Facebook Translate - A work in progress

[Username Taken]

Ever wondered how FB translates Khmer words rendered in English, like 'Sart nas bb'.
Check this out.




And here it is translated, apparently from Arabic.

[explorer]

Facebook says it translates to I love you.

Sart in Facebook abbreviation means beautiful

nas in Facebook abbreviation means very

bb in Facebook abbreviation may mean baby, but this one I am not sure of, so it may be something else.

So it probably means very beautiful baby, not I love you.

Facebook abbreviations are not standard. For example, beautiful can be sart or zart. So it makes it very difficult to have a computer translate it.

[explorer]

And here it is translated, apparently from Arabic.

I saw another one, supposedly translated from Swahili. If they don't know which language it is, getting the correct translation becomes impossible.

[Username Taken]

[explorer]

Facebook may speed up the process of having a hybrid language, where more and more English is included when speaking Khmer. Now you sometimes hear people speaking Khmer saying yes or no. Probably in 20 years time there will be a lot more English in Khmer.

Facebook writing is often a combination of Khmer and English. They often write it the easiest way.

It is easier to write the Khmer sart of zart than the English beautiful.

But then it is easier to write love in English.

Then there is bf, which is best friend, also English.

[explorer]

Some examples of words and slang used on Facebook by Cambodians

sart
zart
xart - All from Khmer. Means beautiful.

cute - English.

loy - From Khmer. Mostly used for things. Means looks good and looks expensive. Sometimes used for people.

nas - From Khmer. Means very.

all - English
o - From Khmer. Means all.

srey
zeii - Both from Khmer. Means female, girl, woman.

sis - English slang. Means sister.
សុីស - Khmer writing of English sis.

bro - English slang. Means brother.

puk mak - From Khmer. Means friend.
pm - From Khmer. Means friend.

baby
bby
bb - All English. Means baby.

Thx - English. Thanks.
rkun
rk - Both from Khmer. Means thanks.

HBD - English. Happy birthday.

[khmerhamster]

I think BB means bong bros

I don't really hear Khmer people calling each other baby.


Sent from my CPH1823 using Tapatalk

[explorer]

I think BB means bong bros

I don't really hear Khmer people calling each other baby.

These abbreviations are not standard. So different people may use them in different ways.

On Facebook, some do write the full word baby. So it is definitely used by some.

You can look at the picture it is referring to, and see if it is a male or female. If it is a female, it can't be.

[explorer]

One correction to the list I posted above.

oun
o - Both from Khmer. Younger sister or darling.

Hopefully I will post an updated list some time.

[khmerhamster]

I think BB means bong bros

I don't really hear Khmer people calling each other baby.

These abbreviations are not standard. So different people may use them in different ways.

On Facebook, some do write the full word baby. So it is definitely used by some.

You can look at the picture it is referring to, and see if it is a male or female. If it is a female, it can't be.

Of course it isn't standard.
It's a mess.
Normally though O is oun, B is bong
And BB is bong bros




Sent from my CPH1823 using Tapatalk