Gender, Status and Age Relationships

The roles of males and females are given a large amount of respect in traditional Cambodian culture. The wife in a family has a highly respected role and in some ways she is the leader of the family. She will generally handle the financial matters and is mainly responsible for the education of the children in social and moral issues. In general, the woman (wife) is given great respect both within the family and by the community at large.

Women typically take care of things within the home: cooking, cleaning, laundry, and care of the children and men typically work outside the home and bring home the income. Boys are expected to be involved in religion and the community. Girls represent the family by marrying someone who deserves her family's respect (Center for Applied Linguistics, 1981).

In an informal situation, Cambodians will refer to an older man as Ta (grandfather), Po (uncle) or Bang (brother) and to an older woman as Yeay (grandmother), Ming (aunt) or Bang Srey (sister). They are also widely used in a situation where one is not sure the age of other parties, in deference to one who may be the senior. In Cambodia, for a younger person to address an older individual without using a title would be considered rude or a form of misbehavior. For instance, a fifteen year-old boy will call his thirty year-old neighbor Sokha Po Sokha or Bang Sokha. People of the same age or younger can be called by their given name without the use of a title.

Cambodians traditionally greet each other with palms together, in a manner of prayer. They lift up their hands to the chest level and bow slightly. This is called Som Pas. In general, the higher the hands and lower the bow, the more respect is being shown. When meeting, Cambodians will Som Pas and say Choum Reap Sur (Hello). When departing, again they will Som Pas and say Choum Reap Lir (Goodbye). Cambodians use Som Pas for greeting and to display respect. When used for greeting, it would be impolite not to return a Som Pas; it is tantamount to rejecting an offered handshake in Western culture.

It is very insulting to touch an individual's head. This is considered the most important part of the body and the place where the spirit is found. Feet are considered the lowest in value of body parts and thus it is insulting to point them at someone. While someone is lying down, it is impolite to step over their feet and legs. And when walking in front of someone other than children, Cambodians are expected to bow slightly from the waist as a sign of respect. Finally, in Cambodia, it is not polite to have eye contact with someone who is older or someone who is considered a superior

When Cambodians greet each other, they will place their hands, palms together, near their faces and often state the greeting /chum reap sur/

last name were Soth, and my first name were Sopheap. My full name would be written as Soth Sopheap. Notice, there is no comma used to separate the last name from the first name. My family and friends will call me Sopheap, or by a nick name. In Cambodia my records would be categorized with Soth as my last name.