Funny things in languages

[app_engine]

Each language has its peculiarities and comical things.

Most in pronunciation rules, some in grammar, some in vocabulary.

Let's share here, without being too tight, what we find funny with any language in a light-hearted mode.

As most hubbers are bi, tri, multi linguals , each can chip in with something they find funny.

[app_engine]

Let me start with a funny thing in Hindi, a language that many want to be termed as the "only national / official language of India".

Till a few months back, my little daughter couldn't get a correct word when talking about the past happenings. For example, when someone asks her 'when did you play with snow balls', the answer used to be 'நாளைக்கு' It was not only her, I've observed the same when my son was little and also with nephews / nieces.

Recently she has changed and started referring anything in the past as "நான் சின்னப்பிள்ளையா இருந்தப்ப" (even if that incident was only a few days old)

Well, children at least change as they grow up but Hindi cannot. That language has the same word for Yesterday and Tomorrow : कल

So, நேற்று-இன்று-நாளை in Hindi is "कल-आज-कल" (kal-aaj-kal)

[bingleguy]

Interesting app good one .....

i get reminded of some quotes in English ...

"I had to subject the subject to a series of tests"

"They were too close to the door to close it"

"She could not live with a live mouse in the house"

amazingly we still understand them after reading it
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[app_engine]

That's one of the funniest things in English, bingleguy! Same spelling but different pronunciation and meaning:-)

Whenever people here say "oh, how do you read those complex-looking characters", pointing to one of the Indian languages, I tell them that they are mostly phonetic and relatively easier to read. And immediately tell them to pronounce 'w-i-n-d'. If they say வின்ட், my reply is 'well, I'll read it வைன்ட்'

They usually get the point and concede that English has the craziest pronunication rules among all!
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விழியே க(வி)தை எழுது

[bingleguy]

True app

and yet amazingly its one of the largest spoken and probably easily learnt too i guess hehehhee

idai pathi pesum podhu .... Chinna Goundar padathula Senthil kekkura kelvi dhaan nyabagathukku varudhu

kai la molaicha kai mudi
kal la molaicha kal mudi
nenju la molaicha nenju mudi
Goundar tensan aayiduvaaru ...
mugathula molaicha muga mudi nnu dhaanE sollanum, en nE thaadi nnu solraanga nnu sadhu pullaiyaatam Senthil kettu kittu nipparu )
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Click here to reach the Index page of déjà vu... All Sagas could be accessed from this page...

[rajraj]

bad guy-nnaa ketta paiyan
nice guy-nnaa nalla paiyan
stupid guy-nnaa muttaaL paiyan

bingleguy-nnaa?
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" I think there is a world market for may be five computers". IBM Chairman Thomas Watson in 1943.

[PatchyBoy]

"Mandhi" (மந்தி)- means "Monkey" in Tamil, but "People" in Kannada and ironically, "Manga" (மங்கா) is the name of a woman in Tamil, but means "Monkey" in Kannada!!!!!
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Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.

[bingleguy]

[bingleguy]

patchy .... u reminded me of some close similarities ....

we dont have to worry for certain words as to what would they mean in either languagues Thamizh or Kannada .... one letter change could help us

Ha to Pa

Halu in Kannada, Palu in Thamizh meaning MILK
Hasivu in Kannada, Pasi in Thamizh meaning HUNGER
Hadu in Kannada, Padu in Thamizh meaning SING
Hasu in Kannada, Pasu in Thamizh meaning COW
Hogo in Kannada, Po in Thamizh meaning GO

what say ?????
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Click here to reach the Index page of déjà vu... All Sagas could be accessed from this page...

[app_engine]

I had 'halluppodi' advertisement in Bangalore radio and interpreted as 'palluppodi'

அது சரி, பல்லுக்கு ஹல்லு, பொடிக்கு ஏன் ஹொடி இல்ல?
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விழியே க(வி)தை எழுது

[bingleguy]

[bingleguy]

"thooral ninnu pochu" Kerala la release panni padam eduthavanga patta paadu .....
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Click here to reach the Index page of déjà vu... All Sagas could be accessed from this page...

[app_engine]

It's well-known to anyone who knows Thamizh that there are relatively less # of consonants and thus the limitation in bringing out the "exact" pronunciation of foreign language words.

Actually, to accommodate north-Indian languages, Thamizh had to add the extras such as ஸ், ஷ், ஜ், ஹ் (வடமொழி எழுத்துகள்). That's fine.

However, why should it handle native consonants in two different ways? That's the most funny part in Thamizh (unfunny to anyone who tries to learn the language).

e.g. Why கல் is pronounced as "kal" and பகல் is pronounced as either "pagal" or "pahal"? Those who learn Thamizh tend to pronounce this as pa-kal which sounds rough
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விழியே க(வி)தை எழுது

[Wibha]

[bingleguy]