Saveros Pou (SaverosLewitz in the 1960s-1970s) ពៅ សាវរស (1929, Phnom Penh- 25 May 2020, France) was a French linguist of Cambodian origin. A retired research director of the CNRS in Paris, a specialist of the Khmer language and civilization, she carried out extensive work of Khmer epigraphy, starting as a young researcher with teachers George Cœdès, Jean Filliozat,Louis Renou, Armand Minard, Anne-Marie Esnoul, André Bareau and the Cambodian intellectual living in Paris Au Chhieng.
Born in a high-society and learned family — her uncle, Nhieuk Nou (1900−1982), was ‘okhnya mahamantri’, Royal Palace secretary, and her grandfather, Ker Nou (1864−1958), a judge and ‘pandit’ (sage) -, Saveros Pou went to the Sutharot Girls School and Lycée Sisowath before moving to France for higher education, to become a leading researcher in linguistics and social history of Cambodia, as well as a respected teacher for several generations. Residing in England in the 1970s and 1980s, she furthered her research in several US universities, in particular in Hawaii.
Her work in the field of etymology, specifically applied to old Khmer (from 6th to 14th centuries) was seminal, while her varied skills enabled her to tackle areas such as the very rich processes of derivation in Khmer, religion, codes of conduct, zoology and botany, culinary art, etc. This encyclopedic approach is reflected in her Dictionnaire vieux khmer-français-anglais.
‘Madame Pou’ is the author of more than 150 books and articles, published in several orientalist journals such as the Journal Asiatique and the Bulletin de l’École française d’Extrême-Orient. Saveros Pou’s last book published before her death was Un dictionnaire du khmer-moyen (Phnom Penh, Buddhist Institute, Sāstrā Publishing House, 2017).
Mme Saveros Pou in 1970 (photo Reyum/Mikaelian)Prof. Pou Saveros in 1996 (photo by ហម ឆាយលី Ham Chhayly).
“Recherches sur le vocabulaire cambodgien (I): Mots khmers considérés à tort comme d’origine savante”, Journal Asiatique(JA), 1967, 1: 117 – 31. [RVC1]
“Recherches sur le vocabulaire cambodgien (II): Mots sanskrits considérés comme khmers”, JA, 19672: 243 – 60. [RVC2]
“Recherches sur le vocabulaire cambodgien (III): Mots khmers considérés à tort comme d’origine siamoise”, JA, 19673 – 4: 285 – 304. [RVC3]
“La dérivation en cambodgien moderne”, Revue de l’Ecole Nationale des Langues Orientales Vivantes (RENLOV), IV, 1967: 65 – 84.
“L’accentuation syllabique en cambodgien”, Papers of the CIC Far Eastern Institute, Michigan 1968: 155 – 67.
Lectures cambodgiennes (Reader), Paris, Maisonneuve, 1968, 110 p.
“Recherches sur le vocabulaire cambodgien (IV): Du mot ‘mourir’ dans le rājasabd”,JA,1968: 211 – 7. [RVC4]
“Note sur la dérivation par affixation en khmer moderne (cambodgien)”, RENLOV V, 1968: 117 – 27.
“Quelques cas complexes de dérivation en cambodgien”, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (JRAS), 1969: 39 – 48.
“Note sur la translittération du cambodgien”, BEFEOLV, 1969: 163 – 9.
“Notes ethnobotaniques sur quelques plantes en usage au Cambodge” [with J.E. Vidal, G. Martel], BEFEOLV, 1969: 171 – 232.
“Recherches sur le vocabulaire cambodgien (V) Les mots lanleń /lanlyin dans les inscriptions khmères”,JA, 1969: 157 – 65. [RVC5]
[review] “Introduction to Cambodian par J.M. Jacob, London, OUP, 1968, in‑8°, 341 р.”,BSOASXXXII, 3, 1969: 652 – 4.
“Recherches sur le vocabulaire cambodgien (VI): Les noms des points cardinaux en khmer”, JA, 1970: 131 – 41. [RVC6]
[review] “The Khmer Language par Y.A. Gorgoniev, Moscou, Nauka, 1966, in-16, 134 р.”, Bulletin of the Society of Linguistics and Philology (BSLP), LXIV, 1970, 2: 232 – 5.
[review] “Early Indo-Cambodian Contacts. Literary and Linguistic par K.K. Sarkar, Santiniketan, Viśvabharati, 1968, in‑8°, 76 p.”, BSLPLXV, 1970, 2: 34 – 6.
“Recherches sur le vocabulaire cambodgien (VII): Les doublets d’origine indienne”, JA, 1971:103 – 38. [RVC7]
[review] “Cambodian System of Writing and Beginning Reader par F.E. Huffman, Yale Linguistic Series, Yale, 1970, in‑8°, 365 p.”,BSOASXXXIV, 1973, 3: 649 – 50.
“Deux cas de doublets en khmer”, in Langues et Techniques. Nature et Société, Hommage Haudricourt, Paris, Klincksieck, 1971, I: 149 – 56.
[review] “Rioen Rāmakerti nai Tā Cak’. Histoire du Reamker, présenté par F. Bizot, Phnom Penh, EFEO, 1973”, Artibus Asiae (AAs), 1976, 38⁄4: 320 – 21.
“Inscriptions en khmer moyen de Vat Athvéa (K. 261)”, BEFEOLXIV, 1977:151 – 66.
“Les Cpap’ ou ‘Codes de conduite’ khmers III. Cpap’ Kūn cau” [with P.N. Jenner], BEFEOLXIV, 1977: 167 – 215. [CPAP3]
[tr. and commentary] Rāmakerti (XVIè-XVIIè siècles), Paris, PEFEO vol. CX, 1977, 299 р.
Etudes sur le Ramakerti (XVIè-XVIIè siècles), Paris, PEFEO vol. CXI, 1977, 201 р.
“Inscription dite de Brai Svay ou ‘Bois des Manguiers’ de Sukhoday”, BEFEOLXV, 1978, 333 – 59.
“Les Cpāp’ IV. Cpāp’ Rājaneti ou Cpap’ Brah Rājasambhār” [with P.N. Jenner), BEFEOLXV, 1978: 361 – 402. [CPAP4]
“Recherches sur le vocabulaire cambodgien X. L’étymologie populaire”, JA, 1978: 153 – 77. [RVC10]
“Sarasvati dans la culture khmère”, BEI4, 1986: 321 – 39.
[review] “International Seminar on Rāmāyaņa. Traditions and National Cultures in Asia 2 – 6 Oct. 1986, Lucknow”, BEI4, 1986: 51 – 55.
“Etudes sur le Rāmāyana en Asie (1980−1986)”, JA, 1987, 1 – 2: 193 – 201.
“Old Khmer and Siamese”, KK2, Berlin, 1988: 37 – 48.
កម្រងច្បាប់ — Guirlande de Cpap’, Paris, Cedoreck, 1988, 2 vols. 638 p.
[review] “Reamker (Ramakerti), the Cambodian version of Ramayana, Translated by J.M. Jacob, London, The Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Fund, New Series (XLV), 1986, in‑8°, 320 p.”,KK2, 1988 : 72 – 6.
“Notes on Brahmanic Gods in Theravādin Cambodia”, Indologica Taurinensia, XIV, Colette Caillat Felicitation Volume, 1987 – 88: 339 – 51.
“Sanskrit Loanwords in Old Khmer: Some morphological Observations”, Dialectes dans les littératures indo-aryennes, Pub. ICI, 55, Paris, Collège de France &ICI, 1989: 569 – 78.
“Portrait of Rama in Cambodian (Khmer) Tradition”, Rāmāyaņa Traditions and National Cultures in Asia, D.P. Sinha &S. Sahai eds., Lucknow, Directorate of Cultural Affairs (Uttar Pradesh), 1989: 1 – 7.
Nouvelles Inscriptions du Cambodge, Paris, PEFEOCTDI-XVII, vol. I, 1989, 155 p.
“Le khmer et ses locuteurs”, Language Reform. History and Future, I. Fodor & C. Hagège, eds., Hamburg, Helmut Buske Verlag, vol. V, 1990: 239 – 52.
“Regard sur les études littéraires khmères”, SK10 – 13, 1987 – 90: 39 – 58.
“Vocabulaire khmer relatif au surnaturel” [with Ang Choulean], Seksa Khmer10 – 13, 1990 – 90: 59 – 129.
C.R. de Khmer Buddhism and Politics from 1954 to 1984 par Yang Sam, Khmer Studies Institute Inc., Newington (U.S.A.), 1987, petit in‑8°, 97 p., SK10 – 13, 1990: 134 – 36.
“Sanskrit, Pali and Khmero-Pāli in Cambodia”, Panels of the VIIth World Sanskrit Conference, vol. VII, Sanskrit outside India, J.G. de Casparis ed., Leiden, Brill, 1991: 13 – 28.
“Les dérivés désidératifs en khmer, Austroasiatic Languages, Essays in honour of H.L. Shorto, London, SOAS, 1991: 183 – 91.
“Les noms des monuments khmers”, BEFEOLXXVIII, 1991: 203 – 24, Pl.
“Conférence Internationale sur le Rāmāyaņa de Vālmīki, Turin 1992”, BEI9, 1991: 235 – 7.
Lectures cambodgiennes — A Cambodian Reader, Paris, Cedoreck, 1991, 109p.
“Notes historico-sémantiques khmères”, Asie du Sud-Est et Monde Insulindien (ASEMI) XII, 1 – 2, 1991 : 111 – 124.
[review] “Dialectes dans les littératures indo-aryennes, Paris, Collège de France &ICI, 1989, 578 р.”, BEFEOLXXVIII, 1991: 337 – 9.
[review] “Ramayana Traditions and National Cultures in Asia, Sinha, D.P. & Sahai, S., ed., Lucknow, 1989, 22×28, 222 p., illustr.”, BEFEOLXXVIII, 1991: 339 – 42.
[review] “Circles of Kings. Political Dynamics in Early Continental Southeast Asia, par Renée Hagesteijn, Dordrecht-Holland, Providence‑U.S.A., 1989, ib‑8°, 175 р.”, BEFEOLXXVIII, 1991: 347 – 9.
[review] “A Glossarial Index of the Sukhothai Inscriptions par Ishii, Y, & Al., Bangkok, Amarin Publication, 1989, 15 x 26, 254 p.”, BEFEOLXXVIII, 1991: 349 – 51.
Dictionaire vieux khmer-français-anglais — An Old Khmer-French-English Dictionary — វចនានុក្រមខ្មែរចាស់-បារាំង‑អង្លេស, Paris, Cedoreck, 1992, 555 p. ISBN2−86731−023−7; 2d augmented edition: Paris, L’Harmattan, 2004, 732 p.
“From Old Khmer Epigraphy to popular Tradition: A study of the names of Cambodian monuments”, Southeast Asian Archaeology 1990, Proceedings of the Third Conference of the EASEAA, Ian Glover ed., Centre for South-East Asian Studies, University of Hull, 1992: 7 – 24.
“Indigenization of Rāmāyana in Cambodia”, Asian Folklore Studies(AFS) vol. LI‑1, 1992: 89 – 102.
[review] “Rāmāyaņa and Rāmāyaņas, ed. Monika Thiel-Horstmann, Wiesbaden, Otto Harrassowitz, 1991, 259 p.”,AFSLI‑2, 1992: 376 – 8.
“From Old Khmer Epigraphy to Popular Tradition: A study of the names of Cambodian monuments”, Southeast Asian Archaeology, Proceedings of the Third Conference of the EASEAA, Ian Glover ed., Center for South-East Asian Studies, University of Hull, 1992: 7 – 24.
“Īsūr-īśvara, ou Śiva, au Cambodge”, Orientalia Lovaniensia Periodica (OLP), 24, 1993: 143 – 77.
“From Valmiki to Theravāda Buddhism: The example of the Khmer classical Rāmakerti”, Indologica Taurinensia, XIX-XX, Proceedings of the Ninth International Rāmāyana Conference (Torino, April 13 th-17th, 1992), 1993 – 4:267 – 84.
“Vişnu-Nārāy au Cambodge”, OLP25, 1994: 175 – 95.
“L’offrande des mérites dans la tradition khmère, JA, CCLXXXII, 2, 1994:391 – 408.
“Indra et Brahma au Cambodge”, OLP, 26, 1995: 141 – 61.
“Introduction à l’étude du vieux khmer” [with S. Vogel], Cahiers d’études franco-cambodgiennes(CEFC), 4, Jan. 1995: 1 – 41.
“The concept of avatara in the Ramayana Tradition of Cambodia”, OLP.
“Nouveau regard sur Śiva-īśvara au Cambodge”, BEFEO89, 2002: 145 – 82.
Choix d’articles de Khmérologie. Selected Papers on Khmerology [presented by Grégory Mikaelian], Phnom Penh, Reyum, 2003, 503 p.
“The concept of avatara in the Ramayana Tradition of Cambodia”,OLP31, 2005:123 – 35.
“Les fleurs dans la culture khmère”,JA293 – 1, 2005: 45 – 98.
“Comment nommer les espèces végétales nouvelles: Le Lexique khmer moyen”, JA294 – 2, 2006: 373 – 407.
Ramakerti I: ‘La Gloire de Rama’, drame épique médiéval du Cambodge [with Grégory Mikaelian], Paris, L’Harmattan, 2007.
“Emprunts lexicaux khmer-moyens au monde indo-persan”, JA296 – 1,2008:141 – 156.
Nouvelles inscriptions du Cambodge vol IV, Paris, L’Harmattan, 2011.
សទ្ទានុក្រម សំស្រ្កឹតខ្មែរ‑បារាំង — Lexique de Sanskrit-Khmer-Français (Sanskrit utilisé au Cambodge), Editions Angkor, Phnom Penh, 2013.
[awaiting publication] “Satya, śapatha and sāksī in Cambodia’s Tradition”, Proceedings of the 13th World Sanskrit, Edinburgh Conference, July 2006.
[awaiting publication] “Un texte de Satyapranīdhān du 17e siècle cambodgien” [with Grégory Mikaelian].
Un dictionnaire du khmer-moyen, Phnom Penh, Buddhist Institute, Sāstrā Publishing House, 2017, 325 p.
Conference Communications
International seminar on Rāmāyaņa traditions and national culture In Asia, Lucknow (India), 2 – 6 Oct.1986.
Conférence Internationale sur le Rāmāyaņa de Valmīki, Torino (Italy), 1992 [BEI9, 1991: 235 – 7].
La langue khmère, la linguistique et le khmer, manuel de grammaire khmère: perspective de travail, emprunts indo-aryens, lexique et datationm. La littérature khmère: thème et genres littéraires, état des études littéraires khmères et littérature khmère, Phnom Penh Royal University with Alliance française and Cercle de linguistique franco-khmere, 9 – 23 February 1993.
Ancient Cambodia’s Epigraphy: a Socio-Linguistic Look, European Association of Southeast Asian Archaeologists, 6th International Con-ference, Leiden (the Netherlands), 02 – 06 September 1996.
Phnom Penh Buddhist Institute: research at the invitation of Dr. Hema, UN Cultural Section representative in Cambodia, 24 Dec 1998- 19 Jan. 1999.
The Hermitage (Asrama) in Ancient Cambodia as Evidenced by Epigraphy, Albert-Ludwings Universität Freibourg, Orientalisches Seminar, Indologia, 11 Nov. 1999.
The Victoria and Albert Museum and the Institute of Archaeology, University College London, Proceedings of the 10th EurASEAA Conference, London, 14 – 17 Sept. 2004.
Satya, Sapatha and Šaksi in Cambodia’s Tradition, Proceedings of the 13th World Sanskrit Conference, Edingburgh, (Scotland, UK), 10 – 14 July 2006.
Kalpana in Ancient Cambodia, Proceeding of the 10th International Conference of the European Association of Southeast Asian Archaeologists, London, 2008.