Khmer Spelling
Spelling inconsistencies continue to exist within the Khmer
language, despite attempts to standardize it. The authoritative
dictionary for Khmer lexicography is one that has been completed
under the supervision of the Venerable Chuon Nath of the Buddhist
Institute of Phnom Penh (U.S. Library of
Congress, 2004).
Most of the Cambodian students in the Lowell Public Schools
have not had formal instruction in the Khmer language; they
learn to encode language through English their second language.
Their level of English proficiency varies and many words used
in the spelling programs are totally or partially unknown
to them in terms of meaning in understanding and speaking.
Therefore, the point of influence in English encompasses several
factors:
- The students’ pronunciation of the sounds and words in
English, given the Khmer
influences
- The second language
stage already reached by the student
- The knowledge and understanding of the words being used
for spelling and the stage
of spelling development attained.
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