Monday, October 20, 2014

Warm and Cold

These are different words, infact opposites. But they have same meanings, that is they mean something good. Let us see.

In general, cold means cool, chillness (kulirchi, kulumai). In Tamil if we say, Manasu kulirndhadhu it means that we are happy at the happening of some good event. People generally relate the moon's cool rays to happiness. We even say the blessings of god as thannarul (cool rays). In Tamil if somebody receives scoldings, we say "sudu sol vanginargal" meaning, they received hot words.
But in the west, in English if we say cold welcome or cold hearted then it is something bad. If the response is not good, if someone arrives at a place, we say they were welcomed very cold. And we say a person who is not kind as cold hearted person. On the contrary, when we say so and so has been given a warm welcome, it means they are welcomed in a good way.

Why the same word have different meaning in different places? It is mainly because of the climatic conditions prevailing over the places where they are used. In India where the climate is hot, chillness gives immense pleasure. In western countries like America, England where the weather is already cold, warmth gives immense pleasure. So the people in tropics, use cold in their language for happiness and hot for feelings other than happiness. The English people use warm for happiness and cold for situations that are not happy.

This information was read by me in deivathin kural book, vol 1, in which mahapeiyava has enlightened the listeners of his lecture about the usages of these words.