Why Do Cambodians Say "Happy Birthday" When It's Nobody's Birthday?

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prahocalypse now
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Why Do Cambodians Say "Happy Birthday" When It's Nobody's Birthday?

Post by prahocalypse now »

Why do Cambodians say or write or sing "Happy Birthday" when it's nobody's birthday?

For example, today the Cambodian reporter Huy Bunleng has made a post on facebook about Valentine's Day. In short, he writes that Valentine's Day is not Khmer culture and that if young people insist on celebrating it, they should express their love and respect for elderly relatives and avoid playing hide the sausage in a cheap guesthouse. However, he included a photo of a birthday cake with his post.

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Also, I can recall Cambodian students bringing a birthday cake to class parties. When I asked them whose birthday it was they said it wasn't anyone's birthday and that the birthday cake was to celebrate the end of the course. Once they even brought a birthday cake with my name on it to one of these end-of-course parties and it wasn't my birthday.

I've also heard Cambodians sing Happy Birthday to You to somebody when it wasn't their birthday.

What's going on? :?
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Kuroneko
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Re: Why Do Cambodians Say "Happy Birthday" When It's Nobody's Birthday?

Post by Kuroneko »

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(┛◉Д◉)┛
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Re: Why Do Cambodians Say "Happy Birthday" When It's Nobody's Birthday?

Post by (┛◉Д◉)┛ »

not a great deal of choice at the cake shop?
dont know the english words for other occasions? a celebration is a celebration
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rozzieoz
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Re: Why Do Cambodians Say "Happy Birthday" When It's Nobody's Birthday?

Post by rozzieoz »

Any excuse for cake and party!


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Re: Why Do Cambodians Say "Happy Birthday" When It's Nobody's Birthday?

Post by pczz »

Bars do this when they are not getting a lot of customers. throw a birthday party for one of the girls and a bit of free food
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Re: Why Do Cambodians Say "Happy Birthday" When It's Nobody's Birthday?

Post by Jamie_Lambo »

prahocalypse now wrote: Wed Feb 14, 2018 10:38 am and avoid playing hide the sausage in a cheap guesthouse.
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:tophat: Mean Dtuk Mean Trei, Mean Loy Mean Srey
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Duncan
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Re: Why Do Cambodians Say "Happy Birthday" When It's Nobody's Birthday?

Post by Duncan »

Why do Cambodians say or write or sing "Happy Birthday" when it's nobody's birthday?


Why do people say '' Good Day '' when no-one's having a good day ?
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: Why Do Cambodians Say "Happy Birthday" When It's Nobody's Birthday?

Post by John Bingham »

It's always somebody's birthday.
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Kuroneko
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Re: Why Do Cambodians Say "Happy Birthday" When It's Nobody's Birthday?

Post by Kuroneko »

Duncan wrote: Thu Feb 15, 2018 1:03 pm Why do Cambodians say or write or sing "Happy Birthday" when it's nobody's birthday?


Why do people say '' Good Day '' when no-one's having a good day ?
Maybe its a sarcastic question rather than a greeting :plus1:
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Kammekor
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Re: Why Do Cambodians Say "Happy Birthday" When It's Nobody's Birthday?

Post by Kammekor »

(┛◉Д◉)┛ wrote: Wed Feb 14, 2018 11:18 am not a great deal of choice at the cake shop?
dont know the english words for other occasions? a celebration is a celebration
A celebration is a celebration, but not here. Khmer has an extensive vocabulary to address celebrations.

And birthdays are usually not celebrated, although the latest generation of parents seems to adopt the idea, especially when the kid's still in the early stages. Too bad the cake is usually used to smash/smear into each other's faces. Well, looking at the colors of it and thinking of the chemicals used to color it it's probably better to have int on your skin rather than having it in your intestine.
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