 |
| The most measly Reference section--there are more dictionaries in other languages than in Khmer. I have more and a better selection of Khmer dictionaries than the National Library. Facebook posting, 8 Aug. 2013 |
 |
| These basically are the only Khmer dictionaries publicly available... I'm choked up just typing this! - Facebook posting, 8 August 2013 |
About 5-6 years ago, I started posting pages from some
Khmer dictionaries where commas were used (even if very sparsely,
sporadically), in particular the 7-page letter of the Venerable Chuon Nath to
his 1967 dictionary, in my advocacy for the use of commas in Khmer.
Prior to this,
without the aid of an iPhone, my exchanges with EDUCATED Cambodians on the
topic had been one of high emotions couched in identity / Khmer-ness language,
masking as reasons -- a non-starter to any rational conversation of substance on this topic of
PROPER, CONSISTENT usage of punctuation marks.
Not to mention deep frustration.
So, earlier on, I knew any
progress on this matter had to be done by way of example for all to SEE with
the physical eyes before the ability to SEE WITH THE MIND'S EYE. This led to my
editing of 60-plus books of the Bible in Khmer, only several books shy, with
some 500-plus pages of notes.
This matter of punctuation should
be a cautionary tale, that whenever "It's not Khmer" is employed, it
cuts off all discussions, and we should all pause and RETHINK the matter.
For you see, in this matter of
punctuation usage, ALL punctuation marks have been APPROPRIATED and of
non-Khmer origin, save the Khmer "khan" (period/full stop). To frame
the issue as a matter of identity--"It's not Khmer"--is not only
silly and unhelpful, but self-defeating and costly.
The issue then is not whether this
is Khmer or not Khmer (since you're already appropriating most of these marks)
but HOW are they to be used that works toward CLARITY and effective
COMMUNICATION.
- Theary C. Seng, 15 Aug. 2016
Re: Seeing the need for commas in Khmer with the MIND'S EYE - You're already appropriating; now use them properly, consistently
ReplyDeleteIs COMMA a necessity [whether it be with the MIND's or PHYSICAL's eye]?
Is the absence of COMMA a crisis in the Khmer [written]'s language itself as it was once led to believe?
OR IS IT THAT THE KHMER LANGUAGE [BOTH SPOKEN AND WRITTEN] HAS BEEN EVOLUTIONIZED AND/OR CUSTOM-TAILORED TO SERVE THE INTEREST OF THOSE OTHER THAN KHMER'S ALREADY DURING THE PAST THREE DECADES!
10:12 PM
ReplyDeleteAgreed