What language shall I try to learn?

triliana · Jul 2nd, 2008, 03:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwardseco

Its that lying down L in Marathi that always gets my tongue tied up in knots..

it's just a retroflex L, edwardseco. say it like you would the d in ladka but it's an l sound not a d sound.

Tongue should flip back against the palate.

I practiced saying puran poli a lot to get it ...

triliana · Jul 2nd, 2008, 03:44

how to say wasp in hindi?

i'm not sure exaclty what the real word is... one got into my place tho once when the maid was here and i freaked out. She looked at it and said:

"ahh.. makki. Nikal jaayegi." (oh, a flying thing. it will go out)

so I just say makki tho it may not be the scientific term

capt_mahajan · Jul 2nd, 2008, 09:50

makkhi is fly

wasp is technically ततैया (tattayah) or भिड bhid BUT colloquially bhanwara can be used, (literally means something that is whirling.)

bee is madhu-makkhi

steadyfriend · Jul 2nd, 2008, 16:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by capt_mahajan

makkhi is fly

wasp is technically ततैया (tattayah) or भिड bhid BUT colloquially bhanwara can be used, (literally means something that is whirling.)

bee is madhu-makkhi

Captain, trust you to come up with the correct technical term in Hindi for 'wasp' ! I thought you were in charge of 'navel' affairs, not of wasps and bees !

Congrats, anyway !

Ali-Monbeam · Jul 2nd, 2008, 19:15

So....Madhu's beach huts is BEE Beach huts????

triliana · Jul 2nd, 2008, 21:40

no, Madhu means honey ... so bee translates to honey-fly

It is also a very common girl's name (Madhuri Dixit comes to mind) and sometimes for a guy too.

capt_mahajan · Jul 2nd, 2008, 22:30

Quote:

I thought you were in charge of 'navel' affairs, not of wasps and bees !

Hey, I am in charge of the birds and the bees, too

Jean-Philipe · Jul 3rd, 2008, 09:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

Mrs N is away meditating, and the milk didn't come, so I had to walk accross the road to the shop (Shock, horror!

).

I quite proudly asked for 'renda packet paal' (Tamil, renda is 2, paal is milk, you know what packet means; there's quite a lot of English sprinkled in Chennai Tamil). Had the wind taken out out of my sails when he replied, "Two packets tea?"

Still, if one doesn't ever try!

You have to be careful of the distinction between pal (short a) meaning tooth, and paal (long a) meaning milk. If you thought you said "renda packet paal" but really said "renda packet pal" maybe he thought you wanted "two packets teeth"!

(Ok, I know I'm straining the bilingual puns!)

Jean-Philipe · Jul 3rd, 2008, 09:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by brishti

learn bengali ali!!!
no genders - none at all. we dont even have a 'he' or a 'she'!!!

:brishti

Is that just the language, or the people too??

Dilliwala · Jul 6th, 2008, 02:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by triliana

no, Madhu means honey ... so bee translates to honey-fly

It is also a very common girl's name (Madhuri Dixit comes to mind) and sometimes for a guy too.

Madh-oo is not short for Maa-dhu-ri.

machadinha · Jul 6th, 2008, 20:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nisha Jaan

When I'm in India, I plan on staying in the Mumbai area, but I was wondering if knowing only Hindi would be ok? I've been reading on the internet that people in Maharashtra don't widely understand Hindi...
Should I learn Marathi or will I be able to get by with just Hindi?

Hi Nisha, I just noticed from another thread this is your first trip there? Just a word of encouragement that while it's commendable to know some of the local language, and it will allow you to speak to people to whom you otherwise couldn't, I hope you realize that in India English will generally see you a fair way. Not everyone speaks it, and if so not equally well, and even Indian English may not always be what you're used to... but together with Hindi it is still the (or a) lingua franca, you'll get by fine on it.

It's nice to try and learn though, of course.

edwardseco · Jul 7th, 2008, 00:38

Quote:

It's nice to try and learn though, of course.

And people will really appreciate this! Found this especially in France of all places..

machadinha · Jul 7th, 2008, 00:52

Of course! Anywhere really. And why not in France? They don't naturally speak a lot of other languages after all. Even us Dutch who are renowned to speak several (hint: We don't all do) don't mind if you kindly enquire "Do you speak English" (or German or whatever) before firing away mind, I've seen some ugly examples downtown again of late. No wonder not all of us take kindly to tourists.

It's slowly been starting to dawn on me btw

that I think Nisha has an Indian background, though has never been there? You might have specified this, as with some typical questions regarding dress and language and so on, I and I think many will have assumed you were just another young Westerner headed out there.

Even if the country will be very new to you (in fact some of the most culture-shocked visitors I met were invariably Indian foreigners -- I write it down to the confrontation with their expectations, not to mention complicated family entanglements and obligations and so on), it matters if you already have some cultural understanding I guess. Anyway I'm starting to see now how you might know Hindi already and know how to don a sari and all, is that correct?

Nisha Jaan · Jul 7th, 2008, 09:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by machadinha

It's slowly been starting to dawn on me btw

that I think Nisha has an Indian background, though has never been there? You might have specified this, as with some typical questions regarding dress and language and so on, I and I think many will have assumed you were just another young Westerner headed out there.

Even if the country will be very new to you (in fact some of the most culture-shocked visitors I met were invariably Indian foreigners -- I write it down to the confrontation with their expectations, not to mention complicated family entanglements and obligations and so on), it matters if you already have some cultural understanding I guess. Anyway I'm starting to see now how you might know Hindi already and know how to don a sari and all, is that correct?

Actually, I have no Indian background in me that I know of. I have a good family friend who lives in Mumbai, and it's through him that I've learned a bit about Indian culture and such. I don't speak fluent Hindi, but I've been learning for a while now, and have got the basics down. It was only recently that I realized Marathi is spoken more in Mumbai, and I wasnt sure if I should start studying it a bit. I don't think I'm going to be traveling out of Mumbai, so I guess a little Marathi would do me good.

steadyfriend · Aug 5th, 2008, 17:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ali-Monbeam

Yeah ha ha ...and fatter.

......Speech is much easier to get the jist of with a 'personal tutor'

Hi Ali,
How much Hindi have you learnt so far ?

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Where to learn how to sail?	davidp80	Chai and Chat	18	Jan 30th, 2007 19:46
Learn Hindi	goangoangone	Chai and Chat	3	Apr 21st, 2006 20:39
what's the best way to learn hindi?	hey_namaste	Chai and Chat	24	Jan 6th, 2006 08:52
Landour Language School: Promoting Indian Language worldwide	rajugusain	India Travel News and Commentary	2	Jan 4th, 2006 01:00

Jul 2nd, 2008, 03:44	#272
triliana Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 64	how to say wasp in hindi? i'm not sure exaclty what the real word is... one got into my place tho once when the maid was here and i freaked out. She looked at it and said: "ahh.. makki. Nikal jaayegi." (oh, a flying thing. it will go out) so I just say makki tho it may not be the scientific term

Jul 2nd, 2008, 09:50	#273
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,105	makkhi is fly wasp is technically ततैया (tattayah) or भिड bhid BUT colloquially bhanwara can be used, (literally means something that is whirling.) bee is madhu-makkhi

Jul 2nd, 2008, 19:15	#275
Ali-Monbeam Less of the 'Senior' member! Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bradford Posts: 412	So....Madhu's beach huts is BEE Beach huts????

Jul 2nd, 2008, 21:40	#276
triliana Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 64	no, Madhu means honey ... so bee translates to honey-fly It is also a very common girl's name (Madhuri Dixit comes to mind) and sometimes for a guy too.

Jul 7th, 2008, 00:52	#283
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,574	Of course! Anywhere really. And why not in France? They don't naturally speak a lot of other languages after all. Even us Dutch who are renowned to speak several (hint: We don't all do) don't mind if you kindly enquire "Do you speak English" (or German or whatever) before firing away mind, I've seen some ugly examples downtown again of late. No wonder not all of us take kindly to tourists. It's slowly been starting to dawn on me btw that I think Nisha has an Indian background, though has never been there? You might have specified this, as with some typical questions regarding dress and language and so on, I and I think many will have assumed you were just another young Westerner headed out there. Even if the country will be very new to you (in fact some of the most culture-shocked visitors I met were invariably Indian foreigners -- I write it down to the confrontation with their expectations, not to mention complicated family entanglements and obligations and so on), it matters if you already have some cultural understanding I guess. Anyway I'm starting to see now how you might know Hindi already and know how to don a sari and all, is that correct?

User Name		Remember Me?
Password