Thread: Thai v khmer

I used to speak quite a bit of thai going back thirty years.
I have been speaking khmer for three years and i find it much more diffficult than thai.
Last week I was in saigon and I bought the lonely planet phrase book.Vietnamese does not seem difficult thanks to the roman script.
People say that vietnamese and thai are difficult due to the tones,I find the tones far less onerous than grammar problems.
I would like to go to issaan where khmer is spoken,anyone know about the form of khmer language there?

Originally Posted by cambtek

I would like to go to issaan where khmer is spoken,anyone know about the form of khmer language there?

It's the same thing that happens in 'Laos' Isaan. It's a mish-mash of Thai, Khmer & whatever else takes their fancy.

Laosy speaks weapons grade Khmer most of the time with her family and I don't understand a bloody word.
She speaks to me in Thai which I find easy.

Originally Posted by Little Chuchok

^ Spoke to a laos bird a few months ago here.She married a chap from Issan.I asked her what the main difference was in the language and she said ...nothing,it's the same except for greetings and a few formal words.She said that her husbands accent was so close to her own that it didn't matter.

I suppose it also would matter where they both came from......

The Midget is from Udon and her 'Laos' is quite a bit different to the Laos spoken in Vientiane, but everyone understands each other as they all understand Thai .

Very correct Termite.

^ When we went to Vientianne missus said the Laos they were speaking is closer to Lanna than Isaan (she's a Lanna speaker). In Vang Vieng she had trouble understanding some people.

Originally Posted by cambtek

I would like to go to issaan where khmer is spoken,anyone know about the form of khmer language there?

There are few places in Isan where Khmer is spoken.
Buriram and Surin would prolly be your best bet.