List of loanwords in Malayalam
Loan words in Malayalam, excluding the huge number of words from Sanskrit and Tamil, originated mostly due to the centuries long interactions between the native population of Kerala and the trading (predominantly, spice trading) powers of the world. This included trading contacts with Arabia, Persia, Israel and China spanning millennia, and with European Colonial powers for several centuries.
European contributions
Portuguese
Most of the Portuguese loan words are for items which the native population lacked when the encounter with Portuguese happened from around the final years of the 15th Century. Portuguese was the lingua franca in Africa, Brazil, South Asia and parts of South East Asia during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The Portuguese were the major ruling colonial power in South India during this time and hence the strong influence on Malayalam (as in other Indian languages) should be obvious.
| മലയാളം വാക്ക് | Malayalam Word | Meaning | Original form |
|---|---|---|---|
| ആയ | āyā | Maid | aia |
| അലമാര | alamāra | cupboard | armário |
| അള്ത്താര | altāra | altar | altar |
| അണ്ണാറ ചക്ക | Annāra chakka | Pineapple | ananás |
| അസേന്തി | asenthi | Assistant Priest (In a Parish) | assistente |
| ബോര്മ | Bōrmba | Oven / Furnace | forno |
| കപ്പിത്താന് | capitān | captain | capitão |
| ചായ | chāya | tea | chá |
| ചാവി | chāvi | key | chave |
| ചാക്ക്‌ | chākku | sack | saco |
| ഇസ്തിരി | isthiri | to iron, to press | estirar |
| ഇസ്കൂള് | iskool | School | escola |
| ജനാല | janāla | window | janela |
| കളസം | kalasam | shorts/trouser | calção |
| കപ്പേള | Kappela | Chapel | capela |
| കാപ്പിരി | kāppiri | black, african | cafre |
| കറൂപ്പ് | karoopp | A type of fish (Grouper) | garoupa |
| കസേര | kasera | chair | cadeira |
| കശുവണ്ടി | kasuvandi | cashew | caju |
| കടലാസ്‌ | kadalas | paper | cartaz |
| കദ്രീഞ്ഞ | kadreenha | stool | cadeirinha |
| കോപ്പ | kōppa | cup, dish | copo |
| കൊവേന്ത | kovenda | convent | convento |
| കുമ്പാരി | kumbāri | Godparents of your child/ children or Parents of your Godchild | compadre |
| കുരിശ്‌ | kurishu | Cross | cruz |
| കുശിനി | kushini | kitchen | cozinha |
| കുനീല് | kuneel | funnel | funil |
| ലേലം | lelam | auction | leilão |
| മേശ | mesha | table | mesa |
| മേസ്തിരി | mesthiri | foreman | mestre |
| നോന | nōnā | Luso Indian lady | dona |
| ഓസ്തി | ōsthi | Sacramental bread/ wafer | hóstia |
| പാര | pāra | Crowbar | barra |
| പാതിരി | pāthiri | priest,pastor | padre |
| പദ്രിഞ്ഞപ്പന് | pardinhappan | God Father | padrinho |
| പദ്രിഞ്ഞമ്മ | pardinhamma | God Mother | madrinha |
| പപ്പാഞ്ഞി | Pappānhi | Christmas Father (Santa Claus) | Papai Noel |
| പേന | pena | pen | pena |
| പേര | pera | pear, guava | pera |
| പിക്കാസ് | pikkās | Pickaxe | picão |
| പീലാസ് | peelās | Godchild | afilhado |
| റാന്തല് | rānthal | lamp, lantern | lanterna |
| റാത്തല് | rāthal | a Pound (1 lb.), weight of sixteen ounces (16 oz.) | arrátel |
| റേന്ത | renda | lace work | renda |
| സാത്താന് | sāttān | satan | satan |
| സവാള | savāla | onion | cebola |
| സെമിത്തേരി | semithery | cemetery, burial ground | cemitério |
| തമ്പാക്ക് | thampākk | Tobacco | tabaco |
| തിര | tira | Gun Shot | tiro |
| തീരുവ | teeruva | customs duty | tarifa |
| തൊപ്പി | toppi | hat | topo |
| തൂവാല | tuvāla | towel | toalha |
| വാത്ത | vātha | Goose | pato |
| വരാന്ത | varāntha | open porch | varanda |
| വീപ്പ | veeppa | wooden cask, barrel | pipa |
| വീഞ്ഞ് | Veenh | Wine | vinho |
| വികാരി | vikāri | vicar | vigário |
| വിനാഗിരി | vināgiri | vinegar | vinagre |
The Portuguese language had also taken some words from Malayalam, and they should not be confused vice versa. Some examples are jaca for Jack Fruit (from Chakka / ചക്ക in malayalam), manga for mango (from Mangaa / മാങ്ങ or Mangai in Malayalam/Tamil).
Dutch
| orilathamara | Malayalam Word | Meaning | Original form |
|---|---|---|---|
| അടുതാപ്പ് | aduthappu | potato | Aardappel |
| കക്കൂസ്‌ | kakkūs | Toilet | kakhuis |
| കള്ക്ക്‌ | Kalkku | turkey | Kalkoen |
| കാപ്പി | Kaappi | coffee | Koffie |
| കോക്കി | Kokki | Chef/ Cook | kokin |
| തപാല് | Thapal | Post | Tapal |
English
Modern Malayalam dialects use countless number of English words; following are some of the unique ones.
| Word | Meaning | Original form |
|---|---|---|
| Madaama | A white woman | Madam/e |
| Maash | Teacher, guru | Master |
Middle East contributions
East Syriac and West Syriac
Suriyani Malayalam (or Karshoni), which used the East Syriac script to write Malayalam, was a popular medium of written communication among Saint Thomas Christians in Kerala until the 19th century.[1][2][3]
| Word | വാക്ക് | Meaning | Original Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amma | അമ്മ | Mother | Emma[4] |
| Appan | അപ്പൻ | Father | Aba |
| Nasrani | നസ്രാണി | Follower of Jesus | Nasraya, Nasrani |
| Pesaha | പെസഹ | Passover | Pesaha[2] |
| Malakha | മാലാഖ | Angel | Malaka[1] |
| Kudasha | കൂദാശ | Sacrament | Qudasha[1] |
| Mamodisa | മാമോദീസ | Baptism | Mamodisa[1][2] |
| Sliva | സ്ലീവ | Cross | Sliva[3] |
| Easow | ഈശോ | Jesus | Iso'[1] |
| Qurbana | കുർബാന | Eucharist (for Holy Mass) | Qurbana[1] |
| Mishiha | മിശിഹ | Anointed | Mishiha[1][2] |
| Dukrana | ദുക്റാന | Remembrance | Dukrana |
| Kathanar | കത്തനാർ | Syrian priest | Kasnar |
| Mar | മാർ | Holy man, Saint | Mar |
| Rooha | റൂഹ | Holy Spirit | Ruha |
| Shliha | ശ്ലീഹ | Apostle | Shliha |
Arabic
The Arabic language contributes a large number of words into a dialect form of Malayalam that is spoken by the Muslim Mappila community of North Kerala. There are also some common words which are used throughout Kerala.
| Word | വാക്ക് | Meaning | Original form |
|---|---|---|---|
| aalam | ആലം | world | عالم |
| baaki | ബാക്കി | balance/remaining | باقي |
| haajir | ഹാജർ | appear, attend, be present | حاضر |
| harji | ഹർജി | petition | عريضة |
| jilla | ജില്ല | District | ضلغة |
| kalaasham | കലാശം | final/ending | خلاص |
| mahassir | മഹസ്സർ | report | محضر |
| maithaanam, maithaani | മൈതാനം, മൈതാനി | a ground, an open space area, park | ميدان |
| nakkal | നക്കൽ | copy (also can mean True copy) | نقل |
| pinjaanam | പിഞ്ഞാണം | bowl | فنجان |
| raddh | റദ്ദ് | cancel/give back | رد |
| taluk | താലൂക്ക് | administrative division | تغلّق |
| tarjima | തർജ്ജിമ | translation | ترجمة |
| wakalath | വക്കാലത്ത് | legal authorization | وكالة |
| vakeel | വക്കീൽ | lawyer/attorney | وكيل |
Hebrew
The Hebrew language contributes a large number of words into a dialect form of Judeo-Malayalam that is spoken by the Cochin Jewish community of Kerala.
| Malayalam | Meaning | Spelling | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| alam | world | עולם | oˈlam |
| aliya | ascension | עלייה | aliyá |
| alva | sweet | חלבה | halvah |
| ba | come | בא | ba |
| beit kneset | synagogue | בית כנסת | beit-k'néset |
| Ivrit | Hebrew language | עברית | ivrít |
| kabar | grave, tomb | קבר | kéver |
| Mesren, Misri | Egypt, Egyptian | מצרים מצרי | mitsráyim, mitsrí |
| nivya | prophet | נביא | naví |
| rabban, ramban | rabbi, teacher, monk | רבי | rabbi |
| saith | olive | זית | záyit |
| Sfarad, Sfaradi | Spain, Spaniard | ספרד ספרדי | sfarad, sfaradi |
| shalom | hello, peace | שלום | shalóm |
| shalom ayi | death | שלום עליי | shalóm ali |
| shir | song, music | שיר | shir |
| sosanna | lily | שושן | shoshán |
| tapuakh | apple | תפוח | tapúakh |
| Tora | Torah | תורה | torá |
| Yavan, Yavana | Greece, Greek | יוון יווני | yaván, yevani |
| Yisrael, Yisraeli | Israel, Israeli | ישראל הישראלי | yisra'él, yisra'éli |
| Yuda, Yehudan | Jew, Jewish | יהודי | y'hudí |
Persian
There are a few words of Persian origin in Malayalam, though it is possible many of them could have been indirectly loaned from Urdu.
| Word | Meaning | Original form |
|---|---|---|
| parangi | A Dutch | Farangi |
| godambu | Wheat | Gandom |
References
- Borrowed words and pronunciation, Rajeev, Rediff
- A sacred language is vanishing from State, The Hindu
- Western Influence on Malayalam Language and Literature, Dr.K.M.George