Learn to speak Khmer  

Khmer Language

Khmer CD-ROM
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Where does Khmer come from?
Khmer, or Cambodian, is part of the Mon-Khmer sub-group of the Austro-Asiatic family of languages. It is closely related to Mon (spoken in parts of Burma and Thailand).

How many people speak Khmer?
About 7 million people speak Khmer.

In how many countries?
Khmer is the official language of Cambodia where it is spoken by about 6 million people. Other speakers of the language include 700,000 in Vietnam, and 320,000 in Thailand. Smaller communities are found in the USA, France and Laos.

Khmer Culture

Khmer Music and Dance
The country's most tangible link with its glorious past is its highly stylised royal ballet, traditionally linked to the dance of Thailand, Java and India.

Khmer Food and Drink
Rice and fish are the main staples of the typical Cambodian diet though many dishes are prepared with beef, pork or chicken. Seafood is abundant in coastal areas with shrimps and crab among the favourites. Local specialties include amok (fish-cooked in coconut milk) and a variety of soups, and curries similar in taste though not in spiciness to Thailand.

In general, Khmer cuisine is similar to Thai, but with fewer spices. A Cambodian meal almost always includes a soup, and fish is the nation's mainstay - grilled freshwater fish, wrapped in lettuce or spinach and dipped into a nutty fish sauce, is a particular speciality. 'Salad' dishes are flavoured with coriander, mint and lemongrass - three flavours which find their way into many Cambodian dishes. The French influence is best seen in the bread, baked turtles and frogs' legs, which are sold in the markets.

Khmer Attractions
Phnom Penh The capital still retains an undeniable charm despite its tumultuous and often violent past. The crumbling colonial architecture makes an attractive backdrop to bustling street side cafes and the redeveloped riverfront precinct. The city has several impressive wats (temple-monasteries), including Wat Ounalom (HQ of the Cambodian Buddhist patriarchate) and Wat Phnom (the hilltop pagoda which gave the city its name).

Angkor The celebrated temples of Angkor are Cambodia's greatest tourist attraction. The 100 or so temples are the remains of what was once a much larger administrative and religious centre, and were built between the 9th and 13th centuries to glorify a succession of Khmer kings.

About Talk Now! Language CD-ROMs
This is an excitingly different language learning series. Talk Now! uses games and quizzes as a basis for making the learning process fun, easy and relaxing. There is no better way to teach an old dog new tricks and this fun element of the program means that your fears are forgotten as you absorb words and phrases without even realising you are learning them.

Talk Now! is the world's best selling language learning CD-ROM series for beginners, used by more than three million people to date. It's ideal for travellers, holidaymakers, business people, schoolchildren, students and families.

Anyone over 10 years of age will find the disc indispensable for improving listening, understanding and spoken language skills. There are nine topics: first words, food, colours, phrases, parts of the body, numbers, time, shopping and countries.

The games and quizzes included on the disc ensure that users have fun whilst using the disc, without realising that they're learning. The "intelligent" software feature remembers words you get wrong and targets your weak points.

"This is an excitingly different language learning series. Talk Now! Uses games and quizzes as a basis for making the learning process fun and relaxing." - PC Answers

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