Dialects......just nod & smile!

 

Dialects

…….just nod & smile!

 

Of late I am watching events & incidents happening around me a little more   intently                          (with nothing else to do, I have to while away time you see!) .Not at all a prudent occupation, I agree.  It follows that the fertile mind starts adding grist  & conjuring up myriads  of concepts &  yarns to the incident(s); “what if?  And I  dare Post these thoughts under the  label                       “மடசம்ப்ராணி”  (Madasambrani)

A Large group of friends gathered one evening and were having a gala time,    indulging in frivolous banter,cracking jokes, pulling each others’ legs and doing           everything that a jolly group is capable of. One of them , a native of North   Karnataka was finding it very difficult to control  the typical     North Karnataka   Slang and casually used the cuss word “Huch….Su……….magane” ! This and                  such oher cuss Words & phrases are used rather casually by  people from North Karnataka . However an altercation broke out.

These words would seem to be very normal  in North Karnataka. It never offends anybody. In a casual tone, it is a kind of an affectionate “Peer”  slang . People                  in NK use this word literally before (& after too) in every sentence. For the  uninitiated it is shocking, intimidating, horrifying & even sacrilegious    

 

This dialect  is unique , as  an adjective is added almost always  to the main                      word  For instance, Churk (sharp/smart) “ Bhaal churk le ava  or  (su…..maga)”  to make it ……..hold your breath….more colourful and affectionate

 

Rough language and lots of swearwords are characteristics of a majority of  North Kannadigas     But, the impression held by some  that North Kannadigas are unsophisticated and uncultured  isn’t really true.

I have found people from North Karnataka are very warm hearted,& spontaneous           even towards strangers. The dialect  spoken is more authentic and  lyrical . And            adds spice to the language.

If I am asked to choose between Mysorepak   & Dharwar Peda, I would choose the former for its smooth consistency and the later for its enchanting ,earthy flavour.

 

ಮಾತು ಒರಟು, ಆದ್ರಾ ಮನಸ್ಸ ಮೃದು ಅರ್ಥ್ ಆಯ್ತ್ರೀಪಾ ದೋಸ್ತಾ? ಅರ್ಥ್ ಆಗಿಲ್ಲ ಅಂದ್ರಾ       ಹೇಳಾ ಚೆಲೋ ಅರ್ಥ್  ಮಾಡಿಸಾತೀನಿ

 

:Now, let me allow “மடசம்ப்ராணி”   ( Madasambrani) to run amok

A guest  visited   his  close friend & his wife.They have  a grandson, not yet two years          of age  with , chubby cheeks, dark eyes .Any one looking at the child  would want  to      cuddle & kiss.him .. But as the guest  sat there looking at him  admiringly,                          The child fixed a steady gaze at him.and the guest was very sure  that the child               was thinking “ Is it not the same one we saw in the  zoo last   week?. What is it           doing, sitting here? 

. At first the child hesitated to approach him,   He  placed the gift, a spring wound  toy Drummer   which went rat-a-tat-a-tat.in front of him

Seeing that this “Uncle” had brought a toy  for him,  the child  jumped on to his   lap & clung to               him as if they  had been friends for years.

Well, It dawned on the guest that  this must be  the earliest  stage of initiation to“bribery”.

 

The Host’s wife, apparently determined to show off her grandson's talents, began    calling out  "Show uncle your eyes,.. uncle's nose,…Uncle’s mouth,  uncle's        neck. Uncle’s belly."………. ,gradually coming down in steps.

 Before the poor child was made to descend any further, the Guest fled.

 

It is a pity that innocent kids  are   forced to dance , sing &  in  front of Guests. What would this child, who   was  not old enough to even speak properly, be    thinking about this sham , I wondered ?  A wicked  thought  flashed  in my  mind !      What if  the kid is a reincarnation  of some archetypal  “Gandu Mettida Naadu”  North Karnataka  common man and able to think   like  him in this present life?

 I am narrating the bizarre impressions in the following episode:

 

G.F (Grandfather): “Munnu dear, do Namaste to Uncle

Child: Folding his hands and bowing before the guest says “Namaate”    in childlish prattle

Child:(in his mind): ಇವ ಚಾಚ ನೇಹ್ರ್ ಅನ್ನಕೊಂಡಾನಾ?

G.F: Say Good morning to uncle

Child: gooool maaanig

Child:(in his mind); ಸಂಜ್ 7 ಆಯ್ತೈತಿ ಗುಡ್ಡಾ  ಮಾರನಿಂಗಾ ಹೇಳ್ ಬೇಕ್ ಎನ್ ?

Guest : sooo sweet ,Good boy

Child: (in his mind) ಉದ್ರಿ ಸಲಹೆ ಕೊಡಾಕ ಅಜ್ಜ ಬರೋಬ್ಬರಿ ಅದಾನ , ಸಿವ್ನೇ

G.F:  Child: (In his Mind)  ಕೆರ್ಲೆಲ್ ಹೊಡೇ ಬೇಕ್ ಬರಗೆಟ್ಟ ನನ್ ಮಗ

Show where Uncle’s eye is ?

Child: :(in his mind)  ಈ ಎಮ್ಮಿಗ್ ತಿಳೀದೇನ್? ಭಳ್ ಬೆರಿಕಿ ಇದಾನಾ

All the same points the eye

Guest: Super. Good boy

Child: (In his Mind) ಯಾವನ್ ಲೇ ಇವ.ಮೈಸೂರ್ನಾ ಅರ್ಮಾನಿ ಕಾಡಾನ್ ಹ್ಯಾಂಗ ಕುನಿಯಾಕ್ ಹತ್ಯಾನ್ .  ಬೇವರ್ಸಿ ಮಂಗ್ಯಾ ನನ್ನ ಮಗನಾ

G.M (Grandmother):  How does a cow Call? Show Uncle

Child: (In his Mind) ಬಾಯಾಗ್  ಅಲ್ದಾ ಮತ್ ಹ್ಯಾಂಗ್ ? ಅಜ್ಜಿ  ಕೂಡಿ        ಕುನಿಸ್ಸಾಕ್ ಹತ್ತಾಳಲ್ಲ

Guest: oh! you can also call like a Cow? 

Child:  Mooo. Mooo”

Child: (In his Mind) ನೀನಾ ಎಮ್ಮಿ. ಆಕಳಾಗ್  ಕೂಗಾಕ್ ಬರಲ್ಲ?    ಏನ್ ಹಾಪ್ ಆದಿ ಲೇ ಅಂಕಲಾ                            

G.F;My sweet Munnu, Show us how a Goat will bleat?

Child: mae,bae…mae….

Child: (In his Mind) ಈ ಮೂರಾ ಮಂದಿ ಮಷ್ಕಿರಿ ಮಾಡಾಕ್ ಹತ್ತಾರೆ.  ಸಿವ್ನೇ ಶಂಭುಲಿಂಗ          

G.F: Sing a beautiful song for uncle dear

Child:  ... Geeya Geeya Gaaga geeya Geeya

Child: (In his Mind)  ಡೀಡ್ ತಾಸ್ ಆಯ್ತೈತಿ ಮನೀಗ್ ಬಂದ್ ಇವಾ       ಹೋರಡಾಂಗಿಲ್ ನೋಡ್ ಮತ್ತ .  ಅಡ್ಡಮಳಿ ಹೊಡದಾಂಗ್ ಕುಂದ್ರಾನ ............. ಇದಾ ತಕ್ಕ …….…& lets out a warm stream    drenching Uncle’s shirt & pant.

G.M. Oh!  my dear Baby, you naughty,what have you done?

Child: Jumping down from Uncle’s lap, clutching the toy Drummer     in his hands,     Starts singing Geeya Geeya Gaagiya Geeya           Geeyiya…… …Geeya Geeya…. and leaves the room with a spring in          his step..

Uncle’s Jaw drops in embarassment