The 14-year-old polyglot Salik Tuch is making waves worldwide!
At Angkor, Salik Tuch became famous after a viral video showcasing his polyglot talents. At just 14 years old, the young Khmer vendor fascinates tourists, media, and internet users from around the globe.
At just 14 years old, Salik Tuch, a young Khmer who sells trinkets to visitors at the Ta Prohm temple in Angkor, has become a global star. Social media and international press have been captivated by this schoolboy polyglot, capable of communicating in 16 different languages.
Salik's dream began on November 9th when a Malaysian blogger visiting Angkor posted a video of the young teenager on Facebook. Salik calmly demonstrated his polyglot talents before the amazed videographer. The post was shared more than 34,000 times!
The young Khmer explains that he learned these languages by selling gadgets and souvenirs to tourists near the Ta Prohm temple at Angkor. Today, tourists seek him out for a selfie with him. He works this job to help support his family financially. In the mornings, he attends school from 7am to 11am before heading to his workplace. The excitement surrounding the Facebook post allowed his parents to receive substantial donations, which could enable him to stop this activity. But he doesn't want to—he wants to continue. His dream is to become a tour guide. And why not? Salik speaks 16 languages. Not all of them perfectly, perhaps, but still. He can at least count to ten in all 16 languages, and converses fluently in around a dozen of them. These include French, English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Khmer, among others.
Global Interest
Numerous media outlets and internet users rushed to share Salik's videos online. The Singapore-based media Channel NewsAsia has generated incredible buzz on YouTube. A documentary about the young man's daily life was produced. The video has amassed nearly a million views today! In English-speaking countries, major broadcasters have picked up the story. In Pakistan, the website Saharab tells Salik's story and the excitement created around the blogger's video. Chinese press has also contributed to the boy's fame. He and his family were even invited to Beijing. Americans haven't been left behind either. On Twitter, some have called for Salik's recognition across the Atlantic. They tagged American television superstar Ellen DeGeneres to invite the young polyglot onto her flagship show: The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Watch this space.
Frequently asked questions
Salik works near the Ta Prohm temple at Angkor from 11am after school until late afternoon, where he sells souvenirs to tourists.
Salik is fluent in French, English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Khmer, among others. He can count to ten in all 16 languages and converses fluently in around a dozen of them.
Ta Prohm is part of the Angkor complex. You'll need to purchase an Angkor pass and allow half a day to visit this temple, made famous by the Tomb Raider film.
Images restored from source website — reposition manually if needed.
