Thursday, August 6, 2009

Learning Khmer

Am trying to learn some Khmer. Have taken on a project of learning a word or phrase a day. During my time in Poipet this last trip I really really enjoyed myself. There was a real beauty to the 30 or so people I met over the 2 days I visited. I want to try to go back and make more photos of the locals, there is an honesty to them that I think will translate well in my portraits. I have to learn to communicate thou, if I cannot talk to them I really limit myself, communication is a key. Back in 1999 I learned Thai this way little by little. I have to try to do the same now with Khmer (have studied the language before back in 2003), it will be difficult to learn without the help of any native speakers (doing it online) will have to try and find some local people here in my city that might be able to help.

There is some common vocabulary between Khmer and Thai and many Cambodians along the border can speak Thai so I have a bit of advantage there but damn learning khmer will be hard, step by step we will get there.

jim-ree-up-sooo = Hello
khyom mun-yohl-tay = I do not understand
khyom yohl = I understand