Oopsies

I was browsing through a series of blogs before I stumbled across this particular post: http://annseries.blogspot.com/2008/01/malayalam-ariyilla.html

Not gonna offer any opinion or thought on the matter, but I thought I'd put up my own set of Bloopers (where I mispronounced a few Malayalam words) too.

Four years ago
My hostel roommies and I are sitting around in a circle and generally chatting/teaching myself Malayalam (slang included) on the side.

Me: Hmm.. I can't stand pavakkya (bitter-gourd). Hate the stuff really.

NJ: Me too! Ente chechi gathiketale pickle kazhiku (My elder sister eats pickle when there is no other option).

Me (not understanding the word 'gathiketale' and thinking it was some sort of fruit): Really? What kinda pickle is that?

A moment of silence before my friends burst into laughter and another few months before they let me live it down. :D


Along the same time-line
My roommies are discussing gossip and I join in.

Me: '... That's it! Can you believe that happened to us?' Then what I mean to say next is 'Daddy knetti poyi' (My father got shocked), but what comes out is 'Daddy nettille poyi' (My father logged onto the Net).

A moment of silence again...

Viddy: Umm... If that's how you people deal with disturbing things like that...


Last year
I was talking to Monkey-ma at the flat about natural distasters.

Me: 'Pinne, in Japan, they have... what's the word?' I was trying to translate the word 'earth-quake' in my mind. What I meant to say was 'Bhoomi-kulukam' What came out was 'Bootham kulikum'(Ghost bath)!!!


My personal favorite (I still laugh at this one)
At one time, we used to have a water supply problem back at the Cochin flat. So each time the building water tanks emptied itself, we had to take turns to call up the watchman downstairs and ask him to do the honors of switching on the motor.

One day, it was my turn to call.

When the watchman answered the phone, what I should have asked was: 'Chetah, motor addicho?' (Elder brother, did you switch on the motor?')

Unfortunately I asked: 'Chetah, vellum addicho?' ('Did you get drunk?')

The poor soul started sputtering on the other end and my flat mates were roaring with laughter in the background before I realised my mistake...

:D