A phone call to CM regarding a late afternoon meeting, i was informed about the death of my teacher, Dr. Long Seam, Cambodian Linguist.
I remember the first time i met him, it was in1997, introduction of Old Khmer Language class where we were taught about how to read the ancient khmer via the inscriptions. He made an comparative study and the evolution of the Khmer characters... Late of the class, his question was that.. y every choose to study Archeology? For his own turn and i still remember his answer: "he was amaze by the presence of the numerous temple in his natal village"...
The second time, it was his class of the introduction to the linguistic analysis and introduction to the khmer linguistic system.. where he has taught us to read the Phnom Da inscription (1st inscription) and the whole year we'd learn to write the Ancient Khmer character.. still remember.. again on the final exam day, when he instructed the class to reproduce a portion of the aforementionned inscription and explain it. Till this, it reminds me about his unlimited resource on the Khmer ancient language n his analytic skill which is unique and rare in Cambodia.....
Big in appearence, big knowledge... big name lays along the Cambodian History... Big Unhappiness for Cambodia to loose him! But we will always remember him!
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