księżyc - Malayalam

[księżycowy]

Ok, so I've always been interested in the Dravidian (and Indo-Aryan) languages of India. And because Vijay won't shut up about Malayalam, I decided to learn some. Even if only to get in on his secret little language.

For right now I'm going to slog through An Intensive Course in Malayalam by B. Shyamala Kumari, but I also have access to the text and audio of Moag's Malayalam: A University Course and Reference Grammar, just in case. I'm still working on getting the audio for Kumari's course.

So far I've started learning the alphabet/syllabary.
I know അ ആ ഇ ഈ ഉ ഊ so far.
I'll learn ഋ എ ഏ ഐ ഒ ഓ this week.

[vijayjohn]

And because Vijay won't shut up about Malayalam, I decided to learn some. Even if only to get in on his secret little language.

[księżycowy]

I'm still working on getting the audio for Kumari's course.

I still can't believe I actually pulled it off, but I asked ExoticIndiaart.com (who I had purchased some other books and stuff from before) if they might be able to get me the audio, and they just got back to me today and said they had listed it on their site! Score!

In the meantime, I'm still working throught the alphabet. I kinda got the second row down.

[vijayjohn]

Congratulations on getting the audio!

So how much of the alphabet have you learned by now?

[księżycowy]

I almost have all the vowel characters down.

It's like a "fine" wine. You have to enjoy the bouquet before you drink it.

[vijayjohn]

I didn't even know wines have bouquets.

[księżycowy]

*blows dust off thread*
*cough, cough*
Geez, apparently it's been a while.

So, I'm back to learning Malayalam. And since our lovable South Indian rascal is here, this seems like as good a spot as any to chronicle my (mis)adventures in Malayalam. For now I'm just learning the script, as I have other things that are more important going on at the moment.

More to come. (Sporadically.)

[księżycowy]

I'm gonna start Lessons 1 & 2 of Apni Boli, but not with my weekly goal outlook. I'll let it be organic and take as long as it takes (which means 2 days, probably. )