# Khmer/Cambodian: Lim Muy Theam, Ly Pisith



## Blacklack

Hello.

I'd like to know the exact Khmer pronunciation of names of Mr. Lim Muy Theam and Mr. Ly Pisith, e.g. like in this dictionary — http://dictionary.tovnah.com
First one is លិម មួយ ធាម in Khmer as spelled by himself.
I've found out that "Muy" is actually "muey", see http://dictionary.tovnah.com/?q=មួយ&btnG=Search&dic=headley&criteria=start

One more thing I'm interested in is Khmer spelling of "sror lao", which is some kind of wood.

Thanks in advance.


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## Moro12

I'm not an expert in Khmer, but as to your first question, លិម មួយ ធាម is pronounced as [lim muːəi̯ thiːəm] in IPA. The first syllable has a short _, the second has a long diphthong [uːə] followed by a semivowel, the last syllable also has a long diphthong [iːə] and is started with an aspirated [th]. Russian approximate transliteration would be Лим Муай Тхиам.

As to your second question, I do not know how it is exactly pronounced.
And as to "sror lao", I have no idea either. Sorry._


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## Blacklack

Thank you.


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## dificilima

Ly Pisith is pronounced roughly as Lee Pee-seet.


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## NickJunior

Hi Blacklack, I know that my reply is rather very late (exactly 3 years late), but just like what they say that it is better late than never.  Anyway, back to your question: "Lim Muy Theam" is phonetically spelled using the French pronunciation system.  In fact the entire native Khmer script was Latinized by the French themselves but was never adopted by the Khmer speaking population.  Latinized Khmer script is only used when Khmer-speaking people need to communicate in the outside world (out of Cambodia). "Lim" is rhymed with the English word "him".  "Muy" is made up of 3 sounds of /mmmmm/  /oooooooo/ /yyyy/.  "Theam" is made up of 3 sounds also: "ttttttttt" /ear/   /mmmm/.  This name reflects a Chinese ancestry of the person.  "Ly" is the same as the famous English -ending of _ly as in the word "slow-ly". "Pisith" has two syllables: pi/sith.  "pi" is pronounced as "pee" and "sith" is pronounced as "/s/ /i/ /t/".  Lastly, the "sror lao" tree is known by its scientific name as "vateria cocincinensis": "It has strong flexible wood which the Khmer use to make furniture and oars."  This tree is famously used in the didactic Khmer proverb of "Don't try to bend the tip of the "sror lao" tree, and don't try to change an immorally-bad woman." This proverb is similar to the idiom, "The leopard never changes its spots".  "sror" is pronounced as /sr/ /or/.  "lao" is pronounced as "/l/  /ow/.  Hope this helps.


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## Blacklack

Thanks a lot for your reply, NickJunior.


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