Questions about English in Cambodia

[WorldEnglishes]

Hello,

I'm a student from a university in California, USA, and I'm doing a project for my linguistics class on the status of English in Cambodia. I'd like to ask some questions about the status of English, who speaks English, and what EFL programs are like. I designed these questions for TESL teachers, but please answer whatever you can. I really want to get perspectives from a source that isn't a research paper!

Questions for English Teachers:

• -Why did you decide to teach English in Cambodia? What is the nature of the TESL program you are involved in?
  -When and where are you teaching in Cambodia? Who are your students?
  -What are some pros and cons of teaching English in Cambodia? (I’ve heard that it can be extremely easy to get employed, but that you may end up working for a program that is disorganized, how accurate is this?)
  -What do your students (and/or your Cambodian friends) believe they will gain from learning English?
  -Do your students or friends speak English outside of classes? In what contexts?
  -Do you believe that Cambodia has its own unique form of English, i.e. as Singapore and India do?
  -If you believe there is such a thing as Cambodian English, what are its features?

Questions for anyone:

• Why did you move to Cambodia? When?
  Do you know Khmer or do you primarily communicate with Cambodians using English or another language?
  How common is it to find English speakers?
  When you tell people you are an expat, how do they treat you? Are expats generally respected and treated well in Cambodia?

Sorry that this is so much. I'm just really hoping to get any kind of feedback. Thanks!

[prahkeitouj]

I'm not a teacher of English. I hope you get some answers from posters here.good luck!

[SinnSisamouth]

hello and ok are used by all cambodians

also is englishes a real world?

[WorldEnglishes]

I'm not a teacher of English. I hope you get some answers from posters here.good luck!

Thanks! If you're not an English teacher, could you still answer a couple of questions?

Why did you move to Cambodia? When?
Do you know Khmer or do you primarily communicate with Cambodians using English or another language?
How common is it to find English speakers? What types of people speak English?
When you tell people you are an expat, how do they treat you? Are expats generally respected and treated well in Cambodia?

[WorldEnglishes]

hello and ok are used by all cambodians

also is englishes a real world?

It's a real world I guess in the sense that when English is taught in places around the world besides England, it can turn into a new variety of the language. For instance, you could say that American English, Indian English, and Jamaican English are all different "Englishes." I dunno. It's an ongoing project my professor started.

[ExPenhMan]

I'm not a teacher of English. I hope you get some answers from posters here.good luck!

Thanks! If you're not an English teacher, could you still answer a couple of questions?

Why did you move to Cambodia? When?
Do you know Khmer or do you primarily communicate with Cambodians using English or another language?
How common is it to find English speakers? What types of people speak English?
When you tell people you are an expat, how do they treat you? Are expats generally respected and treated well in Cambodia?

Have to laugh. Sorry. Prahkeitouj is Cambodian-born Khmer.

[Anchor Moy]

also is englishes a real world?

Yes it is! According to wiki:

World Englishes is a term for emerging localized or indigenized varieties of English, especially varieties that have developed in territories influenced by the United Kingdom or the United States. The study of World Englishes consists of identifying varieties of English used in diverse sociolinguistic contexts globally and analyzing how sociolinguistic histories, multicultural backgrounds and contexts of function influence the use of English in different regions of the world...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Englishes

To the OP: very interesting subject. I would guess that "Cambodian English" is still developing. I think that the English that Cambodians learn or pick up here depends very much on their primary native-speaking teacher - who could be a teacher, but also a boss, co-workers, boyfriends, spouses, customers, foreign friends. There are many so different nationalities speaking variations of English here - US and UK are obviously the main influences, but I know some Khmer who speak with a pronounced Australian accent from working with Australians. (I think you will have to take into account that many Cambodians haven't learnt/developed their spoken English at school, but at work or in social situations).

As for English teachers in Cambodia - they better speak for themselves - is there one nationality that provides the majority of English teachers in schools here ?

[SinnSisamouth]

hello and ok are used by all cambodians

also is englishes a real world?

It's a real world I guess in the sense that when English is taught in places around the world besides England, it can turn into a new variety of the language. For instance, you could say that American English, Indian English, and Jamaican English are all different "Englishes." I dunno. It's an ongoing project my professor started.

as a native british english speaker I get riled when i hear bastardised use of our language!

usually by the americans (can I get, I could care less, and "isation" stick to any words to make it more official etc) but I guess its inevitable

not forgetting "aks" instead of "ask"!

[WorldEnglishes]

I'm not a teacher of English. I hope you get some answers from posters here.good luck!

Thanks! If you're not an English teacher, could you still answer a couple of questions?

Why did you move to Cambodia? When?
Do you know Khmer or do you primarily communicate with Cambodians using English or another language?
How common is it to find English speakers? What types of people speak English?
When you tell people you are an expat, how do they treat you? Are expats generally respected and treated well in Cambodia?

Have to laugh. Sorry. Prahkeitouj is Cambodian-born Khmer.

Oops. Obviously I haven't been around long enough to know...

[WorldEnglishes]

also is englishes a real world?

Yes it is! According to wiki:

World Englishes is a term for emerging localized or indigenized varieties of English, especially varieties that have developed in territories influenced by the United Kingdom or the United States. The study of World Englishes consists of identifying varieties of English used in diverse sociolinguistic contexts globally and analyzing how sociolinguistic histories, multicultural backgrounds and contexts of function influence the use of English in different regions of the world...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Englishes

To the OP: very interesting subject. I would guess that "Cambodian English" is still developing. I think that the English that Cambodians learn or pick up here depends very much on their primary native-speaking teacher - who could be a teacher, but also a boss, co-workers, boyfriends, spouses, customers, foreign friends. There are many so different nationalities speaking variations of English here - US and UK are obviously the main influences, but I know some Khmer who speak with a pronounced Australian accent from working with Australians. (I think you will have to take into account that many Cambodians haven't learnt/developed their spoken English at school, but at work or in social situations).

As for English teachers in Cambodia - they better speak for themselves - is there one nationality that provides the majority of English teachers in schools here ?

That's really interesting to know, thank you!