17-09-2007
By CS
Cambodge Soir
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Following a long duration work, Father Rogatien Rondineau just completed the publication of his translation work of Samdech Chuon Nath’s classic dictionary.
11 years of work was needed to reach the finalization and the printing of this imposing 4,000-page and 2-volume work. This is the private translation of the official dictionary of Samdech Chuon Nath, the former supreme leader of the Mohanikay Buddhist sect in Cambodia (and who was also the author of Cambodia’s current national hymn). This work which dated from the 60s, is updated with the orthographic dictionary published by the National Language Institute in 2005.
This amazing work, led by Father Rogatien Rondineau of the Foreign Missions in Paris, is finally available to the public. Two collaborators, Mrs. Theresa Long Lean, and Mrs. Theresa Salay Sangkhum, insured the exceptional quality of the translation.
This dictionary is divided into 3 principal topics: museographic, academic and practical. It gives the public an access to an ancient reference dictionary which is now out of the oblivion. Several annotations also clarify the linguistic phenomena which are often obscure to the neophytes, in particular regarding the pronunciation. Finally, this tool brings to the novice readers a real knowledge of the language, and to the linguists, a testimonial on the evolution of the language.
Father Rogatien Rondineau was ordained a priest in 1954, he arrived in Cambodia in 1955. He was forced to leave Cambodia in 1975, when the Khmer Rouge occupied Phnom Penh. He restarted back his research works, and the continuation of this work in 1996. Following a stay in the US, he returned back to Cambodia in 1003 where he completed this amazing work which highlights the great perseverance of this researcher.
