The flip flop is on the other foot

DATELE: August 5 2013
Patricia E Lyon

Two smart-ass teachers have been teaching English for 13 years. Now they are students because we asked, “Please, can you teach us Khmer?”

I teach sewing at 8:00 am. Deanna teaches English at 9:00am. A Khmer teacher teaches us Khmer at 10:00 am. This is my reaction to our first Khmer class. “oh, my God.” Teaching two USA women over 60 how to speak and write and read Khmer? There are 23 vowels. There are 32 consonants.

Today we drew and pronounced the first 5 vowels. You also can simulate this experience. Here is a language lesson for you not available on Rosetta Stone. Also cheaper.

In a tiny grid, draw a backwards printed lower case “r”. That is “srah ah”. Okay?

In a tiny grid, draw a teardrop with the narrow end on your right. The fat end can be up higher. This is srah ae”.

Now draw the tear drop with a small vertical line on the right narrow end. Looks like a whale? “Srah ei” (like eye).

Now draw the whale with a tiny circle as a tail on the right narrow end. This is “srah uh”. Sounds like being hit in the stomach.

Last one: Make two short lines on the tail of your whale. This is “srah eau”. Start out saying the name “Earl” but leave off the “l” and make a sound like my grandson not being able to say his “l’s”.

You now know how Deanna and I spent our morning. Now it’s your turn. Congratulations on learning the first five Khmer vowels.