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வணக்கம் உலகம்!

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This post was written using Quillpad. Any spelling mistakes can be explained by my less than perfect reading skills in Tamil. So all you Tamil language nazis, please be gentle with me since I am sure this is going to be a one-off post, to try out something new to demonstrate that one can blog in Tamil without needing special font downloads and such. Maybe this was possible before, but I am a Philistine when it comes to things like this. So thanks are due to the Sambhar don Kaps, for bringing this to our notice. And if your Tamil skills are worser than mine, please go straight to the the English translation for this post by clicking the “Continue Reading” link.

என் பெயர் அனந்த்தா. எனக்கு வேற எந்த பெயரும் இல்லை. எனக்கு தமிழ் எழுத்து கூட்டி தான் படிக்க தெரியும். பள்ளிக்கூடத ¯à®¤à®¿à®³à¯ மூன்றாம் மொழியாக தமிழ் படித்திருந்஠¤à®¾à®²à¯à®®à¯, பொறியியல் கல்லூரியில் இருண்த பொழுது ஆனந்த விகடன், குமுதம், வாராமலர் போன்ற புத்தகங்களை படித்து தான், தமிழைய் நான் வலது கொண்டேன்.

எனக்கு சுத்தமாகா தமிழ் எழுத வராது. ஒரு முறை நான் தமிழ் கட்டுறை போட்டியில் பங்கு பெற ஆசை பட்டேன். பரிசு வாங்குவதற்க ¯à®•à¯ அல்ல! வகுப்பில் உக்கருவது ரொம்ப கஷ்டம் என நினைத்து தான் அங்கே சென்றேன். ஏதோ சென்னை சம்பந்தமாக ஒரு கட்டுரை எழுத சொன்னார்கள். அதார்க்கு முன்பு எல்லோரும், அவர் அவர் à®ªà¯†à®¯à®°à¯à®•à®³à¯ˆà®¯à¯à®®à ¯, வகுப்பையும் வலது பக்கம் உள்ள கொட்டித்த இடத்தில் எழுத சொன்னார்கள். நான் எனது பெயரை எழுத துவங்கினேன்.

பெயரை எழுதி முடித்தேன். படித்து பார்த்தால், என் பெயரை நான் (à®…à®©à®¨à¯à®¤à¯à®¤à®¨à®¾à®°à®¾à ®¯à®£à®©à¯à¯) முதல் பாதி தமிழிலும், இரண்டாம் பாதி வட நாட்டு மொழிஇலும் எழுதி இருந்தேன். ஒரு நிமிடம் யோசித்ததில், எது தமிழ், எது வட மொழி என்று என்னக்கே புரியவில்லை. அன்று முடிந்தது என்னாது தமிழ் ஈடுபாடு.

இப்பொழுது à®šà®¿à®²à®ªà¯à®ªà®¤à®¿à®•à®¾à®°à ®à¯, பொன்னியின் செல்வன் போன்ற காவியங்களை படிக்க வென்றும் என்று மனது ஆசை படுகிறது. ஆனால் தமிழ் ஞானம் குறைவாக இருப்பதால், ஆங்கில மொழி மாற்றம் செய்யப்பட்ட காவியங்களை மாட்டுமெய் முதலில் படிப்பதாக முடிவு à®Žà®Ÿà¯à®¤à¯à¯à®³à¯à®³à¯‡à®©à .

The English translation follows. So continue reading.

My name is Anantha. I have no other name. I read Tamil by stuttering through the letters that make up each word. Though Tamil was my third language in school, it was only when I tried to read Tamil magazines like Kumudham, Ananda Vikatan and Vaara Malar during my time in engineering college, did I finally brush up my Tamil to the extent that it is now.

I cannot write Tamil to save my life. This one time when I was in the XIth standard in school, I decided to participate in a Tamil essay competition, no to win it, but to cut classes. I thought I could handle it since the object was not to write about Ilango Adigal and the Silappadhigaram, but something about Chennai. As is the norm, before we began, we were asked to write our names and classes on the top right corner of the page. And I started doing so.

When I finished writing my name, I re-read it. It was only then I realized something strange. I had written the first half of my name (Ananthanarayanan) in Tamil and the second half in Hindi! Much confusion ensued for the next two minutes, for my mind went blank and I could not figure out which part was Hindi and which was Tamil. My tryst with Tamil writing ended that day.

These days, having heard so much about the Tamil classics, I yearn to read the works of authors like Kalki. But my less than perfect Tamil skills has proved to be a dampener. I would have to make do with English translations, when I can finally get my hands on them.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 19th, 2006 at 12:05 pm and is filed under Blogs, Personal.

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31 Responses to “வணக்கம் உலகம்!”

  1. SKM

    September 19th, 2006 at 1:13 pm

    adadaaa!Anantha! Well done!You have taken the effort, and it is appreciated.-SKM

  2. shashi http://scovileheat.blogspot.com

    September 19th, 2006 at 1:16 pm

    i wouldn’t buy if you said the above magazines alone contributed to your tamil gaucherie..

    once in school i was asked to read out the names of old tamil books (mani mekalai, silakapadigaram.. )in english script from a history text book to a mostly hindi audience….had a tough time explaining them how to pronounce zh..

  3. Anand http://mdeii.blogspot.com

    September 19th, 2006 at 1:56 pm

    அடீங்கோத்஠ா?
    The English translation follows. So continue reading.
    WTF?

  4. superstarksa http://superstarksa.com

    September 19th, 2006 at 2:24 pm

    Anand: “அடீங்கோத்஠¤à®¾“?
    உங்கள் வார்த்தையில௠à¯ பிழை உள்ளது! அது “அடங்கோத்த஠” அல்லவோ? நான் சொல்லுவது தான் சரி என்று திட்டவட்டமா஠• கூறிக்கொள்ள à®µà®¿à®°à¯à®®à¯à®ªà¯à®•à®¿à®±à ‡à®©à¯.

    Shashi: Shhh…The book cartel is not to be spoken of, here! Who told you about it?? Yes, that “zh”. I had to go back and edit “Thamizh” as “Tamil” all through my post above.

    SKM: நன்றி. வணக்கம். நாளை நாமதே. மீண்டும் வருகை தாருங்கள,் என நான் தாழ்மையுடன் ் கேட்டு கொள்கிறேன்

  5. Damil Kavalargal

    September 19th, 2006 at 2:27 pm

    Your name should be à®†à®©à®¨à¯à®¤à®¨à®¾à®°à®¾à®¯à®£à ©à¯ not à®†à®©à®¨à¯à®¤à®©à®°à®¾à®¯à®£à®©à 

  6. d.n.a. http://boomboommadu.blogspot.com

    September 19th, 2006 at 2:27 pm

    anantha, “த்”விட்டீர்! “கோதா” என்பது வேரு பொருள். அந்த வார்த்தையின௠ அழகே அந்த “த்”தன்னா தான்.

  7. superstarksa http://superstarksa.com

    September 19th, 2006 at 2:57 pm

    d.n.a: நன்றி நண்பா. நீங்கள் சொல்லுவது சரி.

    Damil Kavalargal: தமிழ் உங்கள் பேச்சு, மூச்சு, வாட்சது என நீங்க à®šà¯Šà®²à¯à®²à¯à®µà¯€à®°à¯à®•à ®³à®¾?

  8. Me

    September 19th, 2006 at 5:31 pm

    ….is writing in tamizh the coolest thing now…?
    ….yendha blog ponalum thamizh la post illa comment…..:(

  9. qs.gemini http://no-creativity.blogspot.com

    September 19th, 2006 at 6:23 pm

    Wow… I can’t read and write in Tamil either! But, you have no excuse! tch tch… I can do a great job reading, writing and cursing in Hindi and Punjabi!!!! ;)
    tch tch…

  10. DoZ http://booksmovieslife.wordpress.com

    September 19th, 2006 at 6:31 pm

    Hey Anatha. I never learnt Tamil in school (not even as a third language)… never got around to picking it up on my own and totally regret it now. There’re too many amazing books in Tamil and I feel lousy missing out on all of them…
    Started reading Ponniyin Selvan in English - it reads wierd. I can’t shake off the feeling that it would’ve all been much much better in the original. But still, god knows I’m never going to learn enough of the language to read Kamba Ramayanam in the original… Totally respect you for making the attempt. Go for it!

  11. superstarksa http://superstarksa.com

    September 19th, 2006 at 8:08 pm

    DoZ: Nah… too much credit you seem to give me. This was more as a joke than anything else. But I am looking around for the books I need. Heard there are a few translations, but everyone wants me to read the Tamil originals. However, I am afraid that I might lose interest if I have to stutter through one chapter after the other, cos I am very restless and impatient too! So do wish me luck! he he. Vaise, how’s the move coming? Hit HSB at Lexington and 26th yet? You should!

    q.s: Ofcourse, I can curse in Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam and Telugu too. I would include Punjabi too, but that would be pushing the envelope too much.

    Me: Don’t you know that whatever I do is immediately cool?

  12. B o o. http://boosbabytalk.blogspot.com

    September 19th, 2006 at 11:43 pm

    “This was more as a joke than anything else”. - தமிழ இப்படி படாத பாடு படுத்தி என்ன ஜோக் à®µà¯‡à®£à¯à®Ÿà®¿à®¯à®¿à®°à¯à®•à ¯à®•à¯?!! ;)

  13. superstarksa http://superstarksa.com

    September 20th, 2006 at 12:16 am

    Boo: :(

    So all you Tamil language nazis, please be gentle with me

  14. mlc

    September 20th, 2006 at 12:59 am

    ME: atleast anantha vaavadhu kashtapattaalum seri, oru pudhu post podaraaru!! yellaarum ungalai pudhu post podunga nu yevvalo kaetaalum, neenga baatuku kalyanam, pondaatti, samayal, cleaning nu karandi-yum thodapamumaai, andha nenaipuleye irukeenga!!!!! nyayamaa??

  15. superstarksa http://superstarksa.com

    September 20th, 2006 at 1:08 am

    MLC: You weight showing…soooper!

  16. prakash http://gilli.in

    September 20th, 2006 at 2:32 am

    அதாவது…..

    சரி வேணாம்… பொளைச்சுப் போங்க :-)

  17. I http://derisivehatred.blogspot.com

    September 20th, 2006 at 3:12 am

    ebba, Krish oda epdi dhan argue panrayo..

  18. hardu http://www.hardu.blogspot.com

    September 20th, 2006 at 4:05 am

    Half the name in Hindi and the other half in Tamil. ROTFL!!

  19. innatelyp http://innatelyp.blogspot.com

    September 20th, 2006 at 6:14 am

    Looks like I now have the chance to work on my tamil skills.. It is quite an interesting tool !

  20. superstarksa http://superstarksa.com

    September 20th, 2006 at 9:16 am

    innatelyp: Yes. Interesting tool.

    Hardu: ROTFL only. That’s my thought whenever I remember it. Pity I did not keep the sheet. I tore it into peices and left the room even before the Tamil teacher could even realize that there was one single erstwhile Hindi student (i.e. 2nd language Hindi student till a year before) among the Tamil students writing that essay.

    I: Gandhigiri zindabad, I guess ;) But thalaivar a ketta, avar solluvar - anbaal edhai venum naalum vellalam!

    Prakash: Yes, that’s the spirit :D

  21. Me

    September 20th, 2006 at 12:20 pm

    enna mlc en kashtam therinjum pudhu post kekareengalay idhu nyayama….

  22. capriciously_me

    September 20th, 2006 at 1:30 pm

    me also same reaction as boo :P….i am not a tamil nazi & all but i cannot stand spelling mistakes for words that i already know :P i definitely APPRECIATE the effort….(u rock!!) but there is room for improvement :)

  23. superstarksa http://superstarksa.com

    September 20th, 2006 at 2:14 pm

    CM:

    but i cannot stand spelling mistakes for words that i already know

    Accepted, but those are the same words that I “half know” only!

    Me: Enna unna yaaro ootla kodumai paduthara madhiri illa pesara! Over scene!

  24. DoZ http://booksmovieslife.wordpress.com

    September 20th, 2006 at 2:20 pm

    Thanks for asking :) I’m settling in great. And yeah, of course been to HSB! for 2 years, I’ve been starved of Tamil ‘hotel sappadu’ in Dallas… we have a few nice places, but nothing like SB.
    About the reading - I don’t think I can attempt any of the originals. I skipped through and read your passage in English - so I have a looooong way to go before attempting even Vikatan, let alone Ponniyin Selvan in the original… And good luck with your reading!

  25. superstarksa http://superstarksa.com

    September 20th, 2006 at 3:12 pm

    DoZ: Yes… HSB…second to none in the city. I heard there is another in Edison. Will have to check that one out one of these weekends.
    As for the reading, am gonna let you into something here. If you see that link, it was a “tanglish”/”tamglish” to Tamil convertor. But If I saw this same post on another blog, I’d have skipped and gone straight to the translation. I can list half a dozen sites that I dont frequent (incl. gilli.in) cos I can’t read what’s on there. I can read Tamil somehow from books, but online text stumps me completely.

  26. SKM

    September 20th, 2006 at 7:09 pm

    appo neenga ezhudirukiradhu ennanu ungalukke theriyadha??
    That’s the reason for so many simple and silly mistakes_a? appo thappai edhthu sonnalum puriyadhu.Very good.Enjoyyy….you don’t have to try writing funny, just write in tamil.That will do. ;D–SKM

  27. Me

    September 21st, 2006 at 1:51 pm

    anantha tulips photo on the header….nee yengayo poita…….

  28. superstarksa http://superstarksa.com

    September 21st, 2006 at 8:29 pm

    Me: Thats part of my template da. It cycles my best photographs. Did you see the one where I play a scorching cover drive?

    SKM: I know what I wrote. Because I wrote in Tanglish and it was automatically converted into Tamil script.

  29. kajan

    October 22nd, 2006 at 1:03 pm

    People take the time to learn so many things. What’s the excuse with not knowing how to read Tamil well but wish to read great novels. When we can learn complex programming languages and even other languages for the sake of career or otherwise, why not spend some time polishing Tamil. It’s not rocket science. This coming from someone who learned Tamil at the later stage of life. Comments like, I can’t read tamil but wish too, sounds to close to an attempt at snobbishness? Or like many 80s Tamil film heroines:-)

    -kajan

  30. superstarksa http://superstarksa.com

    October 22nd, 2006 at 1:20 pm

    Kajan: You dont have any business to be so judgemental and call me snobbish! If I were, I would stay away from Tamil completely. Expressing regret is snobbishness? Endha oorla? I don’t know if you appreciate the difficulty to do what you want, when you are away from your country, WORKING in a place devoid of the support culture that is needed in a way to learn anything at a “later age”. I am in Toronto currently for a weekend and watching TV here, I don’t feel that I am outside India/SriLanka. The prevelance of Tamil here is so widespread. OTOH, where I work, it is not the case. In spite of having a sizeable Tamil population, we are still not the largest ethnic group.
    Besides, I am not at any “later age” and I am sure I will come to a point where I do whatever you say I have done. My situation right now does not aid any such effort.
    Anyways, thanks for taking the time to express your comment.

  31. satan - www http://www.crispyideas.com/home/satan/votes

    April 7th, 2007 at 3:02 am

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