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Malayalam Language

Malayalam CD-ROM
RRP: £24.95
Our Price: £19.99
with FREE P&P

Where does Malayalam come from?
Malayalam is a member of the Dravidian family of languages. It is thought these languages are derived from a language spoken in India prior to the invasion of the Aryans c.1500 B.C.

The Dravidian languages have their own alphabets, which go back to a common source that is related to the Devanagari alphabet used for Sanskrit. Malayalam developed as an independent language by the 10th century AD. It is the youngest of all developed languages in the Dravidian family.

Hindi is the official language of India although English is also very widely used. However, there are 18 other officially recognised languages and Malayalam is one of these.

How many people speak Malayalam?
Over 30 million people speak Malayalam as their first language.

In how many countries?
Malayalam is the state language of Kerala, the southern state of India. It is also widely spoken in the states of Western Tamil Nadu & Southern Karnataka. Worldwide, it is spoken in the UK, USA, Bangladesh, UAE & Singapore.

The process of creating Indian states from the princely states and provinces under British rule began after India's independence in 1947. The main demand was to create states based on language boundaries and to a large extent this was achieved. The boundaries of Kerala reflect where Malayalam speakers live.

Malayalam Culture

Malayalam Music and Dance
In the area of music Kerala has many indigenous Indian musical instruments like Sarangi, Sitar, Tabla, Tambora, Tanpura, etc. The land is a flourishing centre of the Kathakali dance form, Kerala's very own and much celebrated dance drama. Kathakali evolved in the 8th century.

Thiruvathira: This beautiful dance is usually performed on specially put up stages in connection with temple festivals.

Malayalam Food and Drink
Pulaos, pilaffs and biriyanis are meats, spices and onions slowly steam cooked in boiled rice. Arab Seafarers brought Malabar biriyani across the Indian Ocean. It is eaten hot with crispy, crunchy pappadums.

A favourite breakfast dish is Pootu - rice flour dough with grated coconut and steamed in a hollow bamboo cylinder. It is eaten sprinkled with sugar or with mashed bananas or with a spicy curry made of channa or chic peas.

Iddlis or fluffy white steamed cakes and dosas, which are thin golden pancakes, are popular in Kerala. They are made of yeasty rice and lentil batter.

About Talk Now! Language CD-ROMs
This is an excitingly different language learning series. Talk Now! uses games and quizzes as a basis for making the learning process fun, easy and relaxing. There is no better way to teach an old dog new tricks and this fun element of the program means that your fears are forgotten as you absorb words and phrases without even realising you are learning them.

Talk Now! is the world's best selling language learning CD-ROM series for beginners, used by more than three million people to date. It's ideal for travellers, holidaymakers, business people, schoolchildren, students and families.

Anyone over 10 years of age will find the disc indispensable for improving listening, understanding and spoken language skills. There are nine topics: first words, food, colours, phrases, parts of the body, numbers, time, shopping and countries.

The games and quizzes included on the disc ensure that users have fun whilst using the disc, without realising that they're learning. The "intelligent" software feature remembers words you get wrong and targets your weak points.

"This is an excitingly different language learning series. Talk Now! Uses games and quizzes as a basis for making the learning process fun and relaxing." - PC Answers

"I bought your Learn Malay CD today - I've only just begun, but I wanted to say how much I am enjoying it. I studied Malay from a book all day yesterday, making some 25 pages of notes on grammar and vocab, but I remember more from your CD from just an hour!" - James Bryce

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