Lesson 3 ( ഉ, ഊ, ഋ)

ഉ, ഊ, ഋ - I'm adding a third one to this group whose sound is somewhat related.

The first two are not difficult for people who are familiar with Thamizh - they even look like the equivalent Thamizh characters. Similarly, the equivalents for the first two exist in Hindi as well.

The third one among the above is foreign to Thamizh, neither the letter nor the sound exists in that language. OTOH, it exists in Hindi (comes from Sanskrit I think). That way, for the third one, less effort needed for people who are familiar with vadamozhi.

The 5th letter, another vowel, in our effort to learn to READ Malayalam:

ഉ (v)u / உ / उ

Some words that start with ഉ:

ഉമ്മ - உம்ம -उम्म -umma - kiss (The Malayalam word is also used for "Mother" by Islamic community)
ഉളി - உளி - उलि - uLi - chisel
ഉച്ച - உச்ச - उच्च - uchcha - noon (uchcha bhakshaNam meaning lunch)
ഉപവാസം - உபவாஸம் (உபவாசம்) - उपवासं - upavAsam – Fasting

Two vinyl cover pics for ഉ :ഉണരൂ - உணரூ - उणरू - uNaroo (music by rAsA, directed by Maniratnam, plum has written about in the Malayalam films thread, the Malayalam word means "wake up" or "arise" )


Please note that the second word of the other movie on this disk too starts with this character

ഉത്പത്തി - உத்பத்தி - उत्पत्ति - uthpaththi (one meaning is 'genesis'...also used for "produce child" , so someone please confirm if this was an "A" padam )

The 6th letter,
ഊ

(oo / ஊ / ऊ )

Much like ഇ to ഈ, ഉ to the extended sound ഊ is characterized by an addition of the superscript hook

Some words with ഊ :
ഊണ് = ஊண் = ऊण = oon (Meal / Rice)
ഊഞ്ഞാല്‍ = ஊஞ்ஞால் = ऊंजाल = oonjaal (Swing)
ഊര്‍ജ്ജം = ஊர்ஜ்ஜம் = ऊर्ज्जम = oorjjam (energy)
ഊട്ടി = ஊட்டி = ऊटटी =ootti (Ooty, Nilgiris)

I could locate only one vinyl at the musicalaya site for ഊ. Sharing that picture here:

The word is already listed among the above four (ഊഞ്ഞാല്‍, swing)

The 7th letter,
ഋ
does not exist in Thamizh. The exact equivalent in Hindi is ऋ In Thamizh, we can kind of express it as (ஹ்)ரு / (h)ru. Actually, some say it's Rh. (This gets more relevance when used with other consonants, such as the "thru" sound in mAthrubhoomi, മാതൃഭൂമി). In any case, this letter as a separate entity has very limited use in these languages and still categorized with vowels. (I don't know why!)

Some words using this letter:
ഋതു = ருது / ரிது = ऋतु = (h)ruthu (or) (h)rithu = climate / mensuration
ഋഷി = ரிஷி = ऋषी = rishi = sage
ഋദ്ധി = ரித்தி = ऋदधि = ridhdhi = growth
ഋജു = ரிஜு = ऋजु = riju = straight

It's neither a clear "ru" nor a clear "ri" but in-between, with some h sound embedded

That much is my understanding - HindiwAlAs please correct me

I couldn't find any vinyl's with ഋ at the musicalaya site, so posting (movie related) pictures from elsewhere :ഋതു (movie maker translates it as "seasons")

Also, let me post the youtube of the IR-KJY classic song ഋതുഭേദ കല്പന ('rithu bhEdha kalpana')
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KNILI8ctuUw

Answers for short quiz # 3

അമ്പലം = ambalam / அம்பலம் / अम्बलम (NT repeatedly says 'thiruchchitrambalam'), means "temple" in Malayalam (and not "expose"). e.g. "vazhi ambalam" means roadside temple.
ആലയം = aalayam / ஆலயம் / आलयम (satti suttadhadA). Also means temple but typically used for church. ambalam / aalayam / paLLi (third one predominantly used for church & mosque)
ഇന്ദ്രന്‍ = indhran / இந்த்ரன் / इन्द्रन (mundhiri is grapes in Malayalam & kottai in Thamizh, which is connected to Indhiran by Vairamuthu in 'andhi mazhai pozhikiRadhu')
ഈസ്റ്റര്‍ = eesttar / ஈஸ்ட்டர்(ஈஸ்ற்றர்) / ईस्टटर (Easter, though not like in the west with eggs & bunnies, Kerala celebrates more than TN due to the sizeable population of churchgoers)

Another short quiz (#3) for the first 4 letters (അ ആ ഇ ഈ)

അമ്പലം (last part of repeat word - greeting (?) - by "Appar" in thiruvarutchelvar)
ആലയം (NT's vessel is hot)
ഇന്ദ്രന്‍ (Malayalam fruit is Thamizh nut)
ഈസ്റ്റര്‍ (a festival in Kerala)
:)

Answers for Quiz # 2 (ഇ ഈ)

1. ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് (ഇ) = ingleesh / இங்க்லீஷ் / इंग्लीश (English! Clue explanation : Shalini's husband did "guest" role in vinglish)

2. ഈ നാട് (ഈ) = ee naadu / ஈ நாடு / ईनाडु (Famous 1982 Malayalam movie directed by I V Sasi, starring Mammootty / Balan K Nair)

3. ഇരിഞ്ഞാലക്കുട (ഇ) = irinjaalakkuda / இரிஞ்ஞாலக்குட/ इरिन्जालक्कुड (Town with a temple for Bharathan b/o Ram)

4. ഇന്നസെന്റ് (ഇ) = innasent / இன்னசென்ட்/ इन्नसेंट (Innocent, comedy actor regularly seen in Sathyan Anthikkad movies)

5. ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ട് (ഇ) = irupathaam nooRRaaNdu / இருபதாம் நூற்றாண்டு / इरुपताम नूरराणडु (Famous Malayalam movie of 80's, Mohanlal played the smuggler Sagar alias Jacky, film's title means 20th century)

6. ഇറ്റലി (ഇ) = iRRali / இற்றலி (இட்டலி) / इर्रली (Italy. Clue: alleged name of Rahul Gandhi)

7. ഈശ്വരന്‍ (ഈ) = eeshwaran / ஈஷ்வரன் / ईश्वरन (Means God, who happens to get called when some people are in distress. In USA, 9-1-1 is the distress call number)

8. ഇ.എം.എസ്.നമ്പൂതിരിപ്പാട് (ഇ) = E.M.S.namboothirippaat / இ. எம். எஸ். நம்பூதிரிப்பாடு / इ . एम् . एस . नाम्बूतिरिप्पाट (First Kerala CM, party CPIM, IR now doing music for a movie called "EMS-um oru peN kuttiyum")

9. ഈട്ടി (ഈ) = eetti / ஈட்டி / ईटटी (Means both spear & Rosewood. Rosewood is also called veetti in Malayalam)

10. ഈജിപ്റ്റ് (ഈ) = eejipt / ஈஜிப்ட் / ईजिप्ट (Egypt, where child Moses was fetched from water by princess per Bible, Hollywood movie "The Prince of Egypt")

Bonus : ഇടുക്കി (ഇ) = itukki / இடுக்கி / इटुक्की (Idukki. Note the second letter in Malayalam which uses 'T'. Though Malayalam has a different character for d, often "t" is used but pronounced D, much like Thamizh. It's funny to me. BTW, the clue is 3 & 6 i.e. moonARu)

Quiz #2 for Lesson # 2 (ഇ ഈ)

1. ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് (Hospitality for the hubby of mallu bommukkutty)

2. ഈ നാട് (Alleged to be the first big political movie in Malayalam)

3. ഇരിഞ്ഞാലക്കുട (Site of the only temple in country for a king who kept sandals on throne)

4. ഇന്നസെന്റ് (Nice comedy actor who is from the answer for Q #3 above)

5. ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ട് (Jacky alias Sagar)

6. ഇറ്റലി (Raul Vinci)

7. ഈശ്വരന്‍ (911 for some people)

8. ഇ.എം.എസ്.നമ്പൂതിരിപ്പാട് (CPIM meets Ilayaraja)

9. ഈട്ടി (Convert murder tool into a sofa)

10. ഈജിപ്റ്റ് ("child from water" became rAjkumAr here - biblical / hollywood)

Bonus : ഇടുക്കി (District where two numbers bring tourists)

Lesson 2 ( ഇ , ഈ )

So, we had the lesson, exercise & quiz for the first two alphabets of Malayalam (that sound exactly like the first two alphabets of Thamizh & Hindi)
അ = அ = अ = the 'a' sound as in under
ആ = ஆ = आ = the 'aa' sound as in far


As one can discern, both characters appear very similar, except for the small extra hook in the right bottom in the case of the long sound!

Now, the second set of two vowels (e,ee / இ, ஈ / इ, ई / ഇ , ഈ)

As in the case of first two, these are exact equivalents of their counterparts in Thamizh & Hindi.
On the other hand, the English part of the first one is somewhat tricky When it's read as an alphabet only, the equivalent is "e" ; but when it occurs in words, it sounds the way how English letter 'i' sounds in words (it, in, India, impossible)

ഇ


Let's get the words for these letters, to practice :
ഇന്ത്യ - இந்த்ய / इन्द्य / inthya (India)
ഇളയരാജ - இளயராஜ / इलयराज / Ilayaraaja (Ilayaraajaa)
ഇഷ്ടം - இஷ்டம் / इष्टम / ishtam (Desire)
ഇവിടെ - இவிடெ / इविडे / ivide (Here)

The character looks somewhat like the Thamizh ஐ but with a flat line in the bottom portion.

Time for vinyl covers, for ഇ

First one is quite a long name, please focus only on the first character
ഇത്തിരിപ്പൂവേ ചുവന്ന പൂവേ (iththirippoovE chuvanna poovE)

As you probably figured out, "poovE" means same in both Malayalam & Thamizh ("hey flower!")

The second one is ഇന്നല്ലെങ്കില്‍ നാളെ (innallengil nALe)

This title roughly means "tomorrow, if not today".

Many TN-ers have a small confusion initially in Kerala w.r.t. "yesterday & today" words. (Not as clearly distinct as in Thamizh)

ഇന്നലെ ("innale" means yesterday)

ഇന്ന് ('innu' means today)

 

 

ഈ

A few words for practice of this fourth letter:
ഈ - ஈ / ई / ee - The letter is also a word, means "this", for e.g. "ee puzha" means this river
ഈറ്റ - ஈற்ற (ஈட்ட) / ईटट / eetta - Reed , not as translated in movie posters inside TN "இன்ப தாகம்" )
ഈച്ച - ஈச்ச / ईच्छ / eechcha - Fly / Housefly (thEn eechcha means honey bee)
ഈന്തപ്പന - ஈந்தப்பன / ईंदप्पन / eenthappana - Date palm, the tree that produces dates - I mean fruits

As one can see ഈ shares the first character same as its short form (ഇ) with an extra hook on the right top ("superscript" kind).

We'll see this hook on the right top used for some more letters too, as we progress! So, please make note of this "super script" thingy!

Two vinyls for ഈ

Unfortunately, I don't know anything about these movies or the two movies posted above for the kuRil

(If someone finds the vinyl covers or the associated movies offensive - due to their reputation for adult / pAluRavu content or something like that, please let me know...we can find alternates).

ഈ വഴി മാത്രം (ee vazhi mAthram, only this way)

ഈറ്റില്ലം (eetrillam, labour room...eetru = delivery + illam = home)