Cambodian or Khmer is the official and principal language of the Kingdom of Cambodia. With between five and six million speakers some of whom live in adjacent countries Cambodian is the largest single modern representative of the geographically widespread Mon-Khmer family of languages and the only member of this family which has the status of a national language. Its dialects including those spoken outside of Cambodia proper are remarkably homogeneous except as regards phonology. The two most important dialects Standard and Phnom Penh are both represented in this course.

This Basic Course attempts to provide samples of two different Cambodian dialects. Standard Cambodian the approved speech style of public education and mass communicatiions occupies a central position among the dialects and corresponds more closely with the writing system than any other. The dialect of Phnom Penh the capital differs sharply from Standard in phonology but not appreciably in other respects. It is hoped that familiarizing students with both of these important styles of speech will improve their function as speakers and listeners in a country where the standard language happens not to be based on the speech of the capital where many of the students may live.

The material of the Basic Course is arranged in groups of five units with a common theme. The first four units of each sequence are based on Dialogues usually in the Phnom Penh dialect and the fifth is based on a Narration in Standard Cambodian which reviews the immediately preceding subject matter. The text for Units 1-20 is entirely in standard style. From Unit 21 on most of the text is given in Phnom Penh dialect (except for the Narrations) but a parallel Standard version of each Dialogue is provided in the Dialogue for Comprehension. Vocabulary lists include both forms wherever there is a difference.