Telugu vocabulary for modern Telugu people

దేశభాషలందు తెలుగు లెస్స. ఎందరో మహానుభావులు అందరికీ వందనములు. పంచదారకన్న పనసతొనలకన్న కమ్మని తేనెకన్న తెలుగు మిన్న.

dESabhAshalandu telugu lessa. endarO mahAnubhAvulu andarikI vandanamulu. panchadArakanna panasatonalakanna kammani tEnekanna telugu minna.

1. Notes on usage
2. Common vocabulary

Since the mid 1800s, knowledge of English and emulation of Western culture has been intentionally sought by mainstream Telugu people at the expense of their own cultural identity. In fact, they have sought to such an extent that today, we speak a kind of Telugu that predominantly consists of English!

In hopes of withstanding the pressures of popular society, which blindly endorses this trend, I have sought lingual freedom through education. Thus, I invite you to walk alongside me on this path, so that one day we may speak and write purely and effluently in Telugu.

Notes on usage

• For what seems to affect all words, the “ము” (mu) suffix undergoes a modern simplification whereby an anvusvara “ం” (am) is substituted in its place. For example, compare the word “చక్రము” (chakramu) with its modern simplification of “చక్రం” (chakram).

• Many words prefixed with a రా వత్తు (raa vattu) undergo a modern simplification whereby the రా వత్తు is discarded. For example, compare the word “క్రింద” (krinda) with its modern simplification of “కింద” (kinda). Perhaps this is more prevalent in speech than in writing.

Common vocabulary