Today's Tamil word - 29th May 2020 - அறம்

Morality (Dharma) - தர்மம் (from Sanskrit)

Original Tamil word - அறம்

The word Dharma is used to convey various meanings like righteousness, ethics, virtue and morality depending on its context of usage. தர்மம் comes from the Vedic culture and is a word that is used extensively in epics like Mahabharata/The Gita to impress upon what is right and what is wrong.

Tamil, however, has different words for each of these meanings: ethics (நெறி), virtue (நல்லொழுக்கம்); அறம் is closely related to morality, and அறநெறி (அறம் + நெறி - a combination of ethics and morality) is the word for righteousness.

Yet, அறம் is much more meaningful than just morality. It means a way of life. Thirukkural preaches on what is அறம் quite elaborately. Valluvar defines அறம் as:

"அழுக்காறு அவாவெகுளி இன்னாச்சொல்  நான்கும்
இழுக்கா இயன்றது அறம்" - (குறள் 35)

Jealousy, Desire, Anger and Bitter speech, without these four comes what is called அறம்.

So essentially அறம் is the Tamil world for a disciplined, simplistic way of life without bitterness.

It is clear, அறம் and தர்மம் have different definitions going by the texts that prescribes them. Essentially these are cultural words, and hence they have deeply ingrained asymmetrical meanings. So, we cannot use them interchangeably. This reiterates the need to use the word அறம் and more importantly follow its values, in the right sense as it was meant to be.

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Today's Tamil word - 28th May 2020 - உதிரம்

Blood - இரத்தம் (Sanskrit)

Original Tamil words - குருதி, உதிரம்

இரத்தம் comes from the Sanskrit root word for blood - Rakta. The words for blood in many languages now, like Hindi (Rakt), Malayalam (Raktam), Telugu and Kannada (Rakta) are also from this Sanskrit word.

Original Tamil word உதிரம் can be explained as below:

Ul (உள்) + Thiravam (திரவம்) → Ulthiravam (உள்திரவம்) → Uthiram(உதிரம்)

திரவம் is the Tamil word for 'FLUID'; so since blood is the inner fluid, it is called உதிரம் in Tamil.

The word குருதி has been used a lot in ancient Tamil literature to refer to blood. But I haven't been able to correctly decipher the root of this word.

In தொல்காப்பியம் (the oldest known Tamil literature), which documents the grammar of Tamil, Tholkaapiyar says, 'உருவும் கெழுவும் நிறனாகுமே', thereby meaning that the word உரு refers to a colour (by some references, the Red Colour). So, this uru (red) could have become kuru and given the word குருதி.

The common meaning of உரு today is shape (உருவம்); the usage of the word உரு as red colour should have gone out of practice very early.

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Today's Tamil word - 27th May 2020 - தீவினை

Sin - பாவம் (from Sanskrit)

Original Tamil word- தீவினை

The words பாவம் and புண்ணியம் come from Sanskrit's Vedic religious beliefs. It is the doctrine of Karma. Nevertheless, it is a belief that is part of the Tamil society, even before the influence of Sanskrit, albeit without the religious angle.

The famous Purananooru poem (number 192) of the great Kanian Poongundran says, "தீதும் நன்றும் பிறர்தர வாரா" (This is the very next line of "யாதும் ஊரே யாவரும் கேளிர்")

The above line, written about two millennia back, is still self-explanatory even today - 'the good and the bad, unless given won't be gotten'.

So, the original Tamil word for புண்ணியம் is நல்வினை and பாவம் is தீவினை (வினை is the Tamil word for deed).

Now though, பாவம் and புண்ணியம் are only prevalent as the words for good and bad deeds, completely driving out the original Tamil words நல்வினை and தீவினை due to their repeated religious usage.

பாவம் also takes the meaning of 'pity', sometimes in today's context; the right Tamil word for pity, however, is தயவு.

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Today's Tamil word - 26th May 2020 - சிக்கல்

Problem - பிரச்சனை (Sanskrit)

Original Tamil word - சிக்கல்

The word பிரச்சனை comes from the Sanskrit word 'prasna' which means question or problem in Sanskrit.

Prasna took different forms in Malayalam (Prasnam-problem), Telugu (Prasna-question), Kannada (Prasne-question) and Tamil (பிரச்சனை) to replace the original word for question/problem in those languages.

சிக்கல், the original Tamil word, comes from the word சிக்கு which means tangled (e.g. அவன் குழியில் விழுந்து சிக்கி கொண்டான்) . So, சிக்கல் means to get caught in a tricky/difficult situation. Today, while people still use சிக்கல் for problem in Tamil, the majority have shifted to using பிரச்சனை.

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Today's Tamil word - 25th May 2020 - சார்பாளர்

Representative - பிரதிநிதி (Sanskrit/Hindi)

Original Tamil word - சார்பாளர்

The word commonly used now for representative - பிரதிநிதி comes from the Sanskrit word பிரஜை (citizen). Everywhere in the news, we listen to the word பிரதிநிதி being used during election results, assembly/parliamentary sessions etc.

The original Tamil word, however, is சார்பாளர். It comes from the word சார்பு which means stand-by/represent (on-behalf of). In another context, it also means dependent on (e.g. நான், என் தந்தையைச் சார்ந்து இருக்கிறேன்).

First and foremost, the official communication has to change to சார்பாளர் instead of பிரதிநிதி, to bring about a change in the common usage. Will the government administration or political parties, who all swear about fighting for Tamil, bring about such changes that would go a long way in actually reviving Tamil?

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Today's Tamil word - 23rd May 2020 - ஆற்றல்

Energy/Power - சக்தி (Sanskrit)

Original Tamil word - ஆற்றல்

The word சக்தி is used in the context of science to mean energy, vigour, power, intensity etc. Later (3rd-5th century CE approximately) it became a religious term, as well, referring to Goddess Parvathi (the wife of Shiva)

Though the word is deep rooted in today's Tamil vocabulary, it is not an original Tamil word. ஆற்றல் is the right Tamil word, which means power, efficiency, potency. In another context, ஆற்றல் means competence and strength also.

The word ஆற்றல் has been used in numerous places in the Thirukkural, but the word சக்தி doesn't find a place at all. The fact that even when two words mean the same, only one is used at a point in time, clearly conveys that the word சக்தி has replaced the word ஆற்றல் (by and large) after the time of the Thirukkural.

ஆற்றல் comes from the Tamil root word ஆற்று which means - to do (eg செயல் ஆற்றினார்);
in another context, ஆற்று means to soothe (தணி).

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Today's Tamil Word - 22nd May 2020 - வணக்கம்

Greetings - Namaskaram/Namaskar (Sanskrit)

Tamil word - வணக்கம் (Vanakkam)

NamaH is the Sanskrit word for salute. Namaskaranam - is the process of saluting.

The Tamil word வணக்கம் comes from the root words வணங்கு + இணக்கம். The word வணங்கு means respect/greet. The word இணக்கம் means accommodate/consent (e.g. நான், அவர் சொல்லுக்கு இணங்கினேன் - I consented to his words). So the word Vanakkam means greet the other person with consent; accommodate the other person with respect.

வணங்கு doesn't mean salute in Tamil. So that is the difference between Namaskaram and Vanakkam. There is an accusation that Namaskaram has elements of casteism within its usage. In the old times, only the elites were using the word Namaskaram to greet other elites. Having said that, given the very meaning of the word, Vanakkam is a greeting with mutual respect.

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Today's Tamil word: இன்று ஒரு தமிழ்ச் சொல் - Update

'Today's Tamil word' series started as a fling on 30th April, 2020, during the lockdown, in an attempt to clear some of the misconceptions about the Tamil words in common use. This cannot be an exhaustive exercise as about 50% of the Tamil we speak now is a mix of words from very many languages (predominately from English and Sanskrit). So, I plan on doing it till 29th May, 2020 which would make it a month of 'Today's Tamil word' posts and continue it some time later if and when time permits.

For now, I hope that these 30 posts would have given a fair idea of how the Tamil language has evolved and changed over the years. In the case of Tamil, the evolution has been in the downward direction; deteriorating so much so that its continued existence is in question a hundred years from now.  I, sincerely wish, we, the speakers of this ancient language revert to using original Tamil words so that we keep the words, thereby, the language alive. Our language is the embodiment of our society's culture and life; hence it is important to keep it alive!

A new generation Tamil kid can read the 2000 year old Thirukkural and decipher it without any translation by and large; very few languages have this continuity like Tamil does. Wish each of us contribute in improving this continuity to the next generation.

தமிழ் வாழ்க!


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Today's Tamil word - 22nd May 2020 - ஊராட்சி மன்றம்

Panchayat -பஞ்சாயத்து/கிராமசபை (Sanskrit/Hindi)

Tamil words: ஐம்பேராயம், ஐம்பெருங்குழு, ஊராட்சி மன்றம்

Panchayat is the Hindi word for a council of five members which convenes to settle local issues. The name is given by the number of people represented in the council - Panch in Sanskrit/Hindi, is five.

The word கிராமசபை was given to be the translation for Panchayat in Tamil, in the administration circles. But how could two Hindi words, Gram* (village) and Sabha* (council), be taken as the Tamil translation. The right translation of Panchayat in Tamil would be ஐம்பேராயம்/ ஐம்பெருங்குழு, which encapsulates the Tamil meaning of Panchayat, the 5 member council.

Govt of Tamil Nadu's official word for Panchayat is ஊராட்சி மன்றம், which is appropriate for today's meaning of the Panchayat, that is Village Administration.

*Gram - கிராமம் (Hindi) - சிற்றூர் (Tamil)
*Sabha - சபை (Hindi) - அவை/மன்றம் (Tamil)

P.S. During the medieval centuries in the Tamil society, the Provincial/Local Administration was as follows:

The entire kingdom was called mandalam. The Chola mandalam, Pandya mandalam and the Chera mandalam were the original major mandalam. Below the mandalam was a major division, nadu (province). The 'ur/oor' was a town which was variously described as a big village (perur), a small village (sirur) or an old village (mudur). Pattinam was the name for a coastal town.

The administration of nadus was generally carried on by hereditary chiefs. The village was the fundamental unit of administration which was administered by local assemblies called manrams.

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Today's Tamil word - 21st May 2020 - விலகல்

Resign - இராஜினாமா (Sanskrit/Hindi)

Original Tamil word - விலகல்

I can't fathom how a simple straight-forward native word of the language (விலகல்) gets replaced by a complex unrelated foreign word (இராஜினாமா) over the years!

Guess the patronage of the kings and the ruling echelons, for the Sanskrit language, had a big influence for this to happen. Only because the official communication of the rulers used to be with such words and not with native words, it got drilled into being used by the commoners; they had to toe the line beyond a point, as it had come from a position of power.

விலகுதல் is still the common Tamil verb in use for leaving/resigning but the society has succumbed to now using இராஜினாமா in places of official communication like letters, news articles, magazines etc.

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Today's Tamil word - 20th May 2020 - குழம்பி/காபி

Coffee - காபி (Ethiopian/Turkish/Arabic)

Tamil words: குழம்பி, கொட்டைவடி நீர்

Coffee seeds has its origin in the Kappa region of Ethiopia. So, it is believed that Coffee got its name from the name of the region it originated from. Many believe the name also goes back to the Turkish word 'Khavè' or the Arab word 'Qahwah', meaning stimulant.

Through the growth of the Arab and the Turkish empire in the middle East roughly during the 10th-15th century CE, coffee trade flourished. From there it became popular in European countries, through the European trade ships in the 17th Century. It took the names, café (French and Spanish), Kaffee (German), caffè (Italian), Coffee (English), Koffie (Dutch) there. From the English empire in India, Coffee consumption spread to the Indian sub-continent in the 19th century. Thereby, the English term for Coffee became Kaapi (காபி) in Tamil.

Tamil academicians translated the English word காபி to குழம்பி in Tamil.  கொட்டைவடி நீர் was the Tamil translation, taking into account the process of coffee making, of roasting the seed, powdering it, add boiling water, filter the juice called ‘decoction’. Both these translations has not been in popular use.

I believe we must use a name with its origin intact. So, I would prefer to use காபி rather than குழம்பி, the Tamilised version of the same word.

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Today's Tamil word - 19th May 2020 - தேவலை

It's alright - பரவாயில்லை (Urdu)

Original Tamil word: தேய்வு இல்லை ('தேவலை')

We use the word பரவாயில்லை very often in our day-to-day conversations. The word 'பரவா' which is part of பரவாயில்லை is not Tamil. It comes from the Urdu word with the same meaning 'பர்வாநஹி' (ParvaNahi).

தேய்வு இல்லை is the right Tamil word for the same which has now become தேவலை. Though my family circle/community uses this word very commonly, not sure if this word is as common in use now among the broader Tamil society.

தேய்வு means deteriorate. So, தேய்வு இல்லை means 'not deteriorating', which is used to convey that things are alright.

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Today's Tamil word - 18th May 2020 - திறவுகோல்

Key - சாவி (Portuguese)

Original Tamil word(s): திறவுகோல், திறகுச்சி

We had earlier looked at the word, Jannal from the Portuguese word 'Janela' which means window. Similarly, the word Chavi/Savi comes from the Portuguese word 'Chave' which means key.

The Portuguese had captured many port cities in India, during the 16th century, for their trade (map attached). Tamil speaking population in ports like Tuticorin, Nagapattinam, Jaffna, etc got used to these Portuguese names for the products they brought in for trade.

These Portuguese words traveled as far and wide as their products did, slowly replacing the native words.

அலமாரி and கிராம்பு are two other similar trade related Portuguese words in Tamil; their original Tamil words are:

அலமாரி --  நிலைப்பேழை
 கிராம்பு -- இலவங்கம்

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Today's Tamil word - 17th May 2020 - கமுக்கம்

Secret - ரகசியம் (Sanskrit/Hindi)

Original Tamil word(s) - கமுக்கம்
Others: பூடகம், மறைபொருள்

கமுக்கம் is the exact Tamil word for secret. This word is sparsely in use today during conversations; on the verge of going out of the commoner's vocabulary.

The words பூடகம் and மறைபொருள் can be translated as hidden meaning or underlying meaning to be precise.

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Today's Tamil word - 16th May 2020 - ஆதாயம்/இழப்பு

Profit/Loss - லாபம்/நஷ்டம் (Sanskrit)

Original Tamil word: - ஆதாயம்/இழப்பு

ஆதாயம் comes from root words ஆ and தா. ஆ means cow and தா is to give/provide.

Those days, cows were considered as family members and a symbol of wealth. A person was said to be rich depending on the number of cows he/she had.

The words ஆதரவு (ஆக்களைத் தருவது ஆதரவு - when someone gifts/donates cow) and ஆதாரம் (whatever achieved from this basic resource, the cow) became the word for support and livelihood respectively.

In the same vain, the benefits/money attained by possessing the cow's produce (like selling milk, ghee, butter etc) was called ஆதாயம், the profit from the ஆதாரம் (investment/basic resource)

This relationship and the status of the cow in the Tamil society, irrespective of/across religion, is continuing till today in the form of ஏறுதழுவல் (now popularly known as Jallikattu) a sport which isn't part of any other culture.

This sport is said to have been first played sometime between the 4th century BC to 1st century BC. Exactions from the Indus Valley civilisation sites have found symbols of this sport as coins, which suggests an older history to ஏறுதழுவல் and the proven link between Tamil and Indus civilisation.

Having to think of it, wonder if any other culture celebrates a festival (a cultural festival devoid of any religiousness) in the name of the cow. மாட்டுப் பொங்கல் is the Tamil festival to thank the cow for its services in the farm.

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Today's Tamil word - 15th May 2020 - கூலி

Salary - சம்பளம் (Sanskrit)

Original Tamil word(s): கூலி, ஊழியம்

கூலி is the generic Tamil word for the salary we get out of all kinds of jobs. But in today's context only the salary from the so-called low esteem physically oriented jobs is identified as கூலி; while white collar jobs' salary have become சம்பளம் (derived from the Sanskrit word 'Sambadhyathi which means - to earn).

This transition in the meaning of the word கூலி quite clearly explains the influence of Sanskrit's Vedic culture, that prescribes hierarchy in jobs; which wasn't the case here before, going by the very generic original meaning of the word.

The meaning of ஊழியம் is also interesting as it comes from the word ஊழ், which is a Tamil philosophy about the uncontrollable elements in life. As mentioned before, ஊழ் is a pivotal chapter in Thirukkural, sandwiched between the end of அறத்துப்பால் and the start of பொருட்பால்.

ஊழியம் is one of the basic tenents of the ancient Tamil religion ஆசீவகம் (அய்யனார் worship). According to ஊழியம் philosophy, no one can have a complete control of one's life at any point; we are bound by several other factors which affects our life despite us following the best of life practices. Thereby, it stresses the need to learn to endure/accept life as it is.

The word ஊழியம் comes out of this meaning that, the salary we get is a result of so many factors that we may have no control of but nevertheless we have to make do with it. This word has colloquially now become ஊதியம்.

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Today's Tamil word- 14th May 2020 - அகவை

Age - வயது

Original Tamil word: அகவை, பிராயம்

The words வயசு/வயது comes from the Sanskrit word for age 'vayas' (வயஸ்).

அகவை = அகம் + வை

அகம் = உள் (within/inside) and வை = வைக்கப்படுதல்; from அகவை comes the word  அகப்பட்ட which means something that is held by/captured within;

So, in Tamil, அகவை means to convey  காலத்தால் அகப்பட்டுக்கொண்டிருபது - (being held/captured by time). How appropriate is this word for 'age'! As it is, time cannot be controlled; time only has the control of our lives. We live differently at different ages of our life, thereby we are bound by time.

If you had read the popular novel of Kalki பொன்னியின் செல்வம், பிராயம் is a word that you would have came across very often. It literally means நிலை (state). So it is used along with a qualifying adjective - e.g. இளம் பிராயம்/வளரும் பிராயம்.

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Today's Tamil word - 13th May 2020 - நாள் & word-list

Everyday, Daily - தினம், நிதம்

Original Tamil words: நாள், அன்றாடம்

We use hell a lot of other language words as Tamil words in our common conversations today. The irony is that we also know the native Tamil word for it, but we won't use it as regularly. We using தினம் more often than நாள் is an example for that.

The only reason, I can think of for that, is the fact that we don't know which is the native word and which is not.

அவசரம் - விரைவு
அவசியம் - தேவை
அனுதாபம் - இரக்கம்
இனாம் - நன்கொடை
ஆகாயம் - வானம்
ஆசை - விருப்பம்
ஆபத்து - துன்பம், இடர்
ஆராதனை - வழிபாடு
கல்யாணம்/விவாகம் - திருமணம்
கடிதம் - மடல்
கரம் - கை
கம்மி - குறைவு
காரியம் - செயல்
கிராமம் - சிற்றூர்
சக்தி - ஆற்றல்
சதவீதம் - வழுக்காடு
சங்கீதம் - இசை
சந்தோஷம் - மகிழ்ச்சி
சமீபம் - அண்மை
சாதாரண - எளிதான
சாட்சி - சான்று
சிபாரிசு - பரிந்துரை
சுகம் - இன்பம்
சுத்தம் - தூய்மை
பசங்க - பிள்ளைகள்
பரீட்சை - தேர்வு
பிரச்சனை - சிக்கல்
புருஷன் - கணவன்
பாஷை - மொழி
புத்தகம் - நூல்
இரத்தம் - குருதி
யுத்தம் - போர்
விஷம் - நஞ்சு
இராத்திரி -இரவு

We may have been thinking the words on the left were Tamil words, while using them and hence continue to use them. For now, we still know the words on the right; but if this trend continues, it would slowly but surely kill the native Tamil words (on the right side) within a generation or two.

This series of posts is primarily to help identify which is which and kindle the interest to use the right Tamil words.

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Today's Tamil word - 12th May 2020 - சூள்

Vow - சபதம் (from Sanskrit)

Original Tamil word - சூள், உறுதிச்சொல்

We have often heard the word உறுதிமொழி* in the news when a new government is formed. It is the Tamil word for Oath*. உறுதிச்சொல், the word for Vow comes from the same base word.

*(The word சத்தியம் is again from Sanskrit that is used now in Tamil for oath)

சூள் is used as சூளுரை (சூள் + உரை) in a sentence. While the word சூள் means vow, the word சூல் means ovule (a part that produces the female reproductive cells). Its amazing how the small difference in ல,ள,ழ, changes meanings so drastically. Only at the height of a language's evolution would that be possible.

It can be said that, during the Sangam period (from 6th century BCE upto 3th century CE) the Tamil language was at its peak, after which its deterioration started due to the advent of various imperialistic forces.

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Today's Tamil word- 11th May 2020 - காலதர்

Window - ஜன்னல் (from Portuguese)

Original Tamil words: சாளரம், காலதர்,

The word we now commonly use for window  - Jannal, originally comes from the Portuguese word for window 'Janela'. Tamil absorbed some Portuguese words, during the Portuguese rule of the Jaffna kingdom in the 16th century CE.

The Tamil word used for window during Sangam era is சாளரம். Another Tamil word for window can be explained through its root word meanings as follows:

காலதர் - கால் + அதர்
கால் - காற்று ; அதர் - வழி

Words like சிறுவாயில், நூழை (நுழைவாயில்) are used interchangeably to refer to windows but they basically mean (small) entrance.

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Today's Tamil word - 10th May 2020 - விடுதி

Hotel - விடுதி
Cafe - அருந்தகம்

Hotel has today become a common word even in remote villages of Tamil Nadu. TN Govt has a law which has made it compulsory to write the name boards of shops/offices in Tamil also. Even then it is written as XYZ ஓட்டல் and not as விடுதி or உணவகம் (restaurant). This is how deep this word has gone into the minds of Tamil people.

அருந்தகம் - we have a native word for today's cafes also. It used to be the word for the road corner tea/coffee shops back in those days. அருந்து, like குடி, is the tamil word for the verb - to drink. அகம் has two meanings - inside/within and place/land. In this context, அகம் means place.

I wish there would be a day when words like விடுதி and அருந்தகம், which used to be common once, come back to life again. I don't believe in the argument that these words are not very stylish and hence cannot be used in the name boards of shops; trends/styles are something that is created and popularised, it only needs repeated mentions/hearings to get used to.

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Today's Tamil word - 9th May 2020 - குப்பி

Bottle (English)

Tamil words : குப்பி, புட்டி, குடுவை

Bottle is one of the many words like bus, pen, tea, etc where English words have replaced the Tamil words after the British rule.

குடுவை means a vessel/container with a narrow mouth. குப்பி and புட்டி are the exact words for Bottle in Tamil.

It has now become very difficult for us to speak Tamil without these English words (or any other language words). We have come to accept words like 'Bottle' to be part of Tamil now.

Wish we could consciously start using குப்பி and புட்டி more often. It has taken over a hundred years for English to replace commonly used Tamil words for items/things. It might take another hundred years of consciously using the likes of குப்பி instead of bottle to reverse this. But unless we do so, as they say, தமிழ் இனி மெல்லச் சாகும்.

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Today's Tamil word - 8th May 2020 - பட்டறிவு

Experience: அனுபவம்

Original Tamil word: பட்டறிவு, நுகர்வு

The root word - படு means, to undergo. Even in our conversations today we use this: Eg. ரொம்ப சந்தோஷ/கஷ்ட பட போறான்.

பட்டறிவு = படு + அறிவு: translates to knowing by undergoing, which is experiencing.

The other word நுகர்வு is also used today, to denote a consumer (நுகர்வோர்) and consumerism, which is in the context of consumer experience. நுகர்வு is the opposite of துறவு. If you consume only that you basically need, you are said to live a life closer to துறவு!

துறவு is not to be estranged towards others and live like a sage. Going by the literal meaning of the word in Tamil, it only means leading a simple life by reducing unnecessary desires. Hence it is the opposite of நுகர்வு, which means to experience things.

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Today's Tamil word - 7th May 2020 - முறைகேடு

Unfair/Unreasonable/Unjust - அநியாயம் (Sanskrit)

Original Tamil words  - முறைகேடு/முறையின்மை/நடுவின்மை

Related word:

Justice - நீதி (Sanskrit)

Original Tamil words:
முறை, நெறி, நாணயம்

Any word with 'அ' prefix attached to another word to make it the opposite, should have come from Sanskrit. Examples: நியாயம் and அநியாயம், நீதி and அநீதி etc.

If you notice from the above, Tamil has the word நடுவின்மை for unjust and நடுநிலை for just, which mean being unbiased or being at the centre, while taking decisions. On a contrast, நீதி in Sanskrit means good or moral conduct/behaviour. Two different meanings in two different languages.

These nuances for the same word from one language to the other, is what explains the subtle differences in its originating cultures.

Another point to be noted is how the word நாணயம் not only means being fair/just but also is the Tamil word for currency (coins). This is the case to essentially convey that, any transaction between people, for which currency is the bedrock of, must be done in a fair way to all those involved in it.

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Today's Tamil word - 6th May 2020 - காட்டம்

Difficult - கஷ்டம்/கடினம்

Original Tamil word - காட்டம்

It is an interesting word. The Tamil word காட்டம் is what went to Sanskrit and became கஷ்டம் in the first place.

காட்டம் comes from the Tamil root word கடு which means agony/pain. You would have heard the usage of the word கடுப்பு in our everyday conversations' of today (கடுப்பு ஆனான்; உடம்பு கடுத்தது).

Today, sometimes காட்டம் is used in the meaning of strong/hot (இன்றைக்கு வெயில் காட்டமாக இருக்கிறது).

But the original Tamil meaning of காட்டம் - 'pain/agony due to difficulty' has been lost after it gave birth to the word கஷ்டம் in Sanskrit and later became கடினம் when it came back into Tamil due to Sanskrit's religious influence.

As time went by, கஷ்டம்/கடினம் became the more frequently word used for 'difficulty' in Tamil, thereby resulting in making the derived meaning (hot/strong) for காட்டம் more relevant today than its original meaning.

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Today's Tamil word - 5th May 2020 - சோறு

Boiled Rice - சாதம் (Sanskrit)

Original Tamil word - சோறு

When the word to denote the staple food of a culture is almost replaced, it just shows the level of contamination of the language, especially amongst the urban population.

The word சோறு is still in use in the rural lands quite liberally. Food and diet are a big part of a culture. Sangam literatures like நற்றினை, புறநானூறு, அகநானூறு, பதிற்றுப்பத்து, நாற்றுப்படை, mention in various places the cooking methods and food habits of the Tamils. We have had the habit of eating rice millets, lentils, tamarind pulp, fish and various meat in a predominately non-vegetarian diet except in the 'Marutham' (agri land) region. The very popular Chettinad cuisine retains most of these traits even today.

This article (link attached), which talks about the food habits of ancient Tamils, is an interesting read.
What ancient Tamils' ate?

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Today's Tamil word - 4th May 2020 - புவி

Earth - பூமி (from Sanskrit/Pali)

Original Tamil word - புவி

The usage of the word பூமி cannot be found in Tamil before the Bhakti movement of the medieval period (7th century to 15th century CE). The Tamil language underwent a sea change during this period, especially in its cultural vocabulary due to this imposition of religion by the rulers.

More recently we have witnessed the influence of English on the common Tamil we all speak. The present form of Tamil is a result of such imperialisms.

The word புவி has, luckily still, been kept alive due to its reference in gravity. We say புவியீர்ப்பு for Gravity - with புவி meaning Earth and ஈர்ப்பு meaning attractiveness.

It just goes to show how a word can only be kept alive by keeping it in common use. These posts are an attempt to do just that.

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Today's Tamil word - 3rd May 2020 - மெய்

Truth - நிஜம் (from Sanskrit)

Original Tamil Word - மெய் / உண்மை

மெய் quite literally means, that which we find about by going close to it. It is the root word for உண்மை - உள் (ண்) + மெய் : inside + knowing by going close -- so உண்மை literally means something we find by going inside.

மெய் has another derived meaning out of this: it also means Skin/Body - that which we only know when we get close, touch and find out (sense).

Since we are on this word, it is appropriate that I quote:

எப்பொருள் யார்யார்வாய்க் கேட்பினும் அப்பொருள்
மெய்ப்பொருள் காண்பது அறிவு (குறள் - 423)

where Valluvar stresses the need to find the true meaning (மெய்ப்பொருள்) of what we see/read/know. Only that is knowledge. If you take what others say on face value, you might be easily fooled.This Kural is as relevant in today's social media context as ever before.

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Today's Tamil word - 2nd May 2020 - கோ

King - ராஜா

Original Tamil word - கோ / அரசன்

கோ is a single alphabet. Tamil is an unique language in which a single letter/alphabet conveys a meaning on its own.

Interestingly the word கோவில் (கோ + இல்) comes from the root word கோ. இல் means home (இல்லம்). So according to Tamil, கோவில் actually is a place where the King lives/resides. But in today's context, it refers to the place of God. It just goes to show, Tamils' idea of worship was originally that of elders/leaders/rulers back in those days which is evident from how the meaning of that very word has changed with time to refer to God.

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Today's Tamil word - 1st May 2020 - சுழி

Zero - பூஜ்யம் (comes from Sanskrit). Wherever the letters ஜ or ஷ or ஹ comes, you can be sure that those words are not originally Tamil words. Tamil doesn't have the 'ha' sounds (or any other airy sound) in its vocabulary.

The correct Tamil word is சுழியம். When you read a number in Tamil, zero should be read as சுழி.

More ancient Tamil words to denote zero in texts are பாழ் and அன்று, which means no/nothing.

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