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:
“Science and technology multiply around us. To an increasing extent they dictate the languages in which we speak and think. Either we use those languages, or we remain mute.”
—J.G. (James Graham)
“It is time for dead languages to be quiet.”
—Natalie Clifford Barney (1876–1972)
“The trouble with foreign languages is, you have to think before your speak.”
—Swedish proverb, trans. by Verne Moberg.