Learn to READ Malayalam - using vinyl ("LP" record) covers and such movie-based resources

Quiz time :

1. ഏകലവ്യന്‍ (thumbs up for guessing)

2. ഐസ്ലാന്ഡ് (must be an island)

3. എന്റെ സൂര്യപുത്രിക്കു ( kaRpoora mullai )

4. ഐന്‌സ്റ്റൈന് (he could be your relative)

5. എരുമപ്പെട്ടി ( kalyANa mAlai koNdAdum peNNE )

6. എട്ടു (comes after ഏഴു)

7. ഏഷ്യ (biggest)

8. എന്നെന്നും കണ്ണേട്ടന്റെ (varusham 16)

9. ഐലന്ഡ് എക്സ്പ്രസ്സ്‌ (Bangalore to Trivandrum)

10. ഏകാന്തം ( Kaithapram directed a movie it seems )

Quiz time :

1. ഏകലവ്യന്‍ (thumbs up for guessing) Ekalaivan

2. ഐസ്ലാന്ഡ് (must be an island) iculAndhu

3. എന്റെ സൂര്യപുത്രിക്കു ( kaRpoora mullai ) endE suryaputhrikku

4. ഐന്‌സ്റ്റൈന് (he could be your relative) ainistain

5. എരുമപ്പെട്ടി ( kalyANa mAlai koNdAdum peNNE ) erumapatti

6. എട്ടു (comes after ഏഴു) ettu

7. ഏഷ്യ (biggest) Ettavum

8. എന്നെന്നും കണ്ണേട്ടന്റെ (varusham 16)ennennum kaNNettaNde

9. ഐലന്ഡ് എക്സ്പ്രസ്സ്‌ (Bangalore to Trivandrum) ailandh exprass?

10. ഏകാന്തം ( Kaithapram directed a movie it seems ) Ekantham

ഏകലവ്യന്‍ - yE-ka-la-yva-n?
ഐസ്ലാന്ഡ് - i-cu-la-nd-u?
എന്റെ സൂര്യപുത്രിക്കു - en-re sur-ya pu-tri-ku
ഐന്‌സ്റ്റൈന് - ain-sain?
എരുമപ്പെട്ടി - e-ru-ma-ppe-ti
എട്ടു - ettu
ഏഷ്യ - yE-sru?
എന്നെന്നും കണ്ണേട്ടന്റെ - ye-nne-num ka-NN-en-de
ഐലന്ഡ് എക്സ്പ്രസ്സ്‌ - ai-la-ndh e-k-s-pra-s
ഏകാന്തം - yE-ka-nta-m?

app... enna oru enthula neengale answer panniteengalaa??

2040 wrote:app... enna oru enthula neengale answer panniteengalaa??

Looks like one of the mods (may be V_Sji or Plum) edited my post instead of quoting it

Fixed it

BTW, I'll post the answers tomorrow (Wednesday) and also the next lesson for the last set of vowels ഒ ഓ ഔ അം അ:

Answers to quiz:

1. ഏകലവ്യന്‍ = ஏகலவ்யன் (note it is not ஏகலைவன்) = एकलव्यन = Ekalavyan (the thumb connection is obvious)

2. ഐസ്ലാന്ഡ് = ஐஸ்லான்ட் = ऐस्लान्ड = Iceland (the one with that volcano)

3. എന്റെ സൂര്യപുത്രിക്കു = என்டெ சூர்யபுத்ரிக்கு = एंटे सूर्यपुत्रिक्कु = ente sooryaputhrikku (Fazil / Amala movie, kaRpoora mullai in Thamizh, 'poongAviyam pEsum Oviyam' song)

4. ഐന്‌സ്റ്റൈന് = ஐன்ஸ்ட்டைன் (ஐன்ஸ்ற்றைன் ) = ऐंसटटैन = ainsttain (Einstein, theory of relativity)

5. എരുമപ്പെട്ടി = எருமப்பெட்டி = एरुमप्पेटटी = erumappetti (Place in Kerala, nostalgic to me)

6. എട്ടു = எட்டு = एटटु = ettu (number eight)

7. ഏഷ്യ = ஏஷ்ய = एष्य = Eshya (Asia, the continent)

8. എന്നെന്നും കണ്ണേട്ടന്റെ = என்னென்னும் கண்ணேட்டன்டெ = एन्नेन्नुम कणणेटटनटे = ennennum kaNNEttante (original of varusham 16, by Fazil)

9. ഐലന്ഡ് എക്സ്പ്രസ്സ്‌ = ஐலன்ட் எக்ஸ்ப்ரஸ்ஸ் = ऐलनड एक्सप्रस्स = ailand eksprass (Island Express, train between Bangalore & Trivandrum, look at the double "ss" in Malayalam which is last character)

10. ഏകാന്തം = ஏகாந்தம் = एकान्तं = EkAntham (Solitude)

Great work Plum & V_Sji - you're both quite advanced for the lessons that we're doing! You may feel the pace is slow (along with 2040) but it has to be kept that way considering beginners. (I don't know if there are that many right now, but I try to make this a generic one)

We've covered 10 alphabets thus far, all vowels :

1. അ

2. ആ

3. ഇ

4. ഈ

5. ഉ

6. ഊ

7. ഋ

8. എ

9. ഏ

10. ഐ

5 more to go in the vowel family and all will be covered later today in the 5th lesson!

ഒ ഓ ഔ അം അ:

app ji,
No worries. Please go at your own pace. I am just guessing the alphabets based on your clues, but actually I don't know other words, nor do I remember them. Sometimes I even refer outside (of this forum) to conclude what letter it is, which is not good. In fact, I am not even to your pace.

Lesson 5 - Last set of vowels

The 11th character is

ഒ

which sounds exactly same like its Thamizh counter part ஒ (short O / kuRil) . Actually, it even looks like its Thamizh equivalent.

There's no equivalent in Hindi but the near equivalent is the longer version of the same vowel ओ.

Some words starting with this letter:

ഒട്ടകം - ஒட்டகம் - ओटटकम -ottkam (Camel)

ഒട്ടകപ്പക്ഷി - ஒட்டகப்பக்ஷி - ओटटकप्पक्षी - ottkappakshi (Ostrich)

ഒന്ന് - ஒன்னு - ओन्नु - onnu (Number 1 / one)

ഒൻപത് -ஒன்பது -ओन्पतु - onpathu (Number 9 / Nine)

In both the last two words, one may notice that the last character is written as a consonant but the transliteration in other languages added a "u" sound. It's neither a constant nor u but somewhere in-between. In Thamizh, such things are called "குற்றியலுகரம்" / kutRiyalukaram. Well, that'll be a topic for a future discussion, please take it as it is today.

It doestn't hurt to pronounce them with a full "u" (kuRil) sound in the end!

There're not many fancy vinyl covers for ഒ, but posting whatever I could get in musicalaya :

ഒരു മൊട്ടു വിരിഞ്ഞപ്പോള്‍ (oru mottu virinjappOL / ஒரு மொட்டு விரிஞ்ஞப்போள் )



Some tharangini disk for ഒപ്പം ഒപ്പത്തിനൊപ്പം (oppam oppaththinoppam / ஒப்பம் ஒப்பத்திநொப்பம்)

The 12th character is the longer sound of the previous one,

ഓ

As one can see, it is the same short alphabet plus an additional character on the RHS. That is the one we'll be using quite a bit when it comes to combinational letters. It's the same as the 'thuNaikkAl' in Thamizh, for extending aa sound and elsewhere. It should be pronounced exactly as the Thamish / Hindi / English equivalents

O / ओ / ஓ

Some words starting with this alphabet :

ഓന്ത് - ஓந்து - ओन्तु - Onthu (Chameleon)

ഓട്ടം - ஓட்டம் - ओट्टम - Ottam (Run)

ഓട് - ஓடு - ओडु - Odu (Roof tile)

ഓല - ஓல - ओल - Ola (Coconut leave / Palm leave)

You probably notice a couple of 'kutRiyalukaram' business (the consonant symbol but "u" sound) among these four words too

We'll keep bumping into such words all the time!

No vinyl covers exist in musicalaya for ഓ, I'm posting other links here...

The "thumbi vA" movie, ഓളങ്ങള്‍ (OLangngaL / ஓலங்ஙள்)



ഓര്‍മ്മകള്‍ മരിക്കുമോ (OrmmakaL marikkumO / ஓர்ம்மகள் மரிக்குமோ , meaning "will the memories fade away?")

The 13th alphabet is

ഔ

pronounced "au / av" in English and has an exact equivalent in Thamizh and Hindi :

ஔ / औ

As one can see, it starts with the same character for short 'o' (ഒ) and adds a hook on the right hand side, much like what we added for extending ee & oo (ഈ / ഊ)

So, all these three letters that we've discussed so far in this lesson are of similar "shape" to look at

Some words starting with ഔ :

ഔഷധം -ஔஷதம் - औषदम - aushadham (medicine / cure)

ഔരങ്ങസീബ് - ஔரங்கசீப் - औरन्गजीब - aurangaseeb (Aurangzeb, the Moghul emperor)

ഔദാര്യം - ஔதார்யம் - औदार्यम - audhAryam (benevolence)

ഔദ്യോഗിക - ஔத்யோகிக - औदयोकिक -audhyOgika (official)

See, it's easier to read in this letter in Malayalam than in Thamizh. (In Thamizh, unless one knows the word / context, they can get confused whether it sounds "au" or "oLa" )

Couldn't find any movie covers / pictures starting with ഔ easily...will post if and when I can find one.

Meanwhile, I would like to close the alphabets story by just showing the last two characters that are basically the first character അ plus some symbol. They also sound that way (അ plus a consonant sound). I really don't know how and why they classify these as "vowels" but a similar anamoly also exists in Hindi & vadamozhi and 50% of such anamoly also exists in Thamizh via the "Aydha ezhuththu" ஃ getting clubbed with "vowels").

Anyways, here are those with the corresponding sounding letters in other languages. We can identify them easily after we get to know other consonants

അം
അ:

am / ah in English
அம் / அஹ் in Thamizh (no exact equivalent character for these two in Thamizh)
अं / अ: in Hindi which are exact equivalents to Malayalam!

So, all the vowels are now covered.

Please try to do the "exercises" as diligently as possible as it really helps memorize characters and strongly embed them in the minds.

I'll possibly do a quiz on Friday, for the weekend for these last set.

We'll also have a short quiz on Monday for ALL the 15 "vowels" and start with the consonants next Wednesday! (That is one week from now)!

അ ആ ഇ ഈ ഉ ഊ ഋ

എ ഏ ഐ ഒ ഓ ഔ

അം അ:

(For people familiar with Indian languages, the red colored ones above are "longer" sounds -"nedil" - and others are shorter sounds -"kuRil")

Quiz time :

1. ഓവൽ (Gavaskar's 220)
2. ഒമ്പത് (Related to എട്ടു)
3. ഒന്ന് മുതൽ പൂജ്യം വരെ (Rotary telephone, that's all the clue plum needs )
4. ഓര്മ്മ മാത്രം ( Dileep movie directed by Kaithapram)
5. ഔസേപ്പച്ചൻ (music director)
6. ഒക്ടോബർ (Even these days TN uses அ but SL uses ஒ)
7. ഓം നമഃ ശിവായ (sAgara sangamam, see I've included അം / അ: too in this )
8. ഒന്നാം രാഗം പാടി (first line of song, Padmarajan / Mohanlal, classic film)
9. ഓക്സിജൻ (Necessary for life)
10. ഓണം (Well, this must be pretty simple)

I thought this o-O-au quiz must be the easiest one

Looks like all were busy during the weekend...let's give it a couple more days

Yes ji. I will finish tonight.

My answers in bold:

1. ഓവൽ (Gavaskar's 220) - Oval
2. ഒമ്പത് (Related to എട്ടു) - o-mp-th (onbathu in thamizh?)
3. ഒന്ന് മുതൽ പൂജ്യം വരെ (Rotary telephone, that's all the clue plum needs ) - onnu muthal pujyam vare
4. ഓര്മ്മ മാത്രം ( Dileep movie directed by Kaithapram) Ormma mathram
5. ഔസേപ്പച്ചൻ (music director) - ou-ste-ppa-n
6. ഒക്ടോബർ (Even these days TN uses அ but SL uses ஒ) Ok-to-ba-r (october)
7. ഓം നമഃ ശിവായ (sAgara sangamam, see I've included അം / അ: too in this ) - Om nama shivaaya
8. ഒന്നാം രാഗം പാടി (first line of song, Padmarajan / Mohanlal, classic film) - onnam ragam paadi
9. ഓക്സിജൻ (Necessary for life) - oxygen
10. ഓണം (Well, this must be pretty simple) - Onam

app_engine wrote:Quiz time :

1. ഓവൽ (Gavaskar's 220) Oval
2. ഒമ്പത് (Related to എട്ടു) ombathu
3. ഒന്ന് മുതൽ പൂജ്യം വരെ (Rotary telephone, that's all the clue plum needs ) oNNu mudhal poojyam varE
4. ഓര്മ്മ മാത്രം ( Dileep movie directed by Kaithapram) Ormma mAthram
5. ഔസേപ്പച്ചൻ (music director) ousEppacchan
6. ഒക്ടോബർ (Even these days TN uses அ but SL uses ஒ) oktObar
7. ഓം നമഃ ശിവായ (sAgara sangamam, see I've included അം / അ: too in this ) Om nama shivAya
8. ഒന്നാം രാഗം പാടി (first line of song, Padmarajan / Mohanlal, classic film) oNNAm rAgam pAdi
9. ഓക്സിജൻ (Necessary for life) Oxyjan
10. ഓണം (Well, this must be pretty simple)

ONam

secret: neRaiya answers clue vechE kaNdupidikkaREn, maybe you should first post without clue and then add clues a day or two later- I think my poushu may palliLichufy then ;-)

Awesome job, V_Sji & plum!

I guess I'll give no clues for today's new quiz (for all vowels) and let's see how many get cracked

For now, the correct answers of ഒ ഓ ഔ quiz:

1. ഓവൽ = ஓவல் = ओवल = Oval (The cricket ground)

2. ഒമ്പത് = ஒம்பது = ओमबतु = ompathu (Number 9 / Nine, notice the last character with a consonant symbol but pronounced as "(th)u", kutRiyalugaram)

3. ഒന്ന് മുതൽ പൂജ്യം വരെ = ஒன்னு முதல் பூஜ்யம் வரெ = ओन्नु मुतल पूज्यं वरे = onnu muthal poojyam vare (From one to zero, rAree rAriram rArO song, here again note onnu's last letter which is not full mAththirai)

4. ഓര്മ്മ മാത്രം = ஓர்ம்ம மாத்ரம் = ओर्म्म मात्रं = Ormma mAthram (Memory only)

5. ഔസേപ്പച്ചൻ = ஔஸேப்பச்சன் = औसेपपच्चन = ousEppachchan (MD)

6. ഒക്ടോബർ = ஒக்டோபர் = ओक्टोबर = octObur (October)

7. ഓം നമഃ ശിവായ = ஓம் நமஹ் ஷிவாய = ॐ नमःशिवाय = Om namah shivAya

8. ഒന്നാം രാഗം പാടി = ஒன்னாம் ராகம் பாடி = ओन्नाम रागम पाटी = onnAm rAgam pAti (from thoovAnaththumbigaL)

9. ഓക്സിജൻ = ஓக்ஸிஜன் = ओक्सिजन = Oksijan (Oxygen)

10. ഓണം = ஓணம் = ओणम = ONam (see the equivalent of mooNu suzhi Na of Thamizh)

OK, final quiz for all vowels! (swara aksharangngaL)

Two parts to this quiz :

Part 1, just transliterate the alphabets into English, in the same order as given:

ഉ - ഓ - എ - അ - ഔ - ഋ - അ: - ഈ - ഐ - ഒ - ഊ - ആ - ഇ - ഏ - അം

Part 2, no clues for each one. However, since we have not had the lessons for consonants & combinations yet, I'll include some general clues in the end that will help in getting these...

1. ഉറക്കം

2. ഓസ്ട്രേലിയ

3. എറണാകുളം

4. അയ്യപ്പൻ

5. ഔവ്വയാർ

6. ഋത്വിക് റോഷൻ

7. ഈറോഡ്

8. ഐ.വി. ശശി

9. ഒ.എൻ.വി. കുറുപ്പ്

10. ഊത്തപ്പം

11. ആയുർവേദം

12. ഇസ്‌ലാം

13. ഏഷ്യാനെറ്റ്

14. അംബിക

Clue : We have four film personalities, three geographical locations, one deity, one belief system, one medicine system, one food item, one name associated with TV, one old poet & one human necessity

ഉ - ഓ - എ - അ - ഔ - ഋ - അ: - ഈ - ഐ - ഒ - ഊ - ആ - ഇ - ഏ - അം
u - O - ye - a - au - hru - aha - ee - ai - o - oo - aa - e - yE - am

1. ഉറക്കം - urakkam

2. ഓസ്ട്രേലിയ - O-s-tre-li-ya

3. എറണാകുളം - ye-ra-naa-ku-Lam

4. അയ്യപ്പൻ - a-yya-ppa-n

5. ഔവ്വയാർ - aav-vay-yaar

6. ഋത്വിക് റോഷൻ - hri-thi-k RO-sha-n

7. ഈറോഡ് - Ee-rO-de

8. ഐ.വി. ശശി - ai.vi. sa-si

9. ഒ.എൻ.വി. കുറുപ്പ് - o.yen.vi ku-ru-p

10. ഊത്തപ്പം - oo-ththa-pp-am

11. ആയുർവേദം - aa-yu-r-vE-dham

12. ഇസ്‌ലാം - i-s-la-m

13. ഏഷ്യാനെറ്റ് - yE-shia-ne-t

14. അംബിക - am-bi-ka

There's still time (16-20 hrs left) to try this quiz

Tomorrow I'll post the exact answers

Also, we'll start the consonants tomorrow!

I guess we can go 2 sets each week to finish off all the consonants (in 6 sets) and their derivatives & combinations in less than two months (with exercises, quizzes etc) and we'll be done

Once thru, we'll have some more exciting reading exercises to improve the skills.

For tomorrow, the group of consonants will be from "ka" series.

ക ഖ ഗ ഘ ങ

For speed, I'll also cover "doubling" of such letters right in our first run of them

e.g. ക്ക ഗ്ഗ ങ്ങ