Monday, November 22, 2010

Idioms and Phrases in Thanjavur Marathi (2)

As we continue some idioms and phrases used in Thanjavur Marathi...here are a few more...

Jeev Laamb
जीव लांब
Meaning: Long Tongue
Much used to refer to 'developed taste buds'! A person who likes good food prepared with a lot of effort and care is referred to as having 'jeev laamb' . Used fondly sometimes and sometimes in irritation of having to put in the effort!



Aho Ralleka!
अहो रल्लेका!
Meaning: Mr. Scoundrel
This oxymoron that dates back to my great grandmother and expresses so much in just two words!. 'Ralleka'  is commonly used to mean 'Idiot', 'Cheat', 'scoundrel' and what have you.
'Aho' is a term of respect and is used to address someone respectfully.  How did these two opposites get to be used in one breath?
When someone treats another in outward show of respect but means total disrespect and insult, it is referred as treating like 'aho ralleka' !


"Dharana Basna"
"धरण बसना "
Meaning:  Sitting in Wait
This idiom or phrase is used when a person hovers over someone doing his work. The hovering may hinder the working person and make him slow. and less responsive.


"PotJhaal"
"पोट झाल"
Meaning: Stomach burning
Being Jealous is called ' "potjhaal"


"Dhaandga Bokka"
"धांडगा  बोक्का"
Meaning: Fat Strong
A fat huge person is called Dhaandga Bokka.


"Gharoghar"
"घरोघर"
Meaning: House to house.
Going from one house to another is called gharoghar.


"Pahthera Manush"
"पाह्थेरा मनुष "
 Meaning: Reliable person
A trustworthy person , very reliable is called Pahthera manush.














25 comments:

  1. Jeev lamba is also reffered to, when a person talks too much

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  2. My parents always talked about Thanjavur as Amcha Patis. Are you familiar with this expression? I wanted to start a blog with this name, but now I will visit this one. It is Amcha Patis after all!

    Kamal (Meena) Keskar Sridhar

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  3. Yeah, 'Amcha Patis' also have heard 'amcha patisle' to refer to people who belong to our community.

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  4. Ralleka means Rande che Lonke. Son of a widow. Some say Randeleka also. Similarly Bodkicha means son of a head shaven widow, the equivalent in Kannada is Bolimaga.
    Shankar Rao, Montreal, Canada.

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    1. I thought Rande meant prostitute. So Son of a Prostitute.

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    2. Veda means mental. Radleka is fellow but in a trashy way. Veda Radleka means someone who is mental fellow.

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    3. I actually thought of doing a blog post on the curse words used in TM as we have quite a choice of curse words but thought it might be too much for sensitive minds. Veda, Rallekk, Bodki, Rande, Mada...and it goes on! I have seen in my younger days in many families "mada' is used even fondly. In fact their every sentence is punctuated with 'mada' Like.."Kai ga , Mada"

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  5. We do seem to have our share of hard core swear words and curse language! I have also heard a "mada" (meaning dead body)used a lot in irritation, anger and sometimes even fondly!

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    1. When we are desparate or irritated we say MAJA MADA

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  6. Has anybody thought over VEDRELLEKAA OR VEDA RELLEKKA. I thought it to be some funny thing.

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  7. Some phrases. 'PAAPAD POLI' 'KEER VARANA' 'DOSKA PAAVU DHONDA GALA' 'DOSKA BASLA' 'GAAV GELTHA' 'YEVDA UNCHA THAVDA DHANDUGA' if somebody pull it along with some more...

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  8. If somebody can explain why 'HALU BASU[N] JAEVAA'

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    1. basoon haLu jaevaa = halu basoon jaevaa - eat leisurely, without any rush, eat relaxedly.

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  9. mangesh Sir DeshpandeOctober 15, 2011 at 3:48 AM

    jeev is jeebh in marathi-a tongue.jeev lamba means talks too much.b.rand leka is widow`s son.in marathi ,some say randechya.bodki is a clean head shaven widow,also known in decent marathi as gan.bha.-ganga bhagirithi-means a widow whose head is shaved to make her less attractive,to the dirty minded males.bokka is a tomcat.a male fat cat,who only steals milk products and is useless.patis means a line [in our caste/family/etc].it is also used as dhakli pati/thorli pati-younger son`s line/elder son`s line.mada/made is from sanskrit martya-dead.vede/veda means a mad.haalu basun jevaa-means ,do not talk while you eat.

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  10. mangesh Sir DeshpandeOctober 15, 2011 at 3:53 AM

    pl write to me,should you have any problem/querry regarding olde marathi from any region.tanjavur/goa/karnataka/canaras/gwalior/indore/baroda/or any other region.any meaning from olde scriptures is also entertained.i am a student of linguistics.my e-mail id is mangeshsirdeshpande@yahoo.com.thanks.

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  11. mangesh Sir DeshpandeOctober 15, 2011 at 4:02 AM

    pahthera means a trust worthy.this word has its origin in Dnyaneshwari.the verb is PATHIJANE=to trst.this word is lost to the modern marathi but it is well preserved in konkani of goa,canaras i.e.north canara district= karwar,and south canara district= mangalore/udupi.by the konkani saraswat brahmins.only change over the centuries ,is,j is replaced by the y,as per the rules of linguistics.instead of patijane,it has become patiyane.

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    1. Pathe Jaana is also used in TM. It is used like the Verb form of Pathera.

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    2. A modern SM dictionary lists paatejNe meaning to entrust. So, something of old Marathi has survived, though rarely used in day-to-day conversation.

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  12. Mangesh Sir DeshpandeOctober 22, 2011 at 12:30 AM

    [Amche]PATIs=within/amidst/amongst/comprising.HAALLoo=slowly/at your leisure.DOSKA=head.DHONDA=stone/bolder/rock.dagad is also DHONDA.Head,in today`s Mar.is Doska,in the villages;Doke/mastak/taalke/.In old Mar. and in the villages ,here,DOKAY is used for LEGS,and DOSKE is used for the head.TAALLOO is used for children`s heads.Clean shaved head is GOATAA for men.Gheraa=half shaven head with a round of head kept behind;the SHENDEE,chotee,is in the middle of the gheraa.we do not see gheras now,but ,when we see south Indian,Bhadajees/Purohits/Gurujees,who perform poojaas/weddings/MUNJs,they maintain gheras + shendees.Doany of you ladies know ,GANGAA VAN ?Ask your granny/kaakee/elderly mavshee.its a part of lady`s SRINGAAR[make up and decoration].Don`t worry,I am here to help you,if you don`t know.

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  13. to mangesh sir deshpande-I have just recently discovered this thanjavur marathi blog spot-yes, I do remember all the gangavans my athyas and kakis wore in their venis and buchodas.I always wondered if they were people's hair or cow's tail hair!we used to wear them in our hair too to play!
    jyothi

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  14. 'HALU BASU[N] JAEVAA'
    Halu means slowly, leisurely, without hurry
    Basu(n) means sit
    JAEVAA means take food/ have food

    This is being addressed to our guest when they visit our house and taking food i.e we tell them "Please have food leisurely " sort of good hospitality
    Also it is address more commonly during marriages and functions to the guest by the host

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  15. excuse me. while i appreciate your participation, i beg to differ with your say. the word 'rande' could well possibly mean a widow than something else. thank you for the patience.

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  16. My Standard Marathi friend who has highest regard for Tanjore Maharashtrians for preserving the ancient Marathi said "RAANDLEK" is the word used in SM which means 'bastard'. Perhaps it got a bit twisted as RALLEKA in TM and the meaning also changed simply to indicate a fool/idiot.

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    1. 'Ralleka' still means 'bastard'. Only we TMs use such curse words freely so many think it just means a 'fool' or 'idiot'
      Curse words are so freely used by us that I actually wanted write an entire blog-post on it but thought better as it would lack decorum.

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