{"id":20,"date":"2026-05-18T09:34:43","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T08:34:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/moagml\/front-matter\/writing-malayalam\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T12:23:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T11:23:52","slug":"writing-malayalam","status":"publish","type":"front-matter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/moagml\/front-matter\/writing-malayalam\/","title":{"raw":"Writing Malayalam.","rendered":"Writing Malayalam."},"content":{"raw":"Here are a few of the most common mistakes made by people learning to read and write Malayalam.\n
    \n \t
  1. Be careful with the dependent versions of \u0d07 and \u0d08 below when handwriting. Unless they are clearly written higher than the top of the consonant, they can be confused with the dependent \u0d06 marker. Example: \u0d2a\u0d3f vs. \u0d2a\u0d3e.<\/li>\n \t
  2. The letters \u0d2a and \u0d35 can be confused. Make sure the initial stroke in \u0d2a is small, less than halfway up the final vertical stroke. The top of the initial curved stroke in \u0d35 should be even with the top of the final vertical stroke.<\/li>\n \t
  3. The letters \u0d38 and \u0d21 can be confused, because they are mirrored inversions of each other.<\/li>\n \t
  4. The dependent vowel \u00a0\u0d43 (from initial \u0d0b) can easily be confused with the dependent semivowel marker for \u0d2f. Remember to close the final curve on the bottom of dependent \u0d0b. Example: \u0d24\u0d43\u00a0vs. \u0d24\u0d4d\u0d2f.<\/li>\n \t
  5. The core of all letters should be the\u00a0same height<\/strong>\u00a0(between two imaginary parallel lines as shown above), but some elements must extend above or below the line as follows:\n
      \n \t
    • the lower elements of the initial vowels \u0101, i, \u012b, u, \u016b, e, \u0113, and ai should extend below the line; examples: \u0d07 \u0d06 \u0d09 \u0d0f.<\/li>\n \t
    • the dependent u, \u016b and \u1e5b vowel markers ( \u0d41 \u00a0\u0d42 and \u0d43) and all the\u00a0dependent<\/em>\u00a0semivowels (\u0d2f \u0d30 \u0d32 and \u0d35 from the previous section) should extend below the line; examples: \u0d35\u0d41 \u0d38\u0d42 \u0d15\u0d43 \u0d35\u0d4d\u0d2f\u0d4b \u0d17\u0d4d\u0d30\u0d41 \u0d36\u0d4d\u0d32\u0d4b\u00a0and \u0d36\u0d4d\u0d35.<\/li>\n \t
    • the dependent i, \u012b, and echo vowel markers should be clearly written above the line: \u00a0\u0d3f \u00a0\u0d40 and \u00a0\u0d4d; examples: \u0d2a\u0d4d\u0d30\u0d3f \u0d1f\u0d40 \u0d24\u0d4d.<\/li>\n \t
    • the\u00a0cill\u01d4<\/em>\u00a0marker should extend above the line. examples:\u00a0\u0d7b \u0d7e.<\/li>\n \t
    • \n\n
      \n\nTo put all these syllables together, you simply write each letter\/syllable one after the other to form words, left to right.\n
      \u0d2e + \u0d15 + \u0d7b = \u0d2e\u0d15\u0d7b \u201cson\u201d\n\u0d2a + \u0d1f\u0d4d\u0d1f\u0d3f = \u0d2a\u0d1f\u0d4d\u0d1f\u0d3f \u201cdog\u201d\n\u0d2a\u0d4b + \u0d15\u0d3e + \u00a0\u0d02 \u00a0= \u0d2a\u0d4b\u0d15\u0d3e\u0d02 \u201clet\u2019s go\u201d\n\n
      \n\nIn general, to write a Malayalam sentence you just put words together with a space in between each word. However, you will quickly see that Malayalam, like many Indic languages, often makes use of\u00a0sandhi<\/em>, joining words together in a composite written form and even sometimes modifying a word\u2019s spelling to make it easier to say\u2014something like the contraction from \u201ccannot\u201d to \u201ccan\u2019t\u201d or from \u201cwhat do you\u201d to \u201cwhadya\u201d \/ \u201cwhaccha.\u201d These contractions or joinings occur much more frequently than in English. Unfortunately, they are also not applied consistently in all written Malayalam. For now, we give some simple sentences with each word spaced and some very simple examples of\u00a0sandhi<\/em>.\n
      With spaces\n\n\u0d1e\u0d3e\u0d7b \u0d35\u0d40\u0d1f\u0d4d\u0d1f\u0d3f\u0d7d \u0d2a\u0d4b\u0d15\u0d41\u0d28\u0d4d\u0d28\u0d41. \u201cI am going home.\u201d\n\u0d35\u0d46\u0d33\u0d4d\u0d33\u0d02 \u0d24\u0d30\u0d42. \u201cPlease give me some water.\u201d\n\u0d0e\u0d28\u0d3f\u0d15\u0d4d\u0d15\u0d4d \u0d2a\u0d20\u0d3f\u0d15\u0d4d\u0d15\u0d3e\u0d7b \u0d35\u0d2f\u0d4d\u0d2f. \u201cI don\u2019t feel like studying.\u201d\n\u0d1a\u0d46\u0d1a\u0d4d\u0d1a\u0d3f \u0d0e\u0d35\u0d3f\u0d1f\u0d46 \u0d2a\u0d4b\u0d2f\u0d3f? \u201cWhere did elder sister go?\u201d\n\nWith simple\u00a0sandhi<\/em>\n\n\u0d05\u0d24\u0d4d \u0d06\u0d23\u0d4d. \u2192 \u0d05\u0d24\u0d3e\u0d23\u0d4d. \u201cThat\u2019s it.\u201d (consonant-vowel)\n\u0d28\u0d3f\u0d19\u0d4d\u0d19\u0d7e\u0d15\u0d4d\u0d15\u0d4d \u0d09\u0d23\u0d4d\u0d1f\u0d4b? \u2192 \u0d28\u0d3f\u0d19\u0d4d\u0d19\u0d7e\u0d15\u0d4d\u0d15\u0d41\u0d23\u0d4d\u0d1f\u0d4b? \u201cDo you have it\/any?\u201d (consonant-vowel)\n\u0d05\u0d28\u0d3f\u0d2f\u0d24\u0d4d\u0d24\u0d3f \u0d0e\u0d1f\u0d41\u0d24\u0d4d\u0d24\u0d41? \u2192 \u0d05\u0d28\u0d3f\u0d2f\u0d24\u0d4d\u0d24\u0d3f\u0d2f\u0d46\u0d1f\u0d41\u0d24\u0d4d\u0d24\u0d41. \u201cYounger sister took it.\u201d (vowel-vowel)<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>","rendered":"

      Here are a few of the most common mistakes made by people learning to read and write Malayalam.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Be careful with the dependent versions of \u0d07 and \u0d08 below when handwriting. Unless they are clearly written higher than the top of the consonant, they can be confused with the dependent \u0d06 marker. Example: \u0d2a\u0d3f vs. \u0d2a\u0d3e.<\/li>\n
      2. The letters \u0d2a and \u0d35 can be confused. Make sure the initial stroke in \u0d2a is small, less than halfway up the final vertical stroke. The top of the initial curved stroke in \u0d35 should be even with the top of the final vertical stroke.<\/li>\n
      3. The letters \u0d38 and \u0d21 can be confused, because they are mirrored inversions of each other.<\/li>\n
      4. The dependent vowel \u00a0\u0d43 (from initial \u0d0b) can easily be confused with the dependent semivowel marker for \u0d2f. Remember to close the final curve on the bottom of dependent \u0d0b. Example: \u0d24\u0d43\u00a0vs. \u0d24\u0d4d\u0d2f.<\/li>\n
      5. The core of all letters should be the\u00a0same height<\/strong>\u00a0(between two imaginary parallel lines as shown above), but some elements must extend above or below the line as follows:\n
          \n
        • the lower elements of the initial vowels \u0101, i, \u012b, u, \u016b, e, \u0113, and ai should extend below the line; examples: \u0d07 \u0d06 \u0d09 \u0d0f.<\/li>\n
        • the dependent u, \u016b and \u1e5b vowel markers ( \u0d41 \u00a0\u0d42 and \u0d43) and all the\u00a0dependent<\/em>\u00a0semivowels (\u0d2f \u0d30 \u0d32 and \u0d35 from the previous section) should extend below the line; examples: \u0d35\u0d41 \u0d38\u0d42 \u0d15\u0d43 \u0d35\u0d4d\u0d2f\u0d4b \u0d17\u0d4d\u0d30\u0d41 \u0d36\u0d4d\u0d32\u0d4b\u00a0and \u0d36\u0d4d\u0d35.<\/li>\n
        • the dependent i, \u012b, and echo vowel markers should be clearly written above the line: \u00a0\u0d3f \u00a0\u0d40 and \u00a0\u0d4d; examples: \u0d2a\u0d4d\u0d30\u0d3f \u0d1f\u0d40 \u0d24\u0d4d.<\/li>\n
        • the\u00a0cill\u01d4<\/em>\u00a0marker should extend above the line. examples:\u00a0\u0d7b \u0d7e.<\/li>\n
        • \n
          \n

          To put all these syllables together, you simply write each letter\/syllable one after the other to form words, left to right.<\/p>\n

          \u0d2e + \u0d15 + \u0d7b = \u0d2e\u0d15\u0d7b \u201cson\u201d
          \n\u0d2a + \u0d1f\u0d4d\u0d1f\u0d3f = \u0d2a\u0d1f\u0d4d\u0d1f\u0d3f \u201cdog\u201d
          \n\u0d2a\u0d4b + \u0d15\u0d3e + \u00a0\u0d02 \u00a0= \u0d2a\u0d4b\u0d15\u0d3e\u0d02 \u201clet\u2019s go\u201d<\/p>\n

          \n

          In general, to write a Malayalam sentence you just put words together with a space in between each word. However, you will quickly see that Malayalam, like many Indic languages, often makes use of\u00a0sandhi<\/em>, joining words together in a composite written form and even sometimes modifying a word\u2019s spelling to make it easier to say\u2014something like the contraction from \u201ccannot\u201d to \u201ccan\u2019t\u201d or from \u201cwhat do you\u201d to \u201cwhadya\u201d \/ \u201cwhaccha.\u201d These contractions or joinings occur much more frequently than in English. Unfortunately, they are also not applied consistently in all written Malayalam. For now, we give some simple sentences with each word spaced and some very simple examples of\u00a0sandhi<\/em>.<\/p>\n

          With spaces<\/p>\n

          \u0d1e\u0d3e\u0d7b \u0d35\u0d40\u0d1f\u0d4d\u0d1f\u0d3f\u0d7d \u0d2a\u0d4b\u0d15\u0d41\u0d28\u0d4d\u0d28\u0d41. \u201cI am going home.\u201d
          \n\u0d35\u0d46\u0d33\u0d4d\u0d33\u0d02 \u0d24\u0d30\u0d42. \u201cPlease give me some water.\u201d
          \n\u0d0e\u0d28\u0d3f\u0d15\u0d4d\u0d15\u0d4d \u0d2a\u0d20\u0d3f\u0d15\u0d4d\u0d15\u0d3e\u0d7b \u0d35\u0d2f\u0d4d\u0d2f. \u201cI don\u2019t feel like studying.\u201d
          \n\u0d1a\u0d46\u0d1a\u0d4d\u0d1a\u0d3f \u0d0e\u0d35\u0d3f\u0d1f\u0d46 \u0d2a\u0d4b\u0d2f\u0d3f? \u201cWhere did elder sister go?\u201d<\/p>\n

          With simple\u00a0sandhi<\/em><\/p>\n

          \u0d05\u0d24\u0d4d \u0d06\u0d23\u0d4d. \u2192 \u0d05\u0d24\u0d3e\u0d23\u0d4d. \u201cThat\u2019s it.\u201d (consonant-vowel)
          \n\u0d28\u0d3f\u0d19\u0d4d\u0d19\u0d7e\u0d15\u0d4d\u0d15\u0d4d \u0d09\u0d23\u0d4d\u0d1f\u0d4b? \u2192 \u0d28\u0d3f\u0d19\u0d4d\u0d19\u0d7e\u0d15\u0d4d\u0d15\u0d41\u0d23\u0d4d\u0d1f\u0d4b? \u201cDo you have it\/any?\u201d (consonant-vowel)
          \n\u0d05\u0d28\u0d3f\u0d2f\u0d24\u0d4d\u0d24\u0d3f \u0d0e\u0d1f\u0d41\u0d24\u0d4d\u0d24\u0d41? \u2192 \u0d05\u0d28\u0d3f\u0d2f\u0d24\u0d4d\u0d24\u0d3f\u0d2f\u0d46\u0d1f\u0d41\u0d24\u0d4d\u0d24\u0d41. \u201cYounger sister took it.\u201d (vowel-vowel)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"menu_order":6,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"front-matter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-20","front-matter","type-front-matter","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/moagml\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/front-matter\/20","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/moagml\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/front-matter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/moagml\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/front-matter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/moagml\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/moagml\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/front-matter\/20\/revisions"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/moagml\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/front-matter\/20\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/moagml\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"front-matter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/moagml\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/front-matter-type?post=20"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/moagml\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=20"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/moagml\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=20"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}