sshashwatt wrote:Hi, I had started learning Malayalam 1.5 years back but lost interest due to non-availability of good books/ courses.
Trust me, I can relate.
Earlier I had referred one of the grammar e-book which was essentially a comparison b/w Hindi and Malayalam. Here is the link http://www.languageinindia.com/sep2002/chap1.html
But, mETikkukayaaN>mETikkuaaN>mETikya
I did’nt quite understand this? Why “Y” used here? Is there a pattern? Or different people say it differently?
Yes, I think there is a pattern: -ikkukayaaN(u) > -ikkuaa > -ikyaa.
Am I going too fast and I should concentrate on grammar mainly?
Well, to be honest, I've found from experience that native speakers of Malayalam tend to encourage learners to produce the full forms, at least in the early stages. You'll probably hear them using these shorter forms a lot, but I doubt they would expect you to use them, too. So you don't have to worry about them for now, but I think it's good to know that they exist so you can understand what they mean when you hear them.
2) Perfective aspect: They have/ had/ Will have Studied. I am confused here. One of the e-books had suggested to use a) and b) listed below
a) Avar Padichu-irikkunnu/ padichu-irunnu/ padichu-irrikkum Is this right? Past form of verb + irikkunnu/ irunnu/ irrikkum
b) Padichu-iTTuNT/ padichu-iTTuNTaayirunnu/ padichu-iTTuNTaakkum Or this is the right way? Past form + iTTuNT/ iTTuNTaayirunnu/ iTTuNTaakkum
They're both right, but I use and hear the forms in (b) more often. I think there are some subtle differences between them, though. To me, at least, (a) sounds like perhaps some time has elapsed between the time the person finished the action and now (or had elapsed or will have elapsed between the time the person finished the action and some other time), whereas (b) suggests that the person has had (or had had or will have had ) the experience of doing the action before.
c) Or in a way you had suggested in one of your posts earlier
cheythu + aayirunnu > cheythaayirunnu (Past tense verb + aayirunnu)
padichu + aaN(u)> padichuaaN> padichuaa
padichu+aayirunnu> padichaayirunnu
padichu+aayirikkum> padichaayirikkum
No, neither *paThichchuaa nor *paThichchaayirikkum is a word, as far as I know. Cheythaayirunnu and paThichchaayirunnu are, though, and mean 'had done' and 'had studied/learned', or more specifically, 'did in the distant past' and 'studied/learned in the distant past'.
3) In one of posts you had suggested the way to make past continuous sentences using –koNTirikkukayaayirunnu.
Thinnu+koNTirikkukayaayirunnu > thinnONTirikkukayaayirunnu
Can we also use - koNT-irunnu here.
Thinnu+koNTirunnu> thinnoNTirunnu
Yeah, i think you can, but again, I think I hear –koNTirikkukayaayirunnu more often.
4) This much/ That much/ How much (For Amount)
Itna/ Utna/ Kitna? (Hindi) and, Ivvalvu/ Avvalvu/ Evvalvu? (Tamil)
Similarly, This much/ That much/ How much (For Number)
Itna/ Utna/ Kitna? (Hindi) and Ittanai/ Attanai/ Ettanai? (Tamil)
What are the similar words in Malayalam?
ഇത്ര ithra/അത്ര athra/എത്ര? ethra?