Badaga Language

Peculiarities of Badaga

I am not an expert on language studies, but will try and explain certain peculiarities of Badaga which makes it an unique language.

Haalu [haa - as in hospital and lu - as in Zulu] means milk

Hallu [  ha- as hurt and llu - as in loo] means tooth [teeth]. note – there is no plural term.

Haasu – spread [the bedding], Haasike – bedding

Hasu – hunger

Maana – Pride, Mana – heart

Kaanu – see, Kannu – eye[s] (example -  Doctor-a Kaanu, kanna pathi hegina – See the Doctor, he will tell about the eyes]

Let us learn Badaga

” Ollenge iddiya ? – How are you ?”

‘Suddi saddha ella olliththa ? – (Roughly) ‘ How is everything ? ‘

1. Are you a Badaga ? – Nee ondu Badagana?

2. Yes, I am a Badaga – Ha, Na ondu Badaga

3. What is your name ? - Ninna hesaru aena ?

4. My name is Bhoja - Enna hesaru Bhoja

5. Which is your village ? – Ninna Hatti edu ?

[5a. Amme / Thamma, nee ai hatti ? - Girl/ Boy, which is your village?]

6. My village is Bearhatti – Enna Hatti bandu Bearhatti

7. Whose son/daughter are you ? – Nee dara maathi / hennu ?

8. I am Mela thara (top street) Joghi Gowder’s son / daughter – Na Mela thara Joghi gowdaru maathi / hennu

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Numbers in Badugu /Badaga

1. Ondu (One) 11. Hannondu (Eleven)

2. Eradu (Two) 12. Hanneradu (Twelve)

3. Mooru (Three) 13. Hadimooru (Thirteen)

4. Naakku (Four) 14. Hadanaakku (Fourteen)

5. Iidu (Five) 15. Hadanaidu (Fifteen)

6. Aaru (Six) 16. Hadanaaru (Sixteen)

7. eizhu (Seven) 17. Hadarizhu (Seventeen)

8. Eattu (Eight) 18. Hadarettu (Eighteen)

9. Ombathu ( Nine) 19. Hathombathu (Nineteen)

10. Hathu (Ten) 20. Eipathu (Twenty)

30. Moovathu (Thirty) 40. Nalavathu (Forty)

50. Iivathu (Fifty) 60. Aravathu (Sixty)

70. Elavathu (Seventy) 80. Embathu ( Eighty)

90. Thombathu (Ninrty) 100. Nooru (Hundred)

Days In Badugu/Badaga

1. Aadivaara (Sunday)

2. Sovaara (Monday)

3. Mangavaara ( Tuesday)

4. Bodavaara (Wednesday)

5. Chikkavaara (Thursday)

6. Bellie (Friday)

7. Sani (Saturday)

Months In Badugu/Badaga

(Courtesy ” Naakku Betta ” Monthly – Goodalu (1979) Issue by Sivaprakash B.Sc.,B.Ed (Davanai))

It is said that Badaga month starts on every 10th of the English month. Like for example Goodalu month starts on 10th January.

1. Goodalu (Jan)

2. Aalaani (Feb)

3. Nallaani (Mar)

4. Aani ( Apr)

5. Aadire (May)

6.Aadi (Peraadi) (Jun)

7.Aavaani (Jul)

8.Perattadi (Aug)

9. Dodda Deevige (Sep)

10. Kiru Deevige (Oct)

11. Thai (Nov)

12. Hemmaatti (Dec)

Pleasantly surprised to hear all the Badaga Months being mentioned in  this song called  ‘Kappu Huttileyu’- a great dance number.

For more Badaga songs go here

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Peculiar Words

There are some words in Badaga that are truly peculiar. for example :

1. GIJI GIJI ( as in Give & Jinx) – Confusion , mess up / disorderly

GIJI GIJI maada beda – Don’t create confusion

Room ekka ethe GIJI GIJI (ya) hadadhe ? – Why is this room in such a mess?


2. MURUKKU(LU) (Mu ru ku) - Foul mood / mild anger

Amme Ekka maathaduvadu elle ? – Why is sister not talking ?

Ava murukkindu endhave – She is in a foul mood

3. BADAYI (Ba daa ee ) – Show Off (proud)

Appara badayi maadiya – She shows off a lot

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Research on Badaga

I found this interesting article on the net. Is it not fascinating that so much research has been done on our language ?

Peter Ladefoged Languages index

Badaga is a Southern Dravidian Language (Tamil-Kannada branch) spoken by approximately 250,000 people in the Nilgiris hills in Southern India. There are several dialects, only the most conservative having the complete set of contrasts illustrated here.

>Badaga has five vowels /i e a o u/ , all of which can be contrastively half and fully retroflexed.

Half retroflexed vowels are indicated by the diacritic for rhotocity :[a~], fully retroflexed vowels with a subscript dot [a]

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Badaga Names

Birds (Hakkilu)

  1. Haddu (Eagle)
  2. Kakke (Crow)
  3. Soray (Dove)
  4. Kili (Parrot)
  5. Emme Hakkilu
  6. Bikkola
  7. Karia(n)chitta (Black bird)
  8. Gubbachi (Sparrow)
  9. Mayilu (Peacock)
  10. Koi (Poultry hen/cock)
  11. Kaadu Koi (Wild hen)
  12. Baathu(koi) – Duck

Mari (chic) –{Koi Mari – chic(ken)}

Also for calf [ for eg) Nei mari – puppy dog]

Animals

Aanay (Elephant)

  1. Kaade -Kaadu Emme – (Bison)
  2. Ottaga (Camel)
  3. Kudire (Horse)
  4. Kaththe (Donkey)
  5. Dana (Cow)
  6. Emme (Buffalo)
  7. Yethu (Bull)
  8. Karu (Calf)
  9. Huli (Tiger)
  10. Singa (Lion)
  11. Siruthe (Panther)
  12. Karadi (Bear)
  13. Maanu (Deer)
  14. Pulli Maanu (Spotted Dear)
  15. Kadame (Sambar)
  16. Handi (Black Pig)
  17. Kaadandi – kaadu handi – (Wild Pig)
  18. Mullandi – Mullu Handi – (Porcupine)
  19. Seeme Handi (White Pig)
  20. Koda, Korangu (Monkey)
  21. Mola (Rabbit)
  22. Nari (Fox)
  23. Nei (Dog)
  24. Koththi (Cat)
  25. Eli (Rat)
  26. Aame (Turtle)
  27. Nalli (Crab)
  28. Halli (
  29. Haavu (Snake)
  30. Kappe (Frog)
  31. Meenu (Fish)

Insects

  1. Hoo (general for insect)
  2. Nona (Fly)
  3. Selandhi (Spider)
  4. Kunni (Bee)
  5. Eruppu (Ant)
  6. Kosu (Mosquito)
  7. Bendu (Moth/Butterfly)

Anatomy

  1. Mande (Head) – also refers to Hair though there is specific word – Orama
  2. Heddakku (Back of the skull) – usually Badagas have a long heddakku as they donot use cradles. The reason for not using cradles for babies is a story by itself. It is due to the fact that when they left Mysore to escape from the King (Thipu Sultan ?) in the night in a hurry, they had forgotten the baby which was sleeping in the cradle,each thinking that the other person wiould pick up the child.
  3. Moole (Brain)
  4. Nethi (Forehead)
  5. Kenni (Cheeks)
  6. Kannu [eye(s)]
  7. Kivi (Ear)
  8. Mookku (Nose)
  9. Bae (Mouth)
  10. Thudi (lip)
  11. Hallu (Teeth)
  12. Naalenge (Tongue)
  13. Dhaade ( Chin)
  14. Thonde (Throat)
  15. Gaththu (Neck)
  16. Maaru – Nenju – (chest)
  17. Mole (Breast)
  18. Hiththalu – Bennu – (Shoulder)
  19. Kai (Hands)
  20. Mutti (Elbow – also for knee)
  21. Beralu (Fingers)
  22. Hebbatte – Katte (beralu) – [Thumb]
  23. Ugilu (Nails)
  24. Hotte (Stomach)
  25. Mollu Kudi (Naval)
  26. Nadu (Hip)
  27. Pitti (Buttocks)
  28. Thode (Thigh)
  29. Monakkaalu (Knee)
  30. Kaalu (Leg)
  31. Midi (Heel)
  32. Angalu (Foot)

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A very interesting link

Badaga language Totally Explained

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Badaga, one of the South Dravidian Languages is spoken in the Nilgiri District of Tamilnadu, India and the present paper deals with the Badaga nouns with particular reference to gender, number and declension. Though it is considered by many, as one of the dialects of Kannada, there are many distinct features ( some are innovations and some others are due to the retentions of Old Kannada features) which may lead one to claim it as a separate language. The identity of certain pronouns both in Kodagu and Badaga is very striking though we may not be able to make any definitive statement regarding the dialect area whence Proto-Badaga migrated

from the ‘Journal of the American Oriental Society, 92.2 (1972) page 276′

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No articles, images and other material in this website can be reproduced without the written permission of
Wing Commander Bellie Jayaprakash B.E.(GCT,Madras Univ).,M.B.A (FMS, Delhi Univ)


Contact : bjaypee@gmail.com
belliejayaprakash©2008

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Wing commander Bellie Jayaprakash’s other website from the heart for some ‘light’ reading

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6 Responses

  1. SureshKumar, on April 16th, 2007 at 7:20 am Said:

    Great Collections….

  2. NAGULAN jOGHEE, on April 19th, 2007 at 8:09 am Said:

    Wonderful collections & presentation. Going through such articles brings a sort of nostalgic feeling for people like me who are destined to be away from Nilgiris for one reason or the other. Anyway , it is all amazingly enjoyable and you deserve the credit for that.

  3. NAGULAN jOGHEE, on April 26th, 2007 at 6:42 am Said:

    Nagulan Joghee’s choice of some of the proverbs quoted by Prof.Paul Hockings in his book on ‘Badaga proverbs , curses and Omens’ with English meaning :

    Badaga Proverbs:

    “Akka iddale baava ; rokka iddale sule
    Okkuva hana hattale Urella nattu”

    If (only) you have an elder sister, there is a sister’s husband;
    If you have cash you have a kiln ( or prostitute);
    If you have lots of cash , the whole village is related to you.
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
    “Hetta hotte ondaleyu huttu bere buddi bere”

    The stomach that has given birth [to various people] is one;
    [they are of] different sense and different complexion
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
    “Nega evalikkile , ne baluga evalikkira”

    If you give order to a dog, it will give order to its tail
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
    “Kall aduvane ne ille ; ne ibbane kallille”

    When the stone is there , there is no dog; when there is a dog there is no stone
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
    “Tekkana illada teru nadeya ; badakanillade bandi nadeya”

    A chariot won’t move without its wheel; A cart won’t move without the driver
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
    “ Uppillada uta holla; kavalillada kote holla”

    Food without salt is bad; and a fortress without a guard is bad
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
    “Saranana gunava maranado: nodu”

    The nature of the greeting gesture is seen in the death
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
    “Ennega ele:ru kattuvaduna , hada nodi onderu kattu”\

    Instead of tying seven[oxen] to the millpole[for pressing oil];
    Tie one[pair] to plough the dampened soil
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
    “Ondu kanasuno: bagarava:

    With one dream will dawn come?
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
    “Mane muridale kattaku; Mana muridale kattoga”

    If the house breaks you can rebuild it ; if the heart breaks you cannot repair it
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
    “Kalaga takkada kola ; desaga takkada base”

    [Place the] ornamentation at the appropriate time;
    [Speak the] language appropriate to the linguistic area
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
    “Ondu tatte budda guiga handi endaleyu buva”

    Even a pig , having once fallen once into that pit, won’t fall into the same pit again
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
    “Ondu kopado: hallaga buddale, ombattu kopado:geyu ebbagugaga”

    If in single anger[you have] drowned in a lake, you can’t come up again with nine[times that] anger
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

  4. bhaskar, on October 9th, 2008 at 12:52 am Said:

    super analysis, proud to find a language/dialect so similar to kannada, was never aware of it, now i know why so many speak kannada in ooty :)

  5. MANIKANDAN, on January 10th, 2009 at 4:58 pm Said:

    I AM BADUGA , RECENTLY I VISITED YOUR SITE AND KNOWN ABOUT MONTHS . THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY

  6. Vinoth, on June 5th, 2009 at 5:57 pm Said:

    its really amazing to see such sort of a special website for de badagas……………………………………..

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