Kenr wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 7:50 am Why would learning english be a priority for Cambodia when it’s visitors from Thailand, Vietnam, and China that dominate the tourism industry here?

Bluenose wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 8:11 am

Kenr wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 7:50 am Why would learning english be a priority for Cambodia when it’s visitors from Thailand, Vietnam, and China that dominate the tourism industry here?

English will still allow you to communicate with a proportion of those tourists, otherwise you need to learn three languages instead of one.
Next week I will be in a meeting that will consist of maybe 10 Cambodian, 3 Vietnamese, 3 Thai and 3 Malaysians, and myself being the only native English speaker. Even if I wasn't there, they would still conduct the meeting in English.

Fridaywithmateo wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 8:34 am

YaTingPom wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 7:38 am Growing up as a kid everywhere we went in Europe people spoke English. They even speak it to each other to communicate - not every Euro speaks multiple languages.
In business (as well as airlines, shipping etc) every one uses English to communicate.

Native English speakers have the disadvantage of people wanting to speak to them in English and going through life not needing to learn another language.

I make no apologies for not knowing other languages.

I have always loved language ... I learned basic Japanese from locals in countryside snack bars ... ojisans mostly ... they would buy me beers in exchange for singing old Sinatra, Elvis, Tony Bennet songs. My accent is native level. Speak Spanish (poorly) since my ex-wife born and grew up in Quito. Two years of high school French, a bit of Thai, Vietnamese ... I imagine I will get pretty good with Khmer inside a few years. Magyar is also on my radar, but is considered one of the most difficult languages of all. My uncle (Atilla Flink) (RIP) was one of the world's top linguists. Great inspiration to me. He once said to me ... "I can learn a new language in the time it takes for someone to eat lunch." I'll never forget that.

YaTingPom wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 10:54 am

Fridaywithmateo wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 8:34 am

YaTingPom wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 7:38 am Growing up as a kid everywhere we went in Europe people spoke English. They even speak it to each other to communicate - not every Euro speaks multiple languages.
In business (as well as airlines, shipping etc) every one uses English to communicate.

Native English speakers have the disadvantage of people wanting to speak to them in English and going through life not needing to learn another language.

I make no apologies for not knowing other languages.

I have always loved language ... I learned basic Japanese from locals in countryside snack bars ... ojisans mostly ... they would buy me beers in exchange for singing old Sinatra, Elvis, Tony Bennet songs. My accent is native level. Speak Spanish (poorly) since my ex-wife born and grew up in Quito. Two years of high school French, a bit of Thai, Vietnamese ... I imagine I will get pretty good with Khmer inside a few years. Magyar is also on my radar, but is considered one of the most difficult languages of all. My uncle (Atilla Flink) (RIP) was one of the world's top linguists. Great inspiration to me. He once said to me ... "I can learn a new language in the time it takes for someone to eat lunch." I'll never forget that.

No offence meant but you are either the most interesting person in SE Asia or the biggest bull shitter.

Fridaywithmateo wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 8:34 am

YaTingPom wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 7:38 am Growing up as a kid everywhere we went in Europe people spoke English. They even speak it to each other to communicate - not every Euro speaks multiple languages.
In business (as well as airlines, shipping etc) every one uses English to communicate.

Native English speakers have the disadvantage of people wanting to speak to them in English and going through life not needing to learn another language.

I make no apologies for not knowing other languages.

I have always loved language ... I learned basic Japanese from locals in countryside snack bars ... ojisans mostly ... they would buy me beers in exchange for singing old Sinatra, Elvis, Tony Bennet songs. My accent is native level. Speak Spanish (poorly) since my ex-wife born and grew up in Quito. Two years of high school French, a bit of Thai, Vietnamese ... I imagine I will get pretty good with Khmer inside a few years. Magyar is also on my radar, but is considered one of the most difficult languages of all. My uncle (Atilla Flink) (RIP) was one of the world's top linguists. Great inspiration to me. He once said to me ... "I can learn a new language in the time it takes for someone to eat lunch." I'll never forget that.

xandreu wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17, 2024 10:04 pm

In all of my years of living here, I have never ever felt that any Khmer has taken the attitude of "Oh, you expect ME to speak English, even though we're in Cambodia, you clearly live here, and we speak Khmer here??!!" as you would find in the west.

Fridaywithmateo wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 11:53 am

Kenr wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 11:00 am

YaTingPom wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 10:54 am

Fridaywithmateo wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 8:34 am

YaTingPom wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 7:38 am Growing up as a kid everywhere we went in Europe people spoke English. They even speak it to each other to communicate - not every Euro speaks multiple languages.
In business (as well as airlines, shipping etc) every one uses English to communicate.

Native English speakers have the disadvantage of people wanting to speak to them in English and going through life not needing to learn another language.

I make no apologies for not knowing other languages.

I have always loved language ... I learned basic Japanese from locals in countryside snack bars ... ojisans mostly ... they would buy me beers in exchange for singing old Sinatra, Elvis, Tony Bennet songs. My accent is native level. Speak Spanish (poorly) since my ex-wife born and grew up in Quito. Two years of high school French, a bit of Thai, Vietnamese ... I imagine I will get pretty good with Khmer inside a few years. Magyar is also on my radar, but is considered one of the most difficult languages of all. My uncle (Atilla Flink) (RIP) was one of the world's top linguists. Great inspiration to me. He once said to me ... "I can learn a new language in the time it takes for someone to eat lunch." I'll never forget that.

No offence meant but you are either the most interesting person in SE Asia or the biggest bull shitter.

I'll take biggest bull shitter for $200.

I usually ignore negative Ned type replies ... but when there is money on the table, I will let it go ... In any event ... show me the money Mr Ken.