Tamil and Telugu: So similar, yet so different!

My mother tongue is Telugu. My husband's is Tamil. A lot of people ask us which of these languages we will speak at home with Keerthana. Both, I assume, since children are so much smarter than adults. Plus, I thought, Tamil and Telugu are so similar, right? Here's where it gets crazy. There are words that are common to both languages, and I mean identical, but they mean entirely different, unrelated things!

I can picture a conversation somewhere around present day Guntur between 1500-1000 BC going as follows:

(Disclaimer: all characters are fictitional, any resemblances to historic figures from another era and geographic location are purely coincidental)

Nannayya: "I'm bored. The town clown Tenali Rama is sick and I have nothing to do."

Tikkanna: "I have an idea, let’s make up a language! Tamil is getting kinda old, and it has too many words starting with "P". Pannu, paaru, pesaru, pasikaradu, purinjadu, pidikum...I'm getting tired already!"

"Yes, lets change all of them. I heard this guy say some cool words in Sanskrit, lets mix some in. Cheyyi, choodu, maatladu, aakali, ardham, ishtam...this is fun, isn't it?

(They go on for some time and make a lot of progress with the verbs. Tikkanna now pulls out a bag of peanuts and starts munching reflectively)

"Say, its getting harder. What should I call this peanut?"

"I have an idea, let me write up some Tamil words on these cards. You pick a card at random, and we'll assign that word. This is getting more fun!"

(Nannayya shuffles the cards and Tikkanna picks one and laughs out loud)

"Palli! We're calling peanut, palli! Ha ha, lizard! This ought to mess with their heads!"

The game got very interesting and they went on to make a pretty impressive list of random word-meaning assignments. Parupu is lentils in Tamil, mattress in Telugu. Pramadam is awesome in Tamil, danger in Telugu. Vaaya is mouth in Tamil, batch in Telugu (as in, I made a batch of idlis this morning). Then came, the oft repeated joke in Telugu films, nalla is good in Tamil and black in Telugu. They went on playing for some time until Nannayya had to use the rest room and Tikkanna was done with the game.

Nannayya: "Ayyiponu" ( Tamil for I need to go "number two")

Tikkanna: "OK, I’m finished. Ayyipoyindi. That’s what we are calling finished in Telugu. Let’s give the rest of the words to Pothana. He’s not that creative any way, he will add or delete some syllables to words to make them sound different. Thalai (head) will become Thala, mooku (nose) will become mukku, you get my drift."

Nannayya: "Got it. I'm bored of this anyway. Let's mess with some rituals and customs tomorrow."

(Overheard as they walk away)

"I have to go to a Seemantham today and a Valaikapu tomorrow.  Why do they need two ceremonies for pregnant women? Lets just do one, the easier one with the pretty bangles, and call that Seemantham in Telugu."

"Oh, and lets do away with the tradition of lady wearing black, doesn't go with the colorful bangles."

"People are going to love us..."

And that, is the story of how Telugu and Tamil are so similar, yet so different!