all your comments. I checked with my wife and she said that the correct Cambodian is indeed as you stated pissaadaa; however I learned it in the village where they say posaadaa if they say it at all.
As my old Cajun bait seller used to say, "I opes you luck.
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Re: More idioms and miscellaneous

Post by prahkeitouj »

I really appreciate you both. :-)
កុំស្លាប់ដូចពស់ កុំរស់ដូចកង្កែប
Samouth
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Re: More idioms and miscellaneous

Post by Samouth »

prahkeitouj wrote:I really appreciate you both. :-)
only three of us are interested with khmer language. :o
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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StroppyChops
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Re: More idioms and miscellaneous

Post by StroppyChops »

Samouth wrote:
prahkeitouj wrote:I really appreciate you both. :-)
only three of us are interested with khmer language. :o
The rest of us are waiting to hear the bell ring...
Bodge: This ain't Kansas, and the neighbours ate Toto!
taabarang
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Re: More idioms and miscellaneous

Post by taabarang »

The rest of us are waiting to hear the bell ring..

SC Like a kid in school or a fighter losing the round?
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Re: More idioms and miscellaneous

Post by Samouth »

SC. i don't understand. :please:
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.
taabarang
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Re: More idioms and miscellaneous

Post by taabarang »

Samouth, I had a bit of trouble too but of a different kind than yours. It is highly related to our culture. I suspect after some reflection that he is referring to the bell that announces the start of a boxing match-a reference to strong disagreements I had with another poster.
As my old Cajun bait seller used to say, "I opes you luck.
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