Looking for expert Khmer translation services? Since 2003, Green Crescent has been providing professional translation services between English and Khmer to clients worldwide. We specialize in a wide range of industries, including legal, technical, business, and cultural sectors. Our team guarantees accurate, high-quality translations that are tailored to your specific requirements. Get a fast, free Khmer translation quote today!
Our Comprehensive Khmer Translation Services
Green Crescent’s skilled team of Khmer translators includes subject matter experts for various industry-specific needs. We provide translations tailored to ensure linguistic accuracy and cultural relevance for all major dialects of Khmer, including:
- Central Khmer (the official dialect spoken in Cambodia)
- Northern Khmer (spoken in Thailand)
- Western Khmer (spoken in parts of Thailand and Laos)
We specialize in both English to Khmer and Khmer to English translations, offering the following services:
Simple Translation
Our simple translations in the English/Khmer language pair are designed for basic communication needs. These translations are completed by a single Khmer translator without the involvement of an editor or proofreader, and therefore should not be considered final or Khmered work for most professional or formal use cases. While they are typically of high quality, simple translations are essentially "rough drafts" that do not go through additional editing, proofreading, or other quality control processes. These translations are ideal for personal letters, informal communications, initial drafts that will later be revised, or for situations where you need to quickly understand the general meaning or "gist" of a Khmer text.
Standard Translation (TEP)
Our Standard Khmer Translation service is designed to provide high-quality translations for everyday use, including business correspondence, websites, reports, presentations, and similar content. This service includes translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) to ensure the highest level of accuracy and clarity in your Khmer communications.
Organization Critical Translation (TEP+)
Our Organization Critical Khmer Translation service is designed for situations where perfection is essential. This option is recommended for texts intended for large-scale printing, technical documents, legal contracts and patents, medical documents, or any case where an error could be critical or costly. Each translated line is reviewed by a minimum of three linguists, with multiple rounds of proofreading. Subject matter experts (SMEs) may be involved as needed throughout the Khmer translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) process.
Bilingual Editing
Bilingual Editing for Khmer Translation is the process of editing a translated text by comparing both the source and target texts in the English/Khmer language pair. The editor, fluent in the source language and a native speaker of Khmer, ensures that the translation is accurate, consistent, and faithful to the source text while also maintaining clarity and fluency in Khmer. This step occurs after the initial translation in our TEP (Translation, Editing, Proofreading) Organization Critical and Standard Translation services. We also offer this service as a standalone option for translations completed by individuals or organizations not affiliated with Green Crescent.
Proofreading
With each additional round of editing and proofreading, the error rate of a document approaches the perfection horizon. Our proofreading service for English to Khmer and Khmer to English translations involves reviewing a single-language text to identify and correct surface-level errors, such as spelling mistakes, grammar issues, punctuation errors, and formatting inconsistencies. This step is the final phase in our TEP (Translation, Editing, Proofreading) Organization Critical and Standard translation services. We also offer proofreading as a standalone service for translations completed by individuals or organizations not affiliated with Green Crescent.
Legal Translation
Green Crescent's elite team of linguists, each with subject matter expertise in specialized legal fields, is ready to assist you with the translation of a wide range of judicial, administrative, and private legal documents between Khmer and English. Nearly all countries recognize that submitting documents for translation does not compromise attorney-client privilege. Furthermore, we can implement enhanced security measures to ensure strict confidentiality upon request.
Technical Translation
Technical translations involve any text that features specialized vocabulary or language registers, necessitating additional research and terminology verification. Common technical subject matter includes legal, medical, scientific, engineering, and IT topics, but any text that utilizes industry-specific terminology or neologisms may be considered technical in nature. These translations cannot be executed by generalists alone; they require the expertise of linguists with in-depth knowledge of the relevant technical field in both Khmer and English.
Medical Translation
Green Crescent has established protocols to ensure compliance with HIPAA and HITECH regulations, which you can learn more about here. Our Khmer medical translations are treated as "organization critical," unless otherwise specified, and we are committed to implementing the necessary digital security measures and legal safeguards for every project subject to HIPAA and HITECH requirements. Our team of skilled linguists, specialized in medical terminology, ensures that your translations are both accurate and secure.
Localization
Our translation services are tailored for specific target markets that require non-standard varieties or dialects of the Khmer language. Green Crescent is equipped to accommodate requests for localized Khmer translation, ensuring that your content resonates with the intended audience. Our experienced linguists are well-versed in the nuances of regional Khmer dialects, allowing us to provide translations that are not only accurate but also culturally relevant and engaging. By focusing on the unique linguistic characteristics of each dialect, we help you effectively connect with your audience and enhance the impact of your message.
Website, App, and Software Localization for Khmer
At Green Crescent, we leverage our extensive experience in software development to provide specialized Khmer localization services. We excel in adapting your website, app, or software’s content, design, and functionality for Khmer-speaking audiences. Whether you need a fully multilingual solution or specific adaptations for Khmer, our services encompass translating text, adjusting images, and modifying layouts. We also adapt and program code for both mobile and desktop applications, ensuring that your app functions seamlessly across Khmer-speaking regions while adhering to platform-specific guidelines. Let us help you create an engaging and culturally relevant experience for your Khmer-speaking users.
Back-translation
Back-translation is often a crucial component of the quality control process, particularly when translating highly technical documents or for critical translations in the Khmer/English language pair where an error could have significant consequences. This process involves an independent linguist translating a previously translated text back into its original source language—either Khmer or English—without reference to the original document. The resulting text is then compared to the original translation to verify its intelligibility, accuracy, and suitability for its intended use. Back-translation is also relevant in situations such as the translation of legal documents, medical texts, and marketing materials, where precise wording is essential. It can be particularly beneficial when adapting content for different cultural contexts, ensuring that the intended message is preserved and resonates appropriately with the target audience in both Khmer and English.
Peer Review
Green Crescent offers professional focus group services that include a comprehensive "read-through" conducted by one or more linguists who were not involved in the original translation process. This approach allows for an unbiased assessment of the translation's quality, style, and overall fitness for its intended purpose. The focus group can evaluate various aspects of the text, including linguistic accuracy, cultural relevance, and the effectiveness of the messaging in reaching the target audience. Feedback is provided on how well the translation conveys the original intent and nuances of the source material, ensuring that it resonates with readers in both Khmer and English contexts.
SME Review
Subject Matter Expert (SME) review is a specialized form of peer review conducted by non-linguist professionals with deep expertise in specific fields. This process is particularly important for Khmer to English or English to Khmer translations of highly technical texts, ensuring that the content is both linguistically accurate and technically precise. In fields such as legal, medical, scientific, and engineering, SMEs help verify the correct use of industry-specific terminology, adherence to regulatory or technical standards, and the contextual relevance of the translated material. By incorporating SME review into the translation process, we ensure that your final product is not only fluent and culturally appropriate but also technically sound and ready for professional use in both Khmer- and English-speaking markets.
Transcreation
Our Khmer Transcreation Service goes beyond simple translation by creatively adapting your content to resonate with Khmer-speaking audiences. At Green Crescent, we ensure that your brand’s messages, campaigns, and communications maintain their original intent, emotional impact, and tone, while aligning with the cultural and linguistic nuances of the target market. Whether it’s marketing, branding, or advertising, we reimagine your content to feel authentic and compelling in Khmer, helping your brand connect meaningfully and effectively with Khmer-speaking audiences.
MTPE-Full (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Full)
MTPE-Full (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Full) refers to the comprehensive post-editing of a machine-translated text between Khmer and English, ensuring the final product meets the highest standards of linguistic quality. In this process, once the machine generates the translation, a skilled human editor thoroughly reviews the entire content, ensuring that it is not only accurate in meaning but also flows naturally and fluently in the target language. This detailed editing process includes correcting grammar, syntax, and terminology, adapting the text for the intended audience, and ensuring it adheres to any stylistic preferences or regulatory requirements. MTPE-Full is suitable for business-critical texts where precision and quality are paramount.
MTPE-Light (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Light)
MTPE-Light (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Light) is a more streamlined version of post-editing, designed for situations where speed and cost-efficiency are prioritized over linguistic perfection. In this process, the human editor focuses primarily on fixing major errors and ensuring that the overall meaning of the machine-translated text is clear and understandable in the target language (Khmer or English). While MTPE-Light may not deliver a translation that is fully Khmered or ready for publication, it provides an efficient and cost-effective solution for internal documents, reports, and communications where basic comprehension is sufficient.
Additional Language Services and Options for Khmer
Certified Translation
Green Crescent provides certified translations of a wide range of legal documents, including birth, marriage, and death certificates, diplomas, school transcripts, passports, and much more, in both Khmer and English. Our certified translations are recognized for their accuracy and compliance with legal standards, making them suitable for official use. You can receive hard copies of our standard certificate of translation mailed directly to your home or business.
Rush Service
If you require expedited service, Green Crescent can usually accommodate such requests. However, please note that rushing translations often comes with trade-offs, which may affect both price and consistency. Please consult with a project manager for more details.
Discounts
Volume discounts are available for large projects, long-term clients, and for non-profits, charities, NGOs, and government organizations.
Minimum Fee
There is a minimum project fee of $75.00 USD per language, which can be reduced or waived for regular clients.
Additional Language Services
In addition to translation, Green Crescent offers a range of other Khmer language services, including interpretation, transcription, website design and development, and desktop publishing.
About the Khmer Language
Khmer, known locally as "ភាសាខ្មែរ" (Phasa Khmae), is the official language of Cambodia and is spoken by over 16 million people. As the most widely spoken Austroasiatic language, Khmer has deep historical roots and is influenced by Pali, Sanskrit, and French due to Cambodia's religious and colonial history. Khmer is also spoken in parts of Vietnam and Thailand, making it an important language for regional communication.
The Cultural Context, History, and Linguistic Features of Khmer
Khmer is one of the oldest languages in Southeast Asia, with a rich literary tradition that dates back over a millennium. The language is known for its connection to the ancient Khmer Empire, which ruled much of mainland Southeast Asia, and its classical literature, religious texts, and inscriptions on temple walls, most notably at Angkor Wat. Khmer's grammar is relatively simple compared to other Southeast Asian languages, as it is non-tonal, unlike neighboring Thai or Vietnamese. However, its intricate script and complex vowel system present unique challenges for translators.
The Writing System: Khmer Script
Khmer is written in an abugida script derived from the ancient Brahmic scripts of India. The script contains 33 consonants and 24 dependent vowels, with additional symbols for subscript forms of consonants. Unlike English, Khmer does not use spaces between words, which requires careful attention to context when reading and writing.
Vowels and Consonants: In Khmer, vowels can be written before, above, or below consonants, creating a fluid and visually complex script. Vowel sounds can change depending on the accompanying consonants and their inherent vowel sounds.
No Capitalization: Khmer does not have an uppercase-lowercase distinction like English. Instead, it relies on spacing between syllables and punctuation markers to indicate pauses and sentence endings.
Khmer Alphabet
The Khmer alphabet consists of 33 consonants and 24 vowels, which can be combined to form syllables. The script is read from left to right, and its unique character combinations make it a visually intricate writing system.
- 33 consonants: ក, ខ, គ, ឃ, ង, ច, ឆ, ជ, ឈ, ញ, ដ, ឋ, ឌ, ឍ, ណ, ត, ថ, ទ, ធ, ន, ប, ផ, ព, ភ, ម, យ, រ, ល, វ, ស, ហ, អ
- 24 vowels: អា, អិ, អី, អឹ, អឺ, អុ, អូ, អួ, អឿ, អៀ, អេ, អែ, អៃ, អោ, អៅ, អំ, អះ, អុះ
The Khmer script’s complexity, with its combination of consonants, dependent vowels, and diacritical marks, requires an in-depth understanding to ensure accurate translation.
Key Linguistic Differences Between Khmer and English for Translation
When translating between Khmer and English, several linguistic factors must be considered for accuracy and cultural appropriateness. Below are some critical differences:
Sentence Structure: Khmer follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure, similar to English, but can also omit the subject when it is understood from context. For instance, "I go to the market" in English would be "ខ្ញុំទៅផ្សារ" (Khnhom tov psar) in Khmer, where "I" (ខ្ញុំ) is often implied.
No Tense Markers: Unlike English, Khmer does not have tense markers to indicate past, present, or future actions. Instead, it relies on time-indicating words or context, which must be carefully interpreted during translation. For example, "I eat" and "I ate" could both translate to "ខ្ញុំញាំបាយ" (Khnhom nham bay), depending on the sentence context.
Formality and Politeness: Khmer uses different levels of speech to express politeness or formality, especially in addressing elders, monks, or officials. Translating these levels requires an understanding of the appropriate terms and nuances to convey the intended respect in English.
By recognizing and adapting to these linguistic differences, Green Crescent ensures that our Khmer translation services maintain cultural relevance and linguistic accuracy. Whether your project involves legal documents, technical manuals, or creative content, we provide high-quality translations that resonate effectively with Khmer-speaking audiences.
An Insight into Khmer Literature and Expression
This excerpt is from The Accused by Khun Srun, a prominent work in 20th-century Khmer literature. Written in the early 1970s, it delves into themes of oppression, individual freedom, and societal norms, offering a profound reflection on Cambodia’s political climate.
- Khmer: "គ្មាននរណាដែលអាចប្រើអំណាចកាត់ក្លាដល់ចិត្តរបស់ខ្ញុំ។"
- English Translation: "No one can exert power over my mind."