I. Intonation: Statement, Question and Question Particle

A. The Statement

• Statements are normally accompanied by a falling contour on the last words of the sentence, for example:

• Rising contour may also occur at the end of statements.  In this case, the statement seems to be obvious, for example:

B. The Question

• Questions are usually accompanied by rising contour on the last words of the sentence.  The rising contour question reflects deference, politeness and formality, for example:

C. The Question Particle ( Tae) តើ

The question particle (តើ) are always occurs at the beginning of an interrogative clause in formal questions.   When the question particle (តើ) is used, it signal the fact that a question follows and the rising and falling intonation of question is not necessary.

For example:

II. Questions and Answers:

    Questions are formed in three ways in Cambodian, question requesting specific information, question requiring a yes or now answer and the question that occur without question particle or question words.

A. Questions Requesting Specific Information.

• Questions requesting specific information require a question words for example: Question words: Where ណា  (naa ) ,  What អី ( qey) or អី្វ (qwey)

B. Questions Requiring Yes or No Answer:

• Question requiring yes- or-no answer require a final question particle ទេ (tee) .  The full form of particle (tee) is ឬទេ (rhh tee) .

Question		Answer
លោកសុខសប្បាយ ទេ ? or		បាទ ខ្ញុំសុខសប្បាយទេ។
លោកស្រីសុខសប្បាយ ឬទេ ?		ចាស ខ្ញុំសុខសប្បាយទេ។

C.   Response Particles: Yes បាទ (baat)   ចាស (caah)

• The function of the response particles បាទ (a respond by men) and ចាស (a respond by women) is a polite acknowledgment of a previous utterance speech by other speakers, whether the previous utterance was a statement or a question.   Following a question, the occurrence of a response particle as the sole constituent of the response implied affirmation. 

• A negative reply is indicated by a response particle followed by the negative final particle ទេ   or by ទេ alone.

• In exchange between equals, response particles tend  to be discontinued after the initial exchanges.  

• The exchange between a superior and an inferior, response particles tend to be used through the exchange by the inferior, but may be discontinued or not used at all by the superior party in the exchange.

• Response particles usually occur with a falling intonation contour.

Example:

Khmer	Response by women		Response by men
លោកសុខសប្បាយទេ ?	ចាស		បាទ
លោកស្រីទៅរៀនទេ ?	ចាទេ		បាទទេ