Languages
- Khmer (official) 95%, English, French
Other languages:
- Vietnamese, Chinese, German, Thai, Russian, Japanese, Korean.
Note: In recent decades English and Chinese have become the most attracting foreign language in Cambodia with over 70 Chinese schools and 30,000 students and 1,000 teachers. Other languages spoken in Cambodia are minority languages.
Population of Cambodia according to mother tongue in 1998 and 2008
| Mother tongue |
Language family |
census 1998 | census 2008 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | ||
| Khmer | Mon-Khmer | 10,942,066 | 95.7 | 12,901,447 | 96.3 |
| Chaam | Austronesian | 204,080 | 1.52 | ||
| Vietnamese | Vietic | 140,328 | 1.23 | 72,775 | 0.54 |
| Phnong | Mon-Khmer | 37,507 | 0.28 | ||
| Tumpoon | Mon-Khmer | 31,013 | 0.23 | ||
| Kuoy | Mon-Khmer | 28,612 | 0.21 | ||
| Chaaraay | Austronesian | 26,335 | 0.20 | ||
| Krueng | Mon-Khmer | 19,988 | 0.15 | ||
| Lao | Tai-Kadai | 24,854 | 0.22 | 18,515 | 0.14 |
| Proav | 9,025 | 0.07 | |||
| Stieng | Mon-Khmer | 6,541 | 0.05 | ||
| Chinese | Sino-Tibetan | 26,721 | 0.23 | 6,530 | 0.05 |
| Kaaveat | Mon-Khmer | 6,218 | 0.05 | ||
| Kraol | Mon-Khmer | 4,202 | 0.03 | ||
| Thai | Tai-Kadai | 2,482 | 0.02 | 2,458 | 0.02 |
| Ro ong | 1,831 | 0.01 | |||
| Por (Pear) | Mon-Khmer | 1,827 | 0.01 | ||
| Mel | Mon-Khmer | 1,697 | 0.01 | ||
| Thmoon (T' Moan) | Mon-Khmer | 865 | 0.01 | ||
| Suoy | Mon-Khmer | 857 | 0.01 | ||
| Khogn | Mon-Khmer | 743 | 0.01 | ||
| Klueng | 702 | 0.01 | |||
| S'ouch | Mon-Khmer | 445 | 0.00 | ||
| Kchruk | 408 | 0.00 | |||
| Lon | 327 | 0.00 | |||
| Raadear | Austronesian | 21 | 0.00 | ||
| Mon | Mon-Khmer | 19 | 0.00 | ||
| Kchak | 10 | 0.00 | |||
| Others & not stated | 301,205 | 2.63 | 10684 | 0.08 | |
| Total | 11,437,656 | 13,395,682 | |||
Read more about this topic: Demographics Of Cambodia
Famous quotes containing the word languages:
“People in places many of us never heard of, whose names we can’t pronounce or even spell, are speaking up for themselves. They speak in languages we once classified as “exotic” but whose mastery is now essential for our diplomats and businessmen. But what they say is very much the same the world over. They want a decent standard of living. They want human dignity and a voice in their own futures. They want their children to grow up strong and healthy and free.”
—Hubert H. Humphrey (1911–1978)
“The trouble with foreign languages is, you have to think before your speak.”
—Swedish proverb, trans. by Verne Moberg.
“The less sophisticated of my forbears avoided foreigners at all costs, for the very good reason that, in their circles, speaking in tongues was commonly a prelude to snake handling. The more tolerant among us regarded foreign languages as a kind of speech impediment that could be overcome by willpower.”
—Barbara Ehrenreich (b. 1941)