So after a million whines of self-pity on having no birthday acknowledgement from someone I have known forever, she agreed to put together the one thing I really have wanted for a long while. A CD of tamil songs. Not that I've not heard tamil songs before, but not like this. The CD has pretty much blown me away - you could call it an obsession I guess.
On the other hand, I think whoever said mallu is tougher to learn than tamil knew nothing about either language! I'm a little language shy and A scares the hell out of me every time I try to speak two words. So a few days back I manage a Innu onnum pannala * and she's on it straight away -
"No! What Innu? You should say innukku!"
"But innu is passable no?" (hands a little sweaty)
"NO! It's not passable! And what onnum pannala? This is not your mallu - say innukku onnume pannala * !"
"OK..." (My voice is shaking and I can't say another word)
Hah, this is just the tip of the iceberg. If it's I it has to be pannitaen ^ , if it's he it has to be pannitaan ^ , if it's she it has to be pannitta ^ (oh, actually in very pure tamizh it has to be pannittaal ^, but in conversation pannitta is passable :P ) And elders you have to respect, OK? No enna pannara ** and all... it has to be neenga enna pannareenga ** !
Where does my paavam mallu compare to this where a simple Endhu cheyyuva ** ? would fit everyone and everything!!
But I'm having fun inspite of all the domination and humiliation. And for that, A, you're officially forgiven for everything ;)
* - Did nothing today
^ - various forms of did
** - What are you doing?
5 comments:
As I do not understand Tamil or Malayalam, really could not grasp the meaning... but I scrolled down your posts and enjoyed your earlier ones... I specially loved Colourblind. It went straight to my heart.
huh?
didnt realise tamil was more inflected than malayalam!and i claim to b able to speak tamil! never conjugate like u've pointed out.
Lol! I if normal Tamil is difficult, check out the Iyer Tamil and the Palaghat Tamil, with a very very strange mix of both Malayalam and Tamil.. But one thing the language does have a feel to it.
Looks like I have missed a few post. Catching up.
@aparna: have added a few translations so should make a little more sense now :)
@banjo: better now?
@ammai: hah, tamil is a nightmare. and i'm not too good with languages in any case!
@ashwadhy: yea, all said and done i love the language as well :)
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