Names of Cambodia
The name of Cambodia in the Khmer language is "Kampuchea" (Khmer: ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា; Preah Reachanachâk Kampuchea), which derives from Sanskrit Kambujadeśa (कम्बोजदेश; "land of Kambuja"). It is not unique to the modern kingdom of Cambodia: the same name (i.e. Kamboj/Kambuja) is also found in Burmese and Thai chronicles referring to regions within those kingdoms. An origin-myth recorded in the Baksei Chamkrong inscription, dated AD 947, derives Kambuja from Svayambhuva Kamboj, a legendary Indian sage who reached the Indochina peninsula and married a naga princess named Mera, thus uniting the Indian and local races. In this story Kambuja derives from Kambu+ja, and means "descendants of Kambu."[1]
Preah Reachanachâk Kampuchea means "Kingdom of Cambodia". Etymologically, its components are: Preah- ("sacred"); -reach- ("king, royal, realm", from Sanskrit); -ana- (from Pāli āṇā, "authority, command, power"); -châk (from Sanskrit chakra, meaning "wheel", a symbol of power and rule).
The name used on formal occasions, such as political speeches and news programs, is Prâteh Kampuchea (Khmer: ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា), literally "the Country of Cambodia". The colloquial name most used by Khmer people is Srok Khmae (Khmer: ស្រុកខ្មែរ), literally "Khmer Land". Srok is a Mon-Khmer word roughly equal to the Sanskritic prâteh, but less formal.
Name | Khmer name | French name | Date | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kingdom of Cambodia | ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា | Royaume du Cambodge | 1953–1970 | under the monarchy. |
Khmer Republic | សាធារណរដ្ឋខ្មែរ | République Khmère | 1970–1975 | under the Lon Nol government. |
Democratic Kampuchea | កម្ពុជាប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ | Kampuchea démocratique | 1975–1979 | under the Khmer Rouge regime. |
People's Republic of Kampuchea | សាធារណរដ្ឋប្រជាមានិតកម្ពុជា | République populaire du Kâmpŭchéa | 1979–1989 | under the rule of the Vietnamese-sponsored government. |
State of Cambodia | រដ្ឋកម្ពុជា | État du Cambodge | 1989–1993 | under the United Nations Transitional Authority. |
Kingdom of Cambodia | ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា | Royaume du Cambodge | 1993– | monarchy restored. |
See also
References
- George Coedes, Inscriptions du Cambodge, II, pp. 10, 155