Khmer

Khmer is the national and official language of Cambodia. It is the mother tongue of the Khmer people, which comprises about 90% of the country's population. Khmer is also spoken by some ethnic Vietnamese and Cham minorities in Cambodia. Khmer has been significantly influenced mainly by Pali and Sanskrit, and more recently by French. Khmer literature dates back to at least the seventh century. The oldest known piece of Khmer literature is a stone inscription from the sixth century. Khmer literature is written in a unique alphabet derived from the Pallava alphabet of India. Khmer is a tonal language with a complex system of particles and affixes. It is syllabic, meaning that each syllable carries its own meaning and is not just a sound. Khmer has no articles, but it does have a complex system of honorifics. Khmer is the language of the Khmer people, who are the majority ethnic group in Cambodia. Khmer is also spoken by some ethnic Vietnamese and Cham minorities in Cambodia. Khmer has been significantly influenced mainly by Pali and Sanskrit, and more recently by French. Khmer literature dates back to at least the seventh century. The oldest known piece of Khmer literature is a stone inscription from the sixth century. Khmer literature is written in a unique alphabet derived from the Pallava alphabet of India. Khmer is a tonal language with a complex system of particles and affixes. It is syllabic, meaning that each syllable carries its own meaning and is not just a sound. Khmer has no articles, but it does have a complex system of honorifics.