Malayalam, a language of God's own country! Options

[Nimii]

I always found Malayalam a sweet language. It is a bit sing a song when spoken.

It is an interesting thing to note that most of the south indian languages have lot of words with a bit of change in the sound so similar. Dr.Unni what does thou have to say here?

N

[gkshyam]

Namaskaaram......I'm in a nice mood to share an old anecdote that happened with me when I was about 6-7 years old....

(Writing this in English for the 'benefit' of all the non-mallus...and all the mallus who aren't confident with their mother-toungue... )

It so happened that....during one of my first school vacations...(I must've been in 2nd standard or something.... )...I had been to Kerala with my family....to visit our native places......And one of the important stops in our long trip was "Irinjalakuda" (Trichur district), which happens to be my mother's native......And one of the days during our stay there....my grandmother took me on a round to the nearby homes...to visit people over there.....(some old friends of theirs.....and some neighbours etc.)

And I was a boy who would mingle with anybody easily at that time... .....

Now comes the bomber......I didn't know a single letter in MALAYALAM!!!! HAHAHAHA!!!

And we were sitting outside one of the houses...in the porch.....and my grandmother and the lady of that house were in deep conversation......and I was just having a nice time...looking here and there.....and smiling at them......

Then...that lady suddenly started to converse with me.....And Then I suddenly realised...."HEYY.....What is she talking....I can't understand anything!!! " (What an early realisation!!!;)) But I was not a boy who was going to leave it so easily......I decided to try my best to answer her properly.....(Irrespective of whether I understood her or not!!! )

And she asked me some simple questions....like my name......where do I stay etc.....which I could understand in some way....and I was "Smartly" answering her in one word......(Name..place etc....) And finally...she asked me a question......"Nee Sukkoolil (School) pohunnale? Leavil ivade vannutundalle........Ninde School eppo "Pookum"????"

Now.....I understood 99% of what she asked......but had no CLUE of what "Pookum" means!!!! But I didn't want to "GIVE UP" at the same time.....(Hehehehe.....what a kid I must've been.....) And I gave her a blank look....and repeated the word "Pookum???" (In an interrogative fashion....)

And..Paavam.....that lady....said...."Pokum...paranyaal......June, July, August.....angene.......ippo aana pookunnade????"

Now......the "SMART" kid that I was.......only understood....that the question had "something on earth to do with the name of a MONTH!!!!" Had no clue what she meant.........but I knew...she needed some name of the month as the answer....:LOL... And I coolly said....."July" (Only because that was one of the names she took....) And she replied....."Ohh..ohh.....Julaaayil pookunno sukkool......angene aanelle......" And I was Ssooooooo proud that I 'managed' the situation so well......without knowing anything in that language.....

Only much later....after getting to know the language better......did I recollect that incident..and realise that she actually wanted to know when was my school re-opening.... (Which was supposed to be in June)...and I had so nicely said July to her!!!!! Hehehhee.....

That was my 'first' "BRUSH" with this wonderful language.......Can't help laughing whenever I recollect this one!!!! Btw.....this was only the FIRST of the Mannnyyyyyy such incidents....that were to follow....