Hello

Hello Ms.Munch,
I'm not living in Coimbatore now, but I've spent a couple of years in my early teens. Does that count ? Can I be your friend too please?
I used to live in Sulur.
சுளுரில் தான் கோயம்புத்தூர் லொள்ளு கொஞ்சம் கொஞ்சம் கத்துக்கிட்டேன் !
(I learnt a little bit of the so called "coimbatore-street smarts" while I lived there).

எங்க வீட்டு சரசம்மா தண்ணீர் குடம் தூக்கிக் கொண்டு வர ஸ்டைல் இன்னும் கண்ணு குள்ளையே நிக்குது !

சரசம்மா என்னை முதல் முறை "எ அம்மிணி" ன்னு கூபிட்டபோது நான் திரும்பிபார்கவில்லை, ஏன் என்றால் அம்மிணி என் பேர் இல்லை!

என்னை "ஏ புள்ள " ன்னு கூப்பிட்டபோதும் நான் திரும்பிபார்கவே இல்லை! ஏன் என்றால் நான் "பிள்ளையும்" இல்லை!

சரசம்மா அடுத்ததாக என்னை என்னன்னு கூப்பிட்டுஇருப்பார்கள் ன்னு நீங்க நினைக்குறீங்க ?

"நீ ஒரு அம்மிணியும் இல்லை, புல்லையும் இல்லை, பெரிய தொல்லை!".

So, Ms.Munch, இந்த friendship போதுமா, இன்னும் கொஞ்சம் வேணுமா ?

-Lata Kalaimani

Here comes the translation for members who might need it:

Sarasamma was a lady who helped us get water from our neighborhood water tank in our street (in Sulur, Coimbatore). She used to work for a few more houses other than ours, so she was always quick in everything. On her very first day, when she came to deliver a couple of pots of water, she saw me and addressed me as "ammini". I didn't know that ammini was the word used in Coimbatore to address girls. So, I didn't pay attention. Next, she called me as " Ae pulla!", which it turns out is a "noun" used to address girls too. In our family, we use the word "ponnu" for girls, and "pillai" generally means boys (I'm no expert in tamil, but pulla sounded a bit different, too different for a person who just came to Coimbatore three days ago! So, I didn't listen to Sarasamma, and continued to do whatever I was doing at that time. She didn't like that, and called me something which meant - - "pain in the neck"!
My lessons in Coimbatore tamil continues to this day, here in California. A good friend of mine calls a big steel "Dubba" as "Sembadam". I gave her the same ignorant look, and she quickly changed her vocabulary to "steel dubba"!

I know I have a lot to learn. Did I tell you about my experience with my friend (who lives two blocks from ours) from Thirunelveli? Maybe later, don't want to bore you too much.