Arabi Malayalam
Arabi Malayalam
- മലയാളത്തില് വായിക്കാം
Arabi-Malayalam is a macaronic language popular among the Muslim community of Kerala, which served an import role in the spread of Islamic knowledge in Malabar. The area from Ponnani to Kasargod was the major influence zone of Arabi Malayalam. Although some sources conclude that the Arabs had trade links with Kerala even before Islam, the birth of this macaronic language and its vast literature is credited to the teachings of Islam.
It is abundant in written literature and nurtures the Islamic culture of Kerala. During its golden era, Arabi-Malayalam was the common tongue of Malabar region. Arabi-Malayalam is also used by the Beary community of North Kerala and Southern Karnataka.
However, like other Macaronic languages that are linked with Malayalam, Arabi-Malayalam is also fading away.
Orthography
The Arabi-Malayalam writing system is a variant of the Nasqi script with additional letters to support Malayalam phonology. It is known by the names Kerala Vaṭiv (Kerala Style), Malabari, and Ponnani script. This script contains almost double the number of characters compared to Standard Arabic Script.
It is essential to use the vowel markers when writing Arabi-Malayalam. A total of 50 letters are there in Arabi Malayalam, and it lacks the distinction between ഩ (ṉ) and ന (n).
The script is also used for writing Eranadan language and the Jesri dialect of Malayalam.
Vowels
| عَرَبِ مَلَیَاۻَمٛ | ISO 15919 |
|---|---|
| اَ | a |
| آ | ā |
| اِ | i |
| اِی | ī |
| اُ | u |
| اُو | ū |
| رْ | r̥ |
| ا٘/اࣣ | e |
| ا٘ی | ē |
| اَيْ | ai |
| اٗ | o |
| اٗو | ō |
| اَوْ | au |
| اَمْ | am |
Consonants
| عَرَبِ مَلَیَاۻَمٛ | ISO 15919 | عَرَبِ مَلَیَاۻَمٛ | ISO 15919 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ك/ک | k | دھ | dh |
| كھ | kh | ن | n |
| گ | g | پ | p |
| گھ | gh | پھ/ف | f/ph |
| ۼ | ṅ | ب | b |
| چ | c | بھ | bh |
| چھ | ch | م | m |
| ج | j | ي | y |
| جھ | jh | ڔ | r |
| ڿ | ñ | ل | l |
| ڊ | ṭ | و | v |
| ڊھ | ṭh | ش | ś |
| ڗ | ḍ | ۺ | ṣ |
| ڗھ | ḍh | س | s |
| ڹ | ṇ | ھ/ﮭ | h |
| ت | t | ۻ | ḷ |
| تھ | th | ژ | ḻ |
| د | d | ر | ṟ |
| ڔّ | ṯ |
Vowel Markers
Note that some of these are not supported by any fonts, so there maybe variations from the original version of Arabi Malayalam.
| عَرَبِ مَلَیَاۻَمٛ | ISO 15919 |
|---|---|
| کَ | ka |
| کَا | kā |
| کِ | ki |
| کِی | kī |
| کُ | ku |
| کُو | kū |
| کْر | kr̥ |
| کࣣ | ke |
| کࣣی | kē |
| کَْي | kai |
| کٗ | ko |
| کٗو | kō |
| کَوْ | kau |
| کَمْ | kam |
Transliteration
[Thirukkural 391]
کَلکّࣣىڹَتُ پِژَوُکَۻِّلَّاتࣣ کَلکُّکَ ، کڔُّکژِڿَّالَتِلُرَچُّ نَنِّىڊُکَ
kalkkēṇṭatu piḻavukaḷillāte kalkkuka, kaṟṟukaḻiññālatiluṟaccu ninnīṭuka
കല്ക്കേണ്ടതു പിഴവുകളില്ലാതെ കല്ക്കുക, കറ്റുകഴിഞ്ഞാലതിലുറച്ചു നിന്നീടുക
Literature
The Arabi-Malayalam literature is vast, and it mostly contains Pattukal (songs). It uses its own variant of the traditional pattu poetry, and Mala songs are the most popular title in Arabi-Malayalam literature. The Mala songs are revolve around the spiritual life, teachings, stories etc.
Muhyuddin Mala is the most most-valuable Mala in Arabi-Malayalam literature.
Padappattukal (war-songs) are another branch of Pattukal in the macaronic language’s literature. Another branch, Kalyana Pattukal (Marriage songs) are sung during wedding ceremonies.
Other important works in Arabi-Malayalam includes translation of Quran and other important Islamic texts.
Images
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