Tuesday Tutor - May 2009

This section contains basic Kannada words as a part of the Tuesday Tutor Section.

Shubhadina (shu-bha-di-na) (greetings): Good Morning! ‘Shubhadina’ can be used to wish a good day to people of all ages and genders.
Shubharaatri (shu-bha-raa-tri) (greetings) :Good Night! ‘Shubharaatri’ can be used to wish good night to people of all ages and genders.
Numbers Ondu (on-du) (Adjective): One, used of a single unit or thing; not two or more Namma maneyalli ondu bekku ide.(meaning, We have a cat in our house)

Naanu / Naavu (Plural) (naa-nu / naa-vu) (pronoun): Me or I / We Naanu petege hOgidde (meaning, I had gone to the city) Naavu petege hOgiddevu (meaning, We had gone to the city)
Neenu / Neevu (Plural / with respect) (naa-nu / naa-vu) (pronoun): You Neenu yelliddeeya? (meaning, Where are you ) Neevu yelliddeera? (Meaning, Where are you people? (Plural) or Where are you? (singular but with respect))

Nanna / Namma (Plural) (na-nna / na-Maa) (pronoun): my / our Nanna desha Bharata. (My country is Bharata). Namma desha Bharata. (Our country is Bharata).
Ninna / Nimma (Plural / with respect) (ni-nna / ni-Maa) (pronoun): your Ninna ooru yavudu? (Which is your home town?) Nimma ooru yavudu? (Which is your home town?)(Nimma – also used with respect for elderly persons)

yaaru (yaa-ru) (question): Who? Yaaru petege hOgiddaru (meaning, Who had gone to the city?)
yaavaaga (yaa-vaa-ga) (question): When? Oorige yaavaaga hOguve? (meaning, When will you go to your home-town? )

elli (ye-lli) (adverb/question): where? elli ninna / nimma lEkhani? Where is your pen?
Illi (i-lli) (adverb): here illi ide nanna lEkhani. here is my Pen.

Thursday Trivia + Friday Fiesta May 2009

This section covers few Indian colloquial words which made it into the English Dictionary.

Dekko (dek-oh): (British slang) From the Hindi word dekho, meaning a look or a glance.

Sentry (sen-tree): From the Hindi word santri, an armed guard.

Godown (goh-doun): From the Tamil word kodangu, a warehouse for goods and merchandise

Sentry (sen-tree): From the Hindi word santri, a soldier stationed at a place to stand guard and prevent the passage of unauthorized persons.

This section covers the origin of certain words.

boy-cott (boi-kot)

Meaning:

Verb: To abstain from buying or using

The word boycott entered the English lexicon courtesy Captain Charles Boycott, an estate agent who was subject to social ostracism organized by a few tenant farmers in 1880. In September that year, they demanded from Boycott a substantial reduction in their rents. He not only refused but also evicted them from the land. One of the agitators suggested that rather than resorting to violence, everyone in the locality should refuse to deal with him. Despite the short-term economic hardship to those undertaking this action, Boycott soon found himself isolated—his workers stopped work in the fields and stables, as well as the house. Local businessmen stopped trading with him, and the local postman refused to deliver mail. Within weeks Boycott's name was everywhere. It was used by The Times in November 1880 as a term for organized isolation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boycott