Khmer language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Khmer |
|
|---|---|
| Cambodian | |
| Native to | Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, USA, France, Australia |
| Ethnicity | Khmer |
| Native speakers | 16 million (2007) |
| Language family |
Default
|
| Official status | |
| Official language in |  Cambodia |
Khmer is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia. With approximately 16 million speakers, it is the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language (after Vietnamese).
Khmer has been influenced considerably by Sanskrit and Pali, especially in the royal and religious registers, through Hinduism and Buddhism. The vast majority of Khmer speakers speak Central Khmer, the dialect of the central plain where the Khmer are most heavily concentrated.
Khmer is written with the Khmer script, an abugida developed from the Pallava script of India before the 7th century when the first known inscription appeared. The Khmer script is based on an ancient Indian alphabet. It is written from left to right. There are 35 consonants, some of which are written under other consonants. Vowels are combined with the consonants.
Images for kids
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The approximate locations where various dialects of Khmer are spoken
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A stone carved in Old Khmer
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An example of modern Khmer script at the Cambodian Embassy in Berlin
See also
In Spanish: Idioma jemer para niños
