Language: Khmer Krom Dialects
Place Spoken: Mekong Delta River, Southern Vietnam
Population: approximately 10 millions
Khmer language is a Khmer-Mon linguistic group in South East Asia peninsula. It is presently spoken by Cambodia, upper land Khmers living in South-east of Thailand, and Khmer Kampuchea Krom living in Mekong Delta River.
Khmer Krom language has been gradually assimilated and become dialects. As I speak standard Khmer, I can hardly comprehend the Khmer Krom dialect. Demographically, Khmer Krom peoples are minor group in Mekong Delta River. Their daily social life hugely influenced by Vietnam. They have to communicate in Vietnamese in schools, work places, market, and other social events. They slightly speak Khmer among their family members and religious rituals. Unfortunately, the Khmer Krom people don’t have much chance to officially learn Khmer language. If they have chance to learn it openly, they can use it more frequent in daily life. Regardless of enabling capacity of language fluent speaking, writing, reading, and understanding; the chance of openly learning from Khmer Krom will greatly enrich the concept of multicultural society.
