Tongue-Twisters We Tried As Kids (And I Still Can't Say Them!)

Tongue-twisters were definitely fun during school. I even remember a couple of games using tongue-twisters we played in our English class as a part of the learning. I was always so very bad at them, and till today I can't get a single one of them fully right! The other day, my friend and I were recollecting some of the famous and fun ones, and laughing about how we could never really do them. While finding out the full versions of those tongue-twisters, we also realized how much we changed it to make it do-able! 

Some tongue twisters made a proper story, while others were short phrases. And, some of these short phrases were difficult in themselves to pronounce, while the others became more and more confusing and difficult as they were to be repeated over and again. 

Some of the most insanely difficult ones were regarded to be: 

"The seething sea ceaseth and thus the seething sea sufficeth us"  

"Pad kid poured curd pulled cod". 

But, I could never even get the 'She sells' one right even once!

She sells sea-shells on the sea-shore.

The shells she sells are sea-shells, I'm sure.

For if she sells sea-shells on the sea-shore

Then I'm sure she sells sea-shore shells.

My friend and I remembered several most-distorted versions the classic Betty Botter and Peter Piper tongue-twisters. The bit of better butter in the batter always slid way out of control and beyond redemption, and so did Peter Piper's peck of pickled peppers!

It has always been a thing to show off if you can have the clean pronunciation, and display the adept mastery over the way of words and phonemes, by conquering these tongue-twisters. And, it always commands a respect and excitement when people can actually say them! Those who could say it were clearly the heroes when it came to this forte, and I always was awed, the kind of awe where you stare at them with an open mouth and dreamy eyes, at how they could get it all clean and right. It was supreme talent, in my eyes.

Can you get tongue-twisters right? Which is your favourite one? Do you know any in your own regional languages? Share them in the comments!

The Confusing Case Of Acronyms

Let's start here: I cannot understand the texting slang that acronyms make a major part of. The maximum I use is lol, lol. The world is so fast paced, and lazy if I may add, that literally everything has an acronym on text. People use it so casually, and yet I never know what it means. How is that? How do other people keep up with the unpredictable rate at which these acronyms grow? A regular text in today's world seems to be:

wym lol hahaha ngl idk even if it exists iml, iykwim, k c u bbye 

And, when I do receive such texts once in a while, my mind goes-what the hell was that? My friends always text me properly because writing acronyms to me means more work for them, because my replies are going to be a simple question mark for every word/phrase they shrunk, and they will have to explain the whole thing again. As well write it all the first time- that's what they think (I think)!

Though becomes tho, please becomes pls, thanks becomes tnq/tq/tnx/tkhs/tks/(I-have-no-idea-what-else), but a simple hi goes hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. Eh, well. Every line has a lol, or a bro, or both. For a long time I was so confused when I looked at Qt, and racked my brains until one day it dawned on me that it's cutie! I could particularly never understand when people wrote a four letter word in three words, because that's the short form (lol). I couldn't believe people use acronyms like NNTR which apparently means "no need to reply", and  DGMW which meant "don't get me wrong". Sigh, I have a long way to go.

I find it much easier to both type and read if so many acronyms don't replace the entire sentence structure. The texts are just stunted today- no capitals, no punctuation, very few actual, full words, and acronyms thrown around generously, not to mention the weird string of emojis. There is nothing wrong at all. But, I'd feel grateful if people assumed less that everybody knows them. Or wait, does everyone except me actually know?

How do you keep up with the confusing case of acronyms? 

*Beep sound of a message on your phones*

SANDHYA: lmk in the cmts :)

Me Talk Pretty One Day

Title: Me Talk Pretty One Day

Author: David Sedaris

Sedaris tries to live his life in France without knowing French, and tries to get away without learning, after some frustrating attempts. Drowned generously in humour, Sedaris's comic essays are a riot of laughter to read! Me Talk Pretty One Day is split into two parts- part one, and part deux. The first, about his life before shifting to France, and the second, about life in France. The second part has some of the finest humour and very relatable essays that I have read, that primarily included grounded and hilarious speculations by Seadris and his partner Hugh. 

My favourite chapters were ones where Sedaris hilariously takes on IQ tests. I loved the general thoughts on languages and learning it. It was very, very relatable. The keen observations, and the blunt honesty in those words make you giggle. This is a book that everyone can relate to, or draw parallels from! It's witty, and bitter, and delightful- all at the same time. And, that is what makes this book a really fun read.

If you are one of those people who start looking for some meaning to extract from a book, maybe this one isn't for you. A book need not always give you a coherent message, and in fact, like I said in my review of The Mezzanine, books and essays that are written with good humour and keen observation can be a pleasure to read sans any concrete story or message. In fact, it is the absurdity of it all that makes the read that much more fun. Sedaris is a very quirky writer, and to me this book was absolutely enjoyable. 

"When you publish a book, you expect that somebody somewhere will buy it. What you don’t expect, and what I’ve never quite gotten over, is that they may actually read it as well. Everything else is gravy."

And well, what Sedaris may not have expected is that his readers not only buy the book and read it, but also are absolutely entertained by the lovable banter and fine humour! The narration is sparkling and takes us through a ride of sweet, bitter and funny struggle of the writer and his life in France!

I loved it!

Tryst(?) With Languages

Learning new languages isn't exactly one of my strengths, probably because I have till now never been keen on it. I can speak fluent, good English and Tamil, with the latter being my mother-tongue. If you have been following my blog, I am an enthusiast of the intricate beauties in the languages I already know, and even have put up a couple of posts on my stark admiration for Tamil poetry. English has always been a language that I grew up to be comfortable with, thanks to the many wonderful books that I got to read since my childhood (you can find a list here, if you want). 

In English, I always knew what's the right way to say a phrase, or use a term, in the apt sense without knowing any grammar behind it. I may not be a wizard when it comes to defining the grammar of this language, but I am extremely comfortable with any level of writing or vocabulary- because years of reading have given me that confidence to understand in practice what the structure of the language is, and hence I can make out context pretty easily when I read something. And, if you keep reading then what was just a contextual understanding becomes concrete in your mind. So, that is how English primarily works for me. I may not be able to tell you why something is correct or wrong, but I can sure well tell whether it is right or not. To me, this language is highly instinctive. 

Tamil is a natural confidence for me, because it is my mother-tongue. I studied Tamil as my second language in school for ten years, and that exposed me to a lot of prose, poetry, grammar, and all the lovable intricacies of this language. I can obviously speak fluently, but I don't think I can ever be a graceful Tamil reader, though I can read and comprehend the language. I have never, and probably would never, picked a full-length Tamil book to read. 

I learnt French through a course in school, and I learnt quite a bit. You can see my learning here, if you are interested. I was doing well, and was really interested, but unfortunately I couldn't do the second level of the course. So, I just ended up learning a wide base of fundamentals of the language, enough to understand and relate to a lot of the French expressions in English novels! I hope I pick it up again some day. Poirot's mon ami was a constant bait for me to study this language. 

I had Spanish in college during my first three semesters. I learnt something in the first semester. But, the other two were a wash out. This was the most useless of all the attempts I have ever made to learn a language. Probably a law school is not the best place to have a compulsory language class. Neither were the faculty interested, nor were the students, so there was 0 learning. Or, maybe 0.00001% learning. Basically, the same. So, my Spanish is just as good as me catching the meaning of viva la vida. 

The final one, of course, is Hindi. This is the funniest. I wrote these Hindi exams that happen in Tamil Nadu by Dakshin Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha. But, due to a clear lack of interest I left it after the first two levels. I had Hindi as my third language in school, but that was absolutely no use again. As Calvin would put it, it just taught us how to manipulate through an exam without any substantial knowledge building. Every student just hated the Hindi third-language classes, and none of us ever understood it anyway. However, one good that came out of these two experiences was that I could read and write Hindi. I just couldn't speak, because I didn't really know Hindi. 

I was unnecessarily nonchalant, so I didn't pick up this language initially. But, when I had to go to a University where nine out of my ten friends spoke in Hindi for casual conversation, I was forced to pick it up, at least in bits and pieces throughout the last three years, to make sure I understood what the hell they were talking about when I was chilling with them. Necessity can make you learn, and that's how I picked up this language. Today, I can understand Hindi perfectly well, and I can manage a conversation in Hindi, too. But, I wonder whether I would have ever picked up this language if the circumstances didn't really force me to. 

Even now, though I can understand and reasonably speak Hindi, I almost never do unless it is absolutely necessary. I get away happily with English, as almost everyone can speak English today. But, learning this language, this way, has opened up my thoughts about unnecessary nonchalance.

I think about it, and  I hope to do something about it next time it comes in the way!

Opening Pandora's Box

Title: Opening Pandora's Box: Phrases Borrowed from the Classics and the Stories Behind Them

Author: Ferdie Addis

Weaving through countless classic tales of Greek mythology, their heroes, gods, demigods, demons and kings, we stumble upon those phrases that we know by contemporary parlance. Opening Pandora’s Box, is an awesome book. As it leads you into phrases and the stories behind them, we relive the Midas touch, the terror of the Chimera, encounter a Gorgon stare, work like a Trojan, meet mighty Gods with titanic strength, heroes with Stoic endurance, and finally find out what actually is to pile Pelion upon Ossa. 

"The aim of this book is to prise open the lid of the English language, just like Pandora did with her famous box, and let the weird and wonderful stories that we used to know come blinking out again into the light of day."

This book is published by the Michael O’ Mara Books Limited. It was first published in Great Britain in 2010. It opens up to a mythical world of tales through which the English that we speak today has borrowed and derived countless phrases from! It is a light-hearted, spellbinding narration of the stories that encompass the actual sense of the classic idiomatic expressions. 

Ferdie Addis gives us a book that equally stands out as a sorted introduction to Greek mythology, and also as a reference into how phrasal references developed in the language that we use today. This was one of the books I loved, and also referred while writing my own stories (just like I used to refer Know Your English by Upendran). 

Do pick this book up and give it a glance, it is sure to keep you captivated while also making sure you become that much more aware about the language! 

A Slice Of Poetry And Life

My second language in school was always Tamizh- from class one to ten. Ten years of exposure into the language, and we still used to make so many spelling errors, and read a little slowly, at least most of us. Though hours on end was spent memorizing for my Tamizh exams, the classes and the learning were always fun.

I really enjoyed many of the pieces of poetry that we read through our syllabus in school. Tamizh is a beautiful language, and there have been stalwarts who played with its beauty in the most mesmerizing, meaningful manner. One of my most favourite poems is a poem written by Andagakavi Veeraraghavar which is a standing example of the beauty and richness of the language.

When I was in class nine, we were given an assignment to portray a personality through a recital of something famous they did or any characteristic dialogues by them. I had chosen Bharatiyar, or fondly Bharati, who was also known as 'Mahakavi' for being the torch bearing pioneer of modern Tamil poetry. I recited the poem below for my project. This is one of his most classic, famous poems, and I have attempted to translate the broad meaning for those who do not know Tamizh- though my translation does no justice to the poem. 

தேடிச் சோறுநிதந் தின்று - பல

சின்னஞ் சிறுகதைகள் பேசி - மனம்

வாடித் துன்பமிக உழன்று - பிறர்

வாடப் பலசெயல்கள் செய்து - நரை

கூடிக் கிழப்பருவ மெய்தி - கொடுங்

கூற்றுக் கிரையெனப்பின் மாயும் - பல

வேடிக்கை மனிதரைப் போலே - நான்

வீழ்வே னென்று நினைத் தாயோ?

Scavenging for food and feeding yourself every day, chit-chatting around and gossiping through many stories, getting disappointed and tossing over a plethora of troubles that come on the way, also acting in ways that disappoint others, hairs graying slowly and growing old, dying after a spell of life with much slandering, like so many men who live their lives this way- did you think that I'd fall prey to their ways?

The word "kootru" on the third last line has two meanings- one, slanders or utterances, and two, the death God Yama in Hindu mythology. So, Bharati plays with the language and talks of a death after a life harsh utterances and the death after the arrival of the fearful death God Yama.

Back in 2004, my father and his friend, both ardent fans of Bharati, were discussing this very poem, and as my father fondly recalls, their friendship "blossomed over this conservation". My dad's friend, Rakesh Vaidyanathan uncle, went back after the conversation only to unleash his strand of creativity- with a simple and yet very beautiful translation of this poem by Bharati that you can read here.

Search in despair for their daily bread,
gossip trivials and rumors spread,
sad in mind and suffer much pain,
inflict suffering on others in vain,
grow old and feeble, wrinkled and grey,
die and dis-appear, as destiny's prey
funny men, so silly and ill,
fall like them, you fancied, I will?

Bharati was a man way ahead of his time- someone bold enough to not change his ways for others, unabashed to talk truth, and a great visionary and reformer. The teacher liked my recital a lot, and I was one of the people who got shortlisted through the class activity to see a live Tamizh stage play. Later on, I went to write a review of it in Tamizh, and also was one of the five winners of the best reviews. 

It is a sweet memory. Tamizh teachers in school are some of my favourite! And I will forever remember our fun during Tamizh classes in school!

Know Your English

Title: Know Your English
Author: S. Upendran

When I was younger, I wrote so many stories, but always was confused about titles I must give. So, I used to pick up Know Your English by S. Upendran, and flip it through till I got inspired for a suitable, idiomatic title. Well, that's pretty much how Much Of A Muchness happened.

Based on the popular weekly column in The Hindu since 1982, there are 4 volumes in the series, giving us hundreds of idioms, their stories of how they came to be, and also their usage.

The series is extremely popular as a weekly column in The Hindu, and my friends and I always went straight to the column to check out the idiom for the week whenever we got the paper in school.

It is a cool compilation, ordered alphabetically, and expressed and explained in simple, clear and concise language. While the blurb of the book says that is would be useful for "teachers, students and those who are keen on honing their speaking and writing skills", it is also for those like me who can use it for such off-beat purposes.

So, next time you want to throw in a cool, appropriate idiom, remember to flip through this wonderful book!

Idea

https://goo.gl/VobLMG

I look for her, but where is she?
Is she hiding away behind that tree?
But the oak can't hide her
'cause she's too bright!
And yet, I can't find her
'cause she's too shy!

Last time she came, she was early gone
Before I could play her my little song
But I can't stop thinking
'cause she's in my every cell!
And yet, I can't hear her
Well, I couldn't tell!

You might be musing: oh, what's her name?
I call her idea, and she's insane
But when she comes back,
she'll help me through!
Hey, hey Idea! I'm calling
Out to you!

What does "calculate" really mean?

We've all “calculated” a lot! But why are we “calculating”? Why use the word “calculate” to denote the action of determining quantities mathematically? Read on to find the reason.

Rewind to the days of ancient Rome. Ancient Romans had used an instrument called a “hodometer” to measure distances, while giving two-wheeled vehicles on hire. This instrument had a tin-like structure, and pebbles in a revolving metal cover. As the wheels of the vehicle turned, the metal cover revolved and making a pebble fall inside the tin. So, at the end of the journey, they count the number of pebbles to “calculate” or sum up their bill.

In Latin, the word “calculus” means pebbles, and so we get the word “calculate”!

Now, we know where the word- so very often used for all kinds of calculations from elementary math, to the vegetable vendor, to high-school mathematics, or in any other context- comes from!

Hope you enjoyed it!

Source: 30 Days To A More Powerful Vocabulary by Dr. Wilfred Funk and Norman Lewis

 

Pun in a Tamizh Poem

Work at tamizh (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There is a poem written in Tamizh by AndagakKavi Veeraraghavar which shows the richness of Tamizh.

The Tamizh Poem goes like this:

இம்பர்வான் எல்லை இராமனையே பாடி
என்கொணர்ந்தாய் பாணாநீ என்றாள் பாணி
வம்பதாம்க ளபமேன்றேன் பூசும் என்றாள்
மாதங்கம் என்றேன் யாம் வாழ்ந்தே மென்றாள்
பம்பு சீர் வேழமென்றேன் தின்னுமென்றாள்
பகடென்றேன் உழுமென்றாள் பழனந் தன்னை
கம்பமா என்றேன் நற்களியாம் என்றாள்
கைமா என்றேன் சும்மா கலங்கினாளே.-----அந்தகக்கவி வீரராகவர் 

A poet sings in the court of a king and comes back home with an elephant. His wife asks him what he had brought back. He replies that he had brought "kalabam" which means elephant. "kalabam" also means "Sandalwood". So his wife takes it as Sandalwood and asks him to apply it.

Next he says that he had got "Maadhangam" which means elephant. But his wife takes it as "gold" which is another meaning of Maadhangam and replies that they can live happily ever after.

Next he uses the word "Vezham" which also means elephant. His wife takes it as "sugarcane" the other meaning of Vezham. She tells him to eat it.

When he tells her that he had got back with "Pagadu" which means elephant, she takes it to be "Plough" the other meaning of it and asks him to plough the field.

When he tells her, he has got "Kambama" which means elephant, she thinks he has brought the flour "kambu maavu" which is denoted as "kamba ma" and tells him it would be enough for their supper.

Finally he uses the word "Kaima" which only means elephant, she stood speechless.

Do you see the richness of Tamizh and the proficiency of the Tamizh poet, his wife and their pun in the conversation?

Une Conversation en Français

Pauline: Salut Dennis! Comment ça va?
Dennis: Ça va bien, merci.
Pauline: J'aime la couleur rouge. Et toi?
Dennis: J'aime la couleur brune. Je deteste rouge.
Pauline: Des quelle couleur sont les maisons?
Dennis: Les maisons sont bleu.
Pauline: Où habites-tu?
Dennis: J'habite à Paris. Et toi?
Pauline: Moi aussi. J'habite à Paris.
De nnis: Tu aimes Harry Potter?
Pauline: Oui, j'aime Harry Potter.
Dennis: Quelle age à tu?
Pauline: J'ai onze ans. Et toi?
Dennis: J'ai douze ans. Je suis élève à l'école français. Et toi?
Pauline: Je suis élève à l'école anglais.
Dennis: Quelle heure est-il?
Pauline: I'll est huit heure cinq.
Dennis: Tu aimes la goyave?
Pauline: Non, je deteste la goyave.
Dennis: Tu aimes cricket?
Pauline: Oui, j'aime cricket.
Dennis: Au revoir, Pauline.
Pauline: Au revoir. À bien tôt.

Learning French: Music and Sports

Learning French: Music and Sports

Learning French: Time

Learning French : Time

Learning French: Food

Learning French: The House Of The Clown 'Petite Patate'

Learning French: Some ‘ER’ ending verbs in French

Learning French: A Birthday Invitation

Learning French: Dresses

Learning French: Colours

Learning French: Weeks

The Week – Le Jours

Lundi – Monday

Mardi – Tuesday

Mecredi – Wednesday

Jeudi – Thursday

Vendredi – Friday

Samedi – Saturday

Dimanche – Sunday