Khmer-style misinterpretation

[curiosity]

Dear folks,

I recently had a meeting with a few Khmer people that took place after a previous appointment. I was a bit late, so I messaged the highest-ranking person in the group and informed him that I would be a 15-20 min late. Once I arrived (around 15 min later), everybody was very surprised and told me that the person I messaged had told the group that I would not come! The message literally read: "I'm sorry, but I will be 15-20 min late."
This is also not the first time that something I said to a Khmer person suddenly took a much more negative turn. Did you also experience this kind of misinterpretation? If yes, what are the reasons for this?

[Kammekor]

Dear folks,

I recently had a meeting with a few Khmer people that took place after a previous appointment. I was a bit late, so I messaged the highest-ranking person in the group and informed him that I would be a 15-20 min late. Once I arrived (around 15 min later), everybody was very surprised and told me that the person I messaged had told the group that I would not come! The message literally read: "I'm sorry, but I will be 15-20 min late."
This is also not the first time that something I said to a Khmer person suddenly took a much more negative turn. Did you also experience this kind of misinterpretation? If yes, what are the reasons for this?

Since Khmer are always late I don't get this.

[Spigzy]

The only lost in translation that happened to me was with the mother-in-law.

She asked me if I liked bananas, I said yes. She came back from the market with the best part of a banana plantation. I ate about four in four days and the rest went brown & got lobbed out. Now she thinks I don't like bananas.

[explorer]

In Cambodian culture people normally tell others what they think they want to hear. They know that, and when you tell the truth, they think you are telling them what you think they want to hear. They then take a guess at what the truth may be.

I met a Cambodian lady with a foreign husband. Money ran short, so he went back home to work and earn some more money. I asked her if they had separated. She said she didnt know. In the mean time, she spent time with other men. He came back, found out, was very upset, and they did separate. He told the truth. He said he was going back to earn some more money. She interpreted it the Cambodian way. Maybe he was leaving her.

I caught a motodop to go where I would normally walk, because I could see rain clouds coming. He agreed to take me quickly so I could get there before the rain came. Half way he stopped, and taking his time, he put on a rain coat. I got saturated. He told me what it took to get my business, knowing he was going to do something else.

If someone is upset with someone else, they dont say anything, they put on a fake happy act.

[Jamie_Lambo]

I met a Cambodian lady with a foreign husband. Money ran short, so he went back home to work and earn some more money. I asked her if they had separated. She said she didnt know. In the mean time, she spent time with other men. He came back, found out, was very upset, and they did separate. He told the truth. He said he was going back to earn some more money. She interpreted it the Cambodian way. Maybe he was leaving her.

half of thats due to the Khmer Short Term mentality, they often live for the moment with little thought about the future, thats why she didnt wait

[Jcml19]

Think im starting to understand this khmer style of doing things.... House hunting is starting to annoy me

[Bitte_Kein_Lexus]

Saying you'll be late can often mean you won't be there at all in Cambodia. That's the only thing I can think of. Not always, of course, but I've heard numerous excuses and then phone's not being answered from staff, then show up the next time as if nothing has happened. I'm hue the last guy who said he'd be 15 late ended up going to Koh Kong for three days without warning.

[Arget]

In Cambodian culture people normally tell others what they think they want to hear. They know that, and when you tell the truth, they think you are telling them what you think they want to hear. They then take a guess at what the truth may be.

I met a Cambodian lady with a foreign husband. Money ran short, so he went back home to work and earn some more money. I asked her if they had separated. She said she didnt know. In the mean time, she spent time with other men. He came back, found out, was very upset, and they did separate. He told the truth. He said he was going back to earn some more money. She interpreted it the Cambodian way. Maybe he was leaving her.

I caught a motodop to go where I would normally walk, because I could see rain clouds coming. He agreed to take me quickly so I could get there before the rain came. Half way he stopped, and taking his time, he put on a rain coat. I got saturated. He told me what it took to get my business, knowing he was going to do something else.

If someone is upset with someone else, they dont say anything, they put on a fake happy act.

I do too... every time I read your posts.

[cptrelentless]

15 minutes late is half an hour early in Cambodia, it would be weird to tell someone you were going to be a little late if it was less than an hour. They don't have the same concept of time. Plus turning up late makes you look important.

[Cam Nivag]

Saying you'll be late can often mean you won't be there at all in Cambodia. That's the only thing I can think of.

No, here's what happened.

2% chance the guy can't read English.

98% chance that the guy he messaged, the highest ranking Khmer of the group, was just cock blocking him and didn't want him at the meeting. He knew exactly what the message meant and exactly what he was doing. If you're the highest ranking Khmer in a group, why would you want a foreigner meeting with your people and showing you up? You wouldn't. The recipient of the message didn't want to meet with him and/or wanted to make him look bad.